Kettering Royals

The Boys in Blue were back in Action this week with games on Sunday and Tuesday. Due to a rainout with Mariners this was the Royals first games in 2 weeks. Riding a 4 game win streak they met up with the always tough Beavercreek Sox for a doubleheader. DJ Swearingen got the start for the Royals in game 1 and was able to go 6 1/3 before fatigue would finally get the best of him. With the game tied 3-3 in the top of the 7th the Sox were able to get a few guys on with the help of some fielding miscues, and with the Sox they are a team that will make you pay for those little mistakes. In the top half of the seventh the Sox were able to plate 7 runs before the dust settled. The Royals were unable to counter and fell 10-3 in game 1. After the Royals were recharged with some great hot dogs and gatorade provided by Tom Reynolds, the Boys in Blue came out recharged. Frank Burgos started on the mound for the Royals and he kept the Royals in it. A well placed hit by Brad Koopman that was just barely bobbled by the Sox's right-fielder was all Paul Wilson needed to score as he was running on the pitch. He came all the way around from first to give the Royals the 7-6 lead, but the Sox were not about to let the game get away and were able to tie it up in the bottom half of the 6th. With the game all tied up the Royals sent Chris Jergens to the mound to try and quiet the Sox bat, but he was a bit too excited for the opportunity and was having a hard time finding the zone. A leadoff walk, and a pass ball that squirted by Koopman behind the dish allowed the Sox to get the game winning run to second base. Two pitches later that run came into score as the Sox hitter dropped a bloop single into center that easily scored the runner from second. It was a tough loss for the Royals, but anytime you keep the Sox close it's a victory!

This past Tuesday the Royals played the Indians in their final matchup of the season, unless the meetup in the divisional playoffs. Neil Stafford started on the mound for the Royals and pitched a great game. The Royals offense got started right away in the top of the first with 3 runs highlighted by a 2 run homerun off the bat of Jason Holmberg for his 1st of the season, and in his first at-bat returning off the DL from shoulder surgery. However the Indians would bounce back as the Royals bats fell asleep and the Indians would tie the game at 3 after 3, but that was the wakeup call the Royals needed as they plated 3 more of their own, and continued to score and build a 13-4 lead going into the bottom of the 7th. Stafford took the hill looking to finish the game, but a few well placed hits and a couple walks allowed the Indians to plate several runs. With the score standing at 14-6 with just two outs and the bases loaded the Royals were forced to pull Stafford to try and close out the game. Swearingen entered the game and was able to get the Indians batter to fly out to center to finally close the book and secure the Royals victory.  At the plate Brian Duffy also had not 1, but 2 triples in the game.

The Royals will close out the regular season with a game this Saturday against the Mariners who sit above the Royals in the standings. They can't pass them, but if the standings hold through the final weekend of the season the Royals will most likely meet up with the Mariners again the following weekend in the opening round of the playoffs. Game time is 1pm at Franklin Community Park, and because this is a makeup game from the double header that was rained out it will only be 7 innings. Come out and support your Boys in Blue as they look to close out the regular season on a good note.

As the Royals take on the Mariners this Saturday they will be without 2 year veteran DJ Swearingen. DJ will be attending the Ohio Valley Atheletic Confernce Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for his Dad Doug. It appears that pitching runs in the Swearingen genes as DJ's Dad was a very dominating pitcher in his High School days with Martins Ferry, and then with Ohio State before getting drafted by the Seattle Mariners. The Royals would like to send out a big Congratulations to DJ's Dad on his induction into the OVAC Hall of Fame this weekend! Here is an excerpt from the article written written By Bubba Kapral, Times Leader Managing Editor, for the Times Leader regarding the OVAC HoF Induction ceremony highlighting Doug's career:

"DOUG SWEARINGEN, Martins Ferry (Class of 1979) - He was best known for his pitching prowess, but Swearingen was a multi-sport standout for the Purple Riders.  In addition to the diamond, Swearingen sparkled on the gridiron as well as the hardwood for Ferry. With that said, Swearingen remains one of the finest hurlers in Ohio Valley prep annals.  The crafty southpaw was a four-year baseball lettermen for the Purple Riders. When not on the hill, Swearingen was a hard-hitting outfielder.  He was a two-time all-Valley honoree and was a first-team all-Ohio selection as a senior. There was no OVAC team back then.

Swearingen won six of eight starts as a senior, compiling a miniscule 0.74 ERA. He fanned 130 batters in 62 innings. He was equally as potent at the plate, batting a robust .412 with eight doubles, three triples, a homer and 24 RBI.  He lost the ultimate heartbreaker that spring, dropping a 1-0 10-inning district final affair to Cadiz. He struck out 20 in a route-going effort.

Such an outstanding prep career had college baseball coaches coveting the 6 ft. 2, 195-pound southpaw. He chose The Ohio State University, a decision he would not regret.  Swearingen was a four-year lettermen for the Buckeyes. He compiled a sparkling 23-13 career mark with a 3.80 ERA. Swearingen was a superb 9-1 as a junior, losing only to Oklahoma in the regionals. He was second-team all-Big Ten that season.  Swearingen finshed his Scarlet & Gray career tied for 14th place for career mound wins, ninth in innings pitched (278) and 13th in strikeouts (224). He was the team's co-captain as a senior.

 He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 23rd round.  He pitched for four years in the minors, going 30-22 with a 3.36 ERA.

Swearingen was also a member of the 1982 US National Team which participated in South Korea. He posted a 3-1 record with a 2.25 ERA as the US claimed the bronze medal.

Swearingen lettered two years for the Martins Ferry football program.  He was a first-team all-OVAC defensive back as a senior and was chosen to play in the OVAC All-Star Football Game.  He opted to bypass the game due to his Ohio State baseball scholarship.  The versatile Purple Rider also collected two letters in basketball.

