Royals end the season with a 9-2 loss to Montgomery County

The Mason County Royals' baseball season came to an end with a 9-2 loss to the Montgomery County Indians in the quarterfinal round of the 10th Region Tournament on Monday at Campbell County.

Montgomery County scored three runs in the first inning and one run in the second inning.

Mason County got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning. Myles Kern led off the inning with an infield single and scored on Cray Fite's RBI single.

The Indians added three more runs in the fourth inning and single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. 

The Royals scored a run in the bottom of the inning as Brady Mefford hit a single and scored on an error.

Fite was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Mason County, the defending 10th Region champion, finished the season with a 9-16 record.

Royals went 1-1 on Saturday in Errin Thompson Memorial Tournament

The Mason County Royals went 1-1 in the Errin Thompson Memorial Tournament on Saturday at East Jessamine.

The Royals took advantage of walks and errors in a 5-3 win over the St. Henry Crusaders.

Hayden Workman and Brady Mefford drew back-to-back bases loaded walks in the first inning after Cray Fite reached base on a fielders choice, Micah Payne drew a walk and Nick Mains was hit by a pitch.

Mason County added single runs in the second, third and fourth innings without a hit.

The Royals were shutout 13-0 by the East Jessamine Jaguars in five innings in the late game.

Mason County (7-14) will host the West Carter Comets on Monday at 6 p.m.

Royals lose to Southern 9-4, will play two games today at East Jessamine

The Mason County Royals fell to the Southern Trojans 9-4 on Friday in the Errin Thompson Memorial Tournament at East Jessamine.

After falling behind 1-0, the Royals scored three runs in the second inning on RBI singles by Brady Mefford and Luke Butler and an RBI triple by Cray Fite.

The Royals trailed 9-3 after six innings before scoring a run on Nick Main's RBI single.

Mason County (6-13) will play two games in the tournament today: at 4 p.m. vs. St. Henry and at 6:30 p.m. vs. East Jessamine.

Royals beat Powell County 3-1 in 2A Section 6 Tournament

The Mason County Royals defeated the Powell County Pirates 3-1 in the first round of the Kentucky 2A Championships Section 6 Tournament on Wednesday.

The tournament game was played in Fort Walton Beach, Florida since both teams are there for spring break games.

The Royals scored all of their runs in the bottom of the first inning. Cray Fite drew a walk. Cole Horch followed with a double. Carter Roark hit a double to drive in Fite and Horch. Brady Mefford drove in Roark with a single.

Mason County lost to the Fort Walton Beach Vikings 4-3 on Tuesday in their first game in Florida.

The Royals will play Carlisle, Ohio on Thursday at 3 p.m.

Royals fall to Lexington Catholic in state tournament

The Mason County Royals' remarkable postseason run came to end with a 6-0 loss to the Lexington Catholic Knights on Thursday night in the first round of the Clark's Pump-N-Shop Baseball Tournament at Legends Field in Lexington.

Lexington Catholic scored three runs in the first inning, two runs in the second inning and one run in the sixth inning on the way to its eighth straight victory.

Mason County threatened to score in the first two innings. Connor Butler led off the bottom of the first inning with a triple, and Cole Messer and Brady Mefford hit back-to-back singles in the second inning. 

After Cray Fite singled to center field in the third inning the next 13 Mason County batters were retired.

The Royals mounted one last threat with two outs in the seventh when Messer, Mefford and Micah Payne hit back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases, but Lexington Catholic pitcher Burkley Bounds finished off a complete game with his eighth strikeout.

Mason County starter Landon Scilley gave up five runs (three earned) on six hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked two.

Mefford allowed one run on three hits in two innings. He struck out two.

The Royals had a 10-11 record following a loss to Scott County on April 26.

After a runner-up finish in the district tournament, Mason County pulled off upset wins over Harrison County, George Rogers Clark and Bourbon County for just the second region championship in program history and the first since 1994.  

The Royals finished the season with a 20-16 record.

The Royals win the 10th Region championship

The Mason County Royals are headed to the state baseball tournament for just the second time in school history.

Mason County shutout the Bourbon County Colonels 8-0 in the championship game of the 10th Region on Friday at Bourbon County.

Mason County's other region title was in 1994.

The Royals scored two runs in the first inning. Connor Butler drew a lead off walk. Landon Scilley followed with a double. Butler scored on Cray Fite's sacrifice fly and Scilley scored on Cole Horch's ground out.

Mason County added four runs in the fourth inning. With one out, Cole Messer drew a walk. Brady Mefford and Micah Payne hit back-to-back singles and Butler cleared the bases with a triple. Scilley drove in Butler with a double.

The Royals padded the lead in the sixth inning. Scilley walked, stole second and scored on Fite's single. Pinch runner Luke Butler scored the final run on a wild pitch.

Fite pitched a complete game four-hitter for his second win in the tournament. He recorded a save in the Royals' semifinal win.

Scilley, Mefford, Fite and Connor Butler were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Mason County (20-15) will play 11th Region champion Lexington Catholic on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. in the Clark's Pump-N-Shop Baseball State Tournament at Legends Field in Lexington.

Here we go!!!!! pic.twitter.com/1b42sYaJJ5

— Mason County Schools Highlights (@MasonCoSchools) May 31, 2024

Region champs!!! pic.twitter.com/7Xs1cIJO1q

— Mason Co. Athletics (@RoyalsAth1etics) May 31, 2024

Royals top GRC 6-3 to advance to region final

The Mason County Royals scored four runs in the first inning and defeated the George Rogers Clark Cardinals 6-3 on Thursday to advance to the championship game of the 10th Region Tournament for the first time since 1994.

Mason County's first five batters reached base in the bottom of the first inning. 

Connor Butler got on base thanks to a throwing error. He went to second base on a passed ball and scored on Landon Scilley's single.

An errant throw on a pickoff attempt sent Scilley to second base. He stole third base and scored on Cray Fite's triple.

Cole Horch drove in Fite with a single and advanced to third base when Nathan Bisotti followed with a single.

Cole Messer's RBI fielder's choice plated Horch.

GRC scored a run in the third inning.

The Royals added their final two runs in the fourth inning. 

Micah Payne led off the inning with a bunt single. 

With one out, Scilley walked and Fite was hit by a pitch.

With two outs, Bisotti singled driving in Payne and Scilley.

The Cardinals scored a run in the fifth and a run in the sixth and had two runners in scoring position with one out in the seventh inning before Fite, pitching in relief, got a ground out and pop out to end the game.

Mason County starter Brady Mefford pitched six plus innings giving up the three runs. He struck out two and walked one while picking up his fourth win of the season.

Fite recorded his second save.

The Royals will play the Bourbon County Colonels in the championship game on Friday at 6 p.m. at Bourbon County.

The Colonels beat the Campbell County Camels 3-1 in the other semifinal game.

Royals upset Harrison County 4-3 in eight innngs

 The Mason County Royals upset the Harrison County Thorobreds 4-3 in eight innings in the quarterfinal round of the 10th Region Tournament on Tuesday at Bourbon County.

After Harrison County scored a run in the bottom of the first inning, Mason County tied the game on Connor Butler's RBI single in the second inning. 

Cole Messer drove in two runs with a double in the third inning.

The Thorobreds tied the game with two runs in the sixth inning.

Brady Mefford hit a triple in the eighth inning and scored what proved to be the winning run on Micah Payne's single to center field.

Harrison County had runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, but a pop out ended the game, giving the Royals their first win over the Thorobreds since 2014.

Landon Scilley and Cray Fite combined on a six-hitter.

Mason County (18-15) will play George Rogers Clark in the semifinals on Thursday at 5:30. GRC beat Scott 8-2 in the opening game of the tournament.