Cruz Named MVP as Royals Rally to Win First Red Banner in School History - Hope International University (2024)

Lewiston, ID – The No. 10 Hope International University baseball team (45-16) rallied from an early deficit to win the program and school's first ever Red Banner at the Avista NAIA World Series as they took down the sixth seeded and No. 13 Tennessee Wesleyan University Bulldogs 14-6 on Friday evening at Harris Field in Lewiston, ID.

Trey Seeley (11-3) got the start and pitched 5 innings allowing six runs, five earned on eight hits while walking one and striking out six. Steven Ordorica picked up his fourth save pitching 3 shutout innings allowing just one hit while walking one and striking out five. JJ Cruz led the Royals offense going 2-for-5 with 4 RBIs and one home run.

The game got off to a rocky start for the Royals as the Bulldogs took advantage of an error to score two runs and take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The Royals quickly fought back in the bottom of the first as they started off the same was as the previous getting back to back base hits before Cruz then launched a three run shot over the right field wall to put the Royals up 3-2. Then Alec Arnone crushed his fifth home run of the year to increase the Royals lead to 4-2.

The Bulldogs would fight back to score three in the second and one in the third to retake a 6-4 advantage. Seeley then settled in as he put the Bulldogs down in order in the top of the fourth while the Royals offense quickly got to work in the bottom half. This time the Royals would take advantage of an error to put runners on first and second with two outs. Alex Moreno then ripped an RBI single to right scoring two runs to tie the game 6-6. Cruz then put the Royals back on top as he doubled down the left field line to give the Royals a 7-6 advantage.

Seeley continued to shutdown the Bulldogs in the top of the fifth while the Royals added to their lead in the bottom half. This time it was Ryan Lamastra, who had struggled in the previous game coming through with a one out RBI single to make it 8-6. Justin Drury would then pitch a scoreless top of the sixth but would run into trouble in the top of the seventh as the Bulldogs put runners on the corners with nobody out. Ordorica then came in from the bullpen and promptly struckout the heart of the Bulldogs order to keep the Royals ahead.

The Royals then broke open the game in the bottom of the seventh. With two on and nobody out Mylan Jones laid down another bunt to force another error and score a run to make it 9-6. Ryan Lamastra then launched a two run double to right center to increase the lead to 11-6. Two batters later David Rivera crushed a two run bomb to left to make it 13-6. The Bulldogs looked to rally in the top of the eighth as they loaded the bases with two down but Ordorica got a groundout to end the threat. The Royals then struck again in the bottom of the eighth as this time Derek Sims ripped an RBI double into left field to increase the Royals lead to 14-6. Ordorica then worked around a one out walk to retire the side and seal the Royals first ever Avista NAIA World Series Championship.

Cruz was named MVP after finishing the World Series batting .577 with 5 home runs and 15 RBIs over six games. David Rivera won the Gold Glove while Trey Seeley was also named to the All-Tournament team. The Royals also became the fifth team in World Series history to lose their first game and go on to win the Championship. The most recent team to do it was LC State in 2006, Bellevue did it it 1995, LC State did it in 1984 and West Liberty State did it in 1964