Swearingen will join younger brother Dennis in the OVAC Hall of Fame."

 Not mentioned in this article, but in his Junior year in High School Doug went 5-2 and posted a 0.91 ERA.  Again the Royals would like to send out a Congratulations to DJ's Dad!!

After a rough skid that saw the Royals lose 4 straight to 4 different teams, the Boys in Blue bounced back winning their last 4.  They got the win streak started with a Doubleheader sweep of the Indians.  On the day, Kevin Reynolds and Neil Stafford both threw complete games as the Royals narrowly held off the Indians in game 1 with as an RBI double by Frank Burgos scored Chris Jergens for the 8-7 in the bottom of the 7th.  In game 2 the Royals held off the Indians again for the 7-3 victory.  Up next the Royals had another divsion matchup, this time with the Ohio Mariners who were ahead of the Royals in the standings.  DJ Swearingen, fresh out of his bar exam testing, started for the Royals and tossed another CG as the Royals held off the hard hitting Mariners getting some clutch hits and solid defense picking up the 14-10 win.  Riding a 3 game win streak the Royals met up against the Shockers to close off a day of baseball at the University of Dayton's Time Warner Stadium.  Frank Burgos got the start on the hill and led the Royals to their 4th win in a row throwing the 7-0 shutout and throwing a complete game himself.

It has been a great week of baseball, but the hardest is still in front of them.  With only 5 games left in their regular season the Boys in Blue will have a doubleheader this Sunday versus the #3 ranked 17-5 Ohio Mariners, then a week later a doubleheader with the #1 ranked 15-1 Beavercreek Sox, and finish off the regular season with a Tuesday night game with the Springfield Indians who are just behind the Royals in the standings.   It is a tough stretch of games to close out the season, but come out to the ballpark and cheer on your Boys in Blue as the look to keep their win streak alive.

Despite the bad weather in the area, the sky cleared for a beautiful afternoon in Kettering as the Royals met up with the Rangers at Fairmont High School.  For those that have been around for awhile, the Royals/Rangers matchups are always exciting and this one proved to be no different.  DJ Swearingen got the start for the Royals and he held the tough Ranger lineup in check for 4 innings with the help of some great defense.  However in the 5th Joe Staten got the Rangers on the board as he belted a solo HR to rightcenter to kick things off.  The Rangers were able to plate 2 more runs in the 5th after a few errors and a pair of hits.  At the plate the Royals were putting ball after ball in play, but hit after hit the Rangers defense was stealing those hits away with numerous diving catches and great throws.  In the top of the 7th the Royals were able to plate their first run, but as the skies opened for a brief shower in the bottom of the 7th, so did the Rangers offense.  The Rangers plated another 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th to extend their lead to 7-1.  Swearingen continued to work into the 8th, but another error allowed the Rangers to plate another run.  Down 7-1 in the top of the 9th the Royals finally got a bit of offense going as Brad Koopman started the inning off with a triple to the rightcenter gap, and then Shawn Rudegeair followed up with a walk.  Koopman was able to score on a pass ball as Eric Jameson belted a double to put runners at 2nd and 3rd.  Mark Franklin was able to plate Rudegeair from third, but with 2 outs the Rangers ended the game getting the Royals to flyout to third.  The Royals may have lost 3-7, but it was a great game on both sides as hits were hard to come by due to great defensive plays by both teams, and both starters gave it their all to control the game.  The Royals look forward to their next matchup with the Rangers in July to split the season series.

The Royals have fought hard and battled it out on the diamond to go 5-1 over their last 3 weekends.  They started their run with a tough DH split with the Camden Redlegs.  In game 1 the Redlegs got 4 runs in the 6th inning to secure the 9-7 victory.  However in game 2 the Boys in Blue would rebound and go on to win 10-3 as Reyonlds tossed the 7 inning Complete Game.

Next up for the Royals was a Double Header with the new look Bats.  In game 1 Frank Burgos got the start and despite only allowing 1 hit, a few defensive miscues allowed the Bats to score 4 runs over 6 innings.  In the 6th the Bats got their 4th run on a rare E6 to cut the Royals lead to 1.  DJ Swearingen was brought in to close out the game for Burgos, and he did just that.  Swearingen faced 5 batters and didn't allow a hit and recorded 1 K to secure the 5-4 win.  In game 2 Neil Stafford went to the hill for his first start of the season.  Stafford looked great as he went 6 1/3 only allowing 6 hits and 2 ER, but as fatigue set in the Bats were threating in the bottom of the 7th Chris Jergens got the call for the save.  It was also Jergens first stint on the mound this season, but he was on as he K'd 2 of the 4 batters he faced to end the game for the 6-3 victory.

 Riding a 3 game win streak, the Boys in Blue met up in their second outing against the Fairborn Fury.  Jason Holmberg started on the hill and got a ton of run support as the Royals hitters plated 14 runs over 4 innings highlighted by 6 extra base hits (2 2B/1 3B/2 HR).  Holmberg looked great on the mound tossing the 7 inning complete game only allowing 2 ER and recording 5 K's.  In game 2 Kevin Reynolds got the start, and he tossed his 2nd Complete Game in 3 weeks.  Again the Royals were in control from the start.  They plated 12 runs over 6 innings, but in the bottom half of the 6th the Fury did make a run of their own as they batted around and were able to cut the Royals lead in half.  Up 12-6 the Royals added 1 more, and going into the bottom of the 7th Reynolds finished the game off for the 13-6 victory.  At the plate the Royals had 4 extra base hits, and Brian Duffy legged out his first homerun of his career.