KENNEWICK — Royal hit the road to Kennewick Saturday and came away with two big wins over the Panthers to improve to 3-2 in SCAC East Conference play and get back in the thick of things.

The Knights got past River View 7-6 in the opener, and then blew out the Panthers in the nightcap, 13-2

“Overall, we played pretty well,” coach Brandon Jenks said. “The first game was a back and forth battle to the very end. We played solid defense and hit the ball pretty well in Game 2. Kevin Reyes closed both games and did a great job on the mound.”

Royal posted four runs on the board in the top of the fourth to break a 1-1 tie. River View got three back in the bottom of the frame, and added one in the fifth to knot it once again. Both teams brought a run across the dish in the seventh to send the game to extra innings. The Knights Logan Gilbert came up big in the top of the eighth when he doubled in Reyes with the game winning RBI.

Sawyer Jenks got the start and the win going four innings on the bump, giving up four runs off five hits and fanning six Panthers. Reyes recorded the save.

Game 2

Royal cruised to an easy win in the nightcap. The game was close early, tied 2-all in the bottom of the second. The Knights took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third and never looked back adding five runs in the fourth, two in the fifth and three in the seventh.

“Corbin (Christensen) started and pitched five strong innings for us,” Jenks said. “JC Worsham continued to impress going 3-for-4 with 2 RBI and 3 runs scored, Logan Gilbert was 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored, Corbin was 2-for-5 with a base clearing triple, Tyler Allred had a great day with three hits in five at bats, and Sawyer was 2-for-4 in the game.”

The Knights have a couple days off, but get back at it Friday when they host a doubleheader with Warden. First pitch is 3 p.m.