Twin Rivers' Cody Russom slides safely into home as Naylor catcher Dustin Hogan gets a late relay throw Thursday afternoon in Broseley. (Alex Abate/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer

BROSELEY -- Runs were a dime a dozen for Twin Rivers on Thursday afternoon.

The Royals put together an offensive surge at home and grounded the Eagles, 12-1 in five innings.

"It kind of boosts the confidence a little bit," Twin Rivers coach Jeff Null said. "It wasn't the prettiest game. We didn't play our best game and Naylor didn't play theirs."

Colton Vancil led the way for the Royals with two RBIs and two runs scored in the victory.

Jordan Fowler got the win with one inning of work.

Josh Cullison got the loss on the mound for the Eagles as he went 2 1/3 innings. Kovach pitched 1 2/3 of relief work in the loss.

Naylor had its best chance to score in the top of the first. Twin Rivers' Fowler walked the first three men he faced to load the bases. However, Caleb Johnson grounded into a fielder's choice and Cory Kovach got hung up in between first and home for the second out. Cullison struck out to end the threat.

"We had baserunning mistakes and ran into some outs when they were trying to help us out with walks," Naylor coach Glen Eubanks said. "When you run into outs, it is hard to get anything going."

Getting out of that inning without any damage done changed the whole complexion of the game.

"If they if put a couple of runs on the board right there and the Cullison kid that they pitched, he threw well against us in the fall and it could have been a whole different ballgame," Null said.

The Royals (6-2) jumped ahead when they came to bat in the first. Cody Russom reached on an error and Garrett Stockton moved him to third with a ground out after he stole second. Dylan Stockton grounded out but Russom scored to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. Jordan Fowler followed with a single and Vancil was hit to put runners on first and second. Tyler Zoll singled to make it 2-0. After another run crossed, Dustin Tinsley singled on a bobble by the shortstop Kovach which allowed two more runs to score to make it 5-0.

"Offensively, it seemed like they would walk a couple and we would get a hit in the right spot," Null said.

The multiple errors early in the game really made it tough for the Eagles to get anything going, Eubanks said.

"We just didn't come out mentally prepared to play today," he said. "Our head wasn't really in it. We made, at least probably six errors in the first inning."

After a silent bottom of the second, the Royals used five Eagles walk in combination with three hits to score seven runs in the third and put the game virtually out of reach. Naylor got its lone run in the fourth inning on a double from Cullison.

The Royals kept the Eagles off balance as they used five different pitchers over the course of the game.

"We got four or five pitchers and there is not a whole lot of difference in them," Null said. "I felt pretty comfortable that they would do a good job, whoever I threw out there. Naylor has several very good hitters and I tried to put my better pitchers in there against their better hitters."

The Eagles (1-5) are a young team and despite the loss, may be able to benefit from experiences like the ones they have had with just the one win so far.

"Those young guys, they have got to be playing," Eubanks said. "You have got to put the game experience out there on the field. Yea, we are paying the price right now, but hopefully, it will help us in the year to come."