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.

Royals edge Fleming County 2-1

Nathan Bisotti drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Mason County Royals hung on for a 2-1 win over the Fleming County Panthers on Thursday.

Connor Butler led off the inning with his second single of the game. Landon Scilley was hit by a pitch and Cray Fite drew a walk. With one out, Bisotti drove in Butler and Scilley with a single to left field.

Fleming County scored a run with two out in the top of the seventh and had the potential tying run on second base, but the game ended with a ground out.

Mason County (9-8) will play the East Carter Raiders in the Gary Ishmael Classic at Fleming County on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Royals snap four-game losing streak

Cray Fite had four hits including a home run and drove in four runs and the Mason County Royals snapped a four-game losing streak with a12-0 win over the Lawrence County Bulldogs on Saturday in Louisa.

Connor Butler led off the game with a home run.

Starting pitcher Landon Scilley struck out nine over five innings.

Mason County (7-7) will play at Augusta on Tuesday 

Royals end spring break trip with a 4-3 victory

The Mason County Royals rallied with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and beat the Normandy Invaders of Parma, Ohio 4-3 Thursday in their final game at Tampa Bay Spring Training.

The Royals only had three hits off Kent State signee Ben Rabatin, but the hard-throwing right-hander threw two wild pitches that brought home the tying run and the go-ahead run.

Rabatin, who hit 94 MPH on the radar gun several times, struck out 11 and walked one.

Mason County starter Landon Scilley allowed three runs on six hits, strking out nine and walking one in six innings.

Royals reliever Cameron Rosel walked the first three batters in the seventh inning, but pitched out of the jam to record the save. With the infield in, Mason County forced out a runner at the plate on a ground ball to short. Rosel fanned the next batter and a fly out to center field gave the Royals their third win of the spring break trip.

Trey Cracraft, Eli Porter and Connor Butler each had a hit. Porter and Carson Pugh were both hit by pitches.

Mason County (9-2) will play the Estill County Engineers Monday at 6 p.m. at Estill County in a semifinal game of the Kentucky 2A Championship Section 6 Tournament.

Royals headed to 2A state for the second straight year

The Mason County Royals qualified for the Kentucky 2A Championships state basketball tournament for the second straight year with a 78-58 victory over the Estill County Engineers in the Section 6 championship game on Saturday at Greenup County.

Mason County (13-2) led by 20 points late in the second quarter and was up 42-26 at the half.

After Estill County closed the gap to 10, Mason County coach Brian Kirk pulled his starters with 5:11 to play in the third quarter.

The substitutes quickly got the Royals back on track — Grant Owens drew a charge, Conner Butler hit a 3-pointer, Owens drew another charge, Butler sank another 3-pointer, and after an Estill County basket, Carter McClanahan made one of his five 3-pointers to make the score 53-36.

Mason County was up 53-40 when the starters returned with 1:49 left in the third quarter.

The Royals led 57-40 after three quarters and took their biggest lead, 24 points, at 78-54 with one minute remaining in the game.

McClanahan and Terrell Henry scored 15 points apiece. Philip Bierley followed with 13 points and Riley Mastin added 12 points.

Mason County will be back in action on Tuesday night at Campbell County.

The Royals will play Magoffin County, the Section 8 champion, in the Kentucky 2A Championships state tournament at the Owensboro Sports Center on Friday.

Mason County    18 24 15 21 — 78

Estill County       10 16 14 18 — 58

(Updated to add Magoffin County as Mason County's opponent in the Kentucky 2A Championships state tournament.)

Mason County — Henry 15, Butler 6, Walton 4, McClanahan 15,

Mastin 12, Hamilton 8, Bierley 13, Feldhaus 5

Estill County — Benton 4, Rose 15, Riddell 10, Brown 15, Arvin 2, Beckler 9, Brinegar 3

Connor Butler to play for Team 606 in Kentucky State Games

Mason County sophomore Connor Butler will play for the Class of 2024 Team 606 in the Kentucky State Games this weekend at Voll Field in St. Matthews.

The invite-only games are sponsored by Prep Baseball Report.

Team 606, representing the eastern part of the state, will play one showcase and three games against teams from the other area codes in the state.

Other area players on Team 606 include Hank Krift of Bracken County and Nate Ruark of Fleming County.