REDDING, Calif. - The boys hosted the reigning 2024 NAIA National Champions and #2 in the nation, Hope International today in a twin bill to kick off a four-game home stand.
The Royals drew first blood in the first inning as they plated the game's first run on an RBI single to take the early lead.
But Simpson answered back in the bottom half of the inning as the first three Simpson batters reached base safely to load the bases.
Alex Tolbert laced a single into left field to pick up the RBI and put Simpson on the board.
But the Royals went on and scored in the next three innings as they took the commanding 9-1 lead.
The Simpson offense came to life in the bottom of the seventh inning as they plated five runs on three hits and two Hope errors to make it a 9-6 ball game.
Relief pitcher,
Brady Glenn had a solid outing as he kept the Simpson team in the game by firing four shutout innings as he allowed just two Hope base runners.
However, the Red Hawks went down in order in the final two innings as they fell 9-6 in game one.
Cayden Lee led the Simpson bats with two hits in game one.
Game 2:
The Red Hawks looked to take game two behind starter
Gage Hoyle as he fired four innings of shutout baseball.
Simpson picked up the game's first run in the bottom of the third inning on a two-out base-loaded RBI single by
Joel Calderin.
Hoyle had it going as he silenced the Royals offense as he allowed just four hits over 4.1 innings of work before handing the ball to reliever,
Geremy McCollough in the fifth inning.
The Royals plated two runs in the fifth to take its first lead of the game.
Simpson answered back as they plated one run in the bottom half of the inning on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to
Manolo Tafolla to drive in the games tying run.
The score remained tied until the seventh inning as the Royals put together a two-out rally to plate two runs to take the 4-2 lead.
A two-out walk in the bottom of the seventh inning to
Brandon Zanni brought the tying run to the plate, but the Red Hawks could not rally back as they fell 4-2.
The series continues tomorrow as game one of the doubleheader is set for 11 am.
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