Royals Open AAC Series with Game 1 Win Over Montreat

KNOXVILLE, TN– The Royals started their AAC series against Montreat College on a strong note, securing a 6-4 victory at Russell Morgan Field on Friday. A dominant outing from Colby Reynolds, combined with timely hitting, lifted the Royals to their 20th win of the season.

Head coach Dave Serrano emphasized the importance of starting the series with a win. "I was really pleased with how we executed today. Colby Reynolds set the tone on the mound, and our offense came up with big hits in key moments. Any time you can take Game 1 in a conference series, it sets the tone for the rest of the weekend. We need to keep this momentum going and stay locked in for the next two games."

Game Recap

The game was a pitchers' duel early, with both teams remaining scoreless through the first three innings. Montreat struck first with a run in the fourth, but the Royals responded with a three-run sixth inning to take control.

• Travis Hobbensiefken launched a solo home run and drove in two RBIs.

• Nolan Cusey tripled and added an RBI.

• Bryson Shown contributed two RBIs with a key extra-base hit.

• Luke Wilson went 2-for-4 with a double and scored a run.

On the mound, Colby Reynolds (W, 7-1) was dominant, throwing eight innings while allowing just one earned run on six hits with six strikeouts.

• Kaleb Townsend came in for relief in the ninth but ran into some trouble, allowing three runs before James Showalter closed the door with back-to-back strikeouts to earn his third save of the season.

Looking Ahead

With the Game 1 victory, the Royals (now 10-3 in AAC play) look to clinch the series as they prepare for Saturday's doubleheader against Montreat.

For schedule updates and more, visit JohnsonRoyals.com.