CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Royals faced off with the #5 seed St. Thomas Friday morning in the Sun Conference Tournament's first elimination game. Despite trailing after 3 Innings, the Royals refused to give up scoring 4 runs in the 5th Inning to help secure a 7-to-4 elimination game win to stay in the Tournament.
Once again, the Royals drove in the first run of the game during the top of the 1st Inning when
Jillian Hudson hit an RBI double to left field that brought
Diana Martin home to give the Royals an early lead. The two teams traded blows over the next two Innings as the Bobcats would tie the game up in the bottom of the 2nd before the Royals retook the lead in the 3rd on another Hudson RBI to get Martin home safely, this time on an single to center field. Warner's lead didn't last long as the Bobcats would drive 2 more runs in during the bottom of the 3rd putting the Royals behind for the first time in the game by a score of 3-to-2.
Following a quiet 4th Inning, the Royals bats came alive in the 5th driving in 4 runs to retake the lead. Hudson got the scoring started with another RBI single to bring Martin in safely, which was followed by an RBI single by ALisha Wagoner to score
April Dominguez.
Meagan Bruns was credited with a 2 RBI reached on error when Wagoner and
Abby Faircloth reached home to give Warner a 6 to 3 lead. The Royals added another insurance run in the 6th Inning when Hudson recorded her 4th RBI of the day on a single to right field to score Martin for her 4th run of the day. Hudson and Martin were integral parts of the Royals offense on Friday morning as Martin went 2-2 with 2 walks while scoring 4 runs which were driven in each time by Hudson, who went a perfect 4-4 with 4 RBIs in the Royals biggest game so far this year. The Royals were able to limit STU to only 1 run in the 7th to secure the 7-to-4 victory and keep them in the hunt for the Tournament Championship.
Warner's pitching staff had another strong day in the circle Friday morning.
Elle Hernandez got the start once again, pitching 3 Innings while allowing only 2 earned runs on 6 hits and struck out 2.
Keirsten Garman earned the win for the Royals after entering the game from the bullpen to throw the final 4 Innings allowing only 1 run on 2 hits and struck out 2 to help the Royals continue their run in the Sun Conference Tournament.
The Royals will have a short turn-around as they will tae on the winner of Coastal Georgia and New College of Florida later today with 1st pitch scheduled for 4:30pm in what will be another elimination game.
Warner Game Stat Leaders -
Hits: Jillian Hudson (4)
RBIs: Jillian Hudson (4)
Ks: Keirsten Garman &
Elle Hernandez (2)
Up Next:
The Royals will continue their Sun Conference Tournament with another elimination game
today at 4:30pm at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater against either New College of Florida or College of Coastal Georgia.
#GodBlessGoRoyals | #TogetherAsOne
