Royals Close Out Regular Season with Series Win Over Bluefield

Knoxville, TN- The Royals capped off their regular season with a thrilling three-game series win over the Bluefield Rams. The Royals took two out of three games in Bluefield, setting them up for next week's AAC conference tournament.

Game 1: Johnson 7, Bluefield 4 

The Royals came out strong in the series opener, securing a 7-4 victory. Johnson's offense was led by Edwin Olmeda Jr., who went 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs, and Bryson Shown, who hit a home run and drove in 1. The Royals capitalized on a three-run second inning, followed by a big 2-out RBI performance. On the mound, Colby Reynolds earned his eleventh win of the season, going six innings and allowing three earned runs while striking out three. Garrett Borst and James Showalter came in for relief, each contributing a solid inning to seal the victory.

Game 2: Johnson 2, Bluefield 3 

The Rams bounced back in game two, edging out the Royals 3-2 in a tightly contested matchup. Isaac Lawson hit a home run for Johnson, driving in both of the Royals' runs. Austin Sykes gave the Royals a strong start, going 5.1 innings and allowing only two earned runs. However, a combination of Bluefield's defensive plays and a clutch 7th inning rally secured the Rams the win.

Game 3: Johnson 6, Bluefield 1 

In the series finale, Johnson bounced back in dominant fashion, securing a 6-1 win. Braden Frank led the charge with a 3-for-5 performance, driving in 2 RBIs. The Royals used a three-run second inning to take control and never looked back. Kaleb Townsend picked up his first win of the season, pitching four scoreless innings and allowing only three hits. Nathan Hoffman and Mason Schmidt finished the game strong, each contributing to limiting Bluefield to just one run.

With this series win, the Royals finish the regular season with an impressive 33-14 record and 21-9 in the conference, putting them in prime position for the upcoming AAC tournament.

Coach Dave Serrano, reflecting on the series, said:
"It was a great weekend for us to finish out the regular season. Despite the tough loss in Game 2, I'm proud of the way our guys bounced back in the final game. The focus now shifts to the tournament, and we'll take what we learned from this series to prepare for what lies ahead."

The Royals now look forward to next week's AAC conference tournament, where they will aim to make a deep run and continue their successful season.