GAME 19: Resilient Royals return from brink, claim their first NAIA crown

Pitcher Steven Ordorica gave a soft underhanded toss to first baseman Ryan Maciel, fell to his knees and lay back on the Harris Field grass Friday. That play marked the end of five straight Avista NAIA World Series elimination game wins for the No. 4 seed Hope International Royals.

It was the successful ending of a weeklong struggle where the Fullerton, Calif., team was fighting for its season. It was the final out in a 14-6 win against the sixth-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs in the 2024 World Series championship game. It was the first NAIA baseball championship in school history.

The Royals were the first championship team to win five elimination games in a row since Lewis-Clark State did in 2006. They had their Cinderella run, and a crown to show for it.

“It’s the ultimate reward,” Hope International coach Larry Mahoney said. “The toughness these guys showed with their backs against the wall — just to continue to compete, continuing to grind away at-bats, continuing to execute pitches, it wasn’t easy. Someone asked me earlier, I said, ‘It still doesn’t feel real because we were grinding this whole time.’ I still feel like we have a game tomorrow.”

Hope International played “Eye of the Tiger” before every single game in the Series. Turns out having the eye of the tiger also meant having an eye on the ball.

Cruz puts on a most valuable showing

Royals second baseman JJ Cruz was named the World Series MVP after the game. Coming into the contest, he hit four home runs and was batting .619.

Tennessee Wesleyan broke out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first after a fielding error and an RBI sac fly. Cruz responded in Hope International’s side with his fifth home run of the tournament — a full-count, three-run shot to right field to take a 3-2 lead. Catcher Alec Arnone followed with a solo-shot home run the next at-bat. It was the first time a team hit back-to-back home runs in a championship game since Freed-Hardeman did it in 2018.

“I think just being here in Idaho with my brothers is something that I’ll never forget my entire life,” Cruz said. “These are my best friends. We work hard together, practice together, eat together, go to school together and it’s amazing. Just amazing.”

Cruz capped his MVP performance by going 2-for-5 at the plate with four RBI and a run scored.

Tennessee Wesleyan shows some doggone fight

The 2,653 people in attendance wanted a show. And the Bulldogs (44-18) gave them a show.

In the top of the second, junior right fielder Jack Stevens hit his first home run of the tournament just to the right of the batter’s eye to give Tennessee Wesleyan three more runs, and a 5-4 lead.

Center fielder Kruise Newman, who hit a walk-off on Thursday to put the Bulldogs in the championship, connected on a no-doubt, first-pitch home run to right field to bolster Tennessee Wesleyan’s lead to 6-4 in the top of the third.

Royals come back and come through

In the bottom of the fourth, senior third baseman Alex Moreno added his name to the list of World Series heroes with an RBI single. A second run scored after a fielding error by Stevens. That play tied the game. Cruz got his fourth and final RBI of the game the next at-bat with a double to put the Royals ahead 7-6.

“Where I came from, I learned a lot from Cal State Fullerton, just learning how to be a great player,” Cruz said. “I’m meant to be here, that’s how I always thought of it. And I love all these guys and I’m just really glad we got this win.”

Hope International got an insurance run one inning later after an RBI single hit by junior designated hitter Ryan Lamastra.

The Royals had a lot more in store and scored six more times across the seventh (five runs) and eighth (one run) innings.

David Rivera, who earned the Series gold glove award and was named to the all-tournament team at shortstop, accounted for two runs in the seventh. He hit Hope International’s third home run of the game, a two-run shot that made it a 13-6 advantage. Senior right fielder Derek Sims tied the final bow on the Royals’ crowning achievement with an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth to make the score the eventual final of 14-6.

Rivera went 3-for-5 with two RBI and scored three times. He also showed a gutsy effort on defense after his left hand got stepped on by Newman, who was running to second base.

Rivera stayed in the game and nearly turned a 4-6-3 double play to end the game one at-bat earlier.

“I’m still trying to process it, honestly,” Rivera said. “This is history. This is something that’s going to last forever. And I’m proud to be on a team with my brothers that we’ve worked so hard for. This is my coach’s (third) year as a head coach, so just giving him this is something that he’s going to remember forever, the school is going to remember forever. All of NAIA is going to remember it forever. So just making a piece of history is amazing.”

Ordorica entered the game in the seventh inning and struck out five Bulldogs batters while allowing one hit and walking one. Ordorica earned his fourth save of the season.

Golden State stays draped in red

For the second year in a row, the World Series champion has come from California and the Golden State Athletic Conference. Last year’s champion, Westmont, didn’t have a chance to repeat due to the team moving up to the NCAA