ROYAL CITY - With a big playoff game looming against the No. 1 team in the state, the Royal High baseball team demonstrated last week it can play with top-rank competition.

Royal gave South Central A Conference-leading Kiona-Benton the two toughest games it's had this year, falling to the unbeaten (in league) Bears 4-2 and 3-2.

"I was happy with how our team competed and played," coach Daren Christensen said.

Tomorrow things will really get tough. Royal will travel to Naches, for a playoff game against a team that's played in the last four state finals. 

Win or lose, the Knights will have a game Friday at either Zillah or Burbank in the double-elimination tournament.

Before last week, Ki-Be had not been challenged by an SCAC East team. Even second-place Burbank had fallen by 10 runs.

Royal came into the twin-bill believing it needed a split to advance to the playoffs. However, a Connell sweep of Riverview left the Knights in fourth place and the playoffs.

Still, Royal played as if everything depended on winning. Pitchers Brady Dixon and Danny Vermeer battled hard. Dixon gave up only three hits in the first game. Vermeer allowed only five in the second.

"Brady did a great job on the mound. He kept battling and keeping us in the game," Christensen said. "Danny did another good job even though he did not have his best stuff."

Royal matched Ki-Be with three hits in the first game and five in the second. Ki-Be had more scoring hits than the Knights.

The first game was not settled until the final out. Royal had two runners on base with one out before finally giving way. 

Royal scored a run in the sixth inning of the second game to close the margin to 3-2, but there was no rally in the seventh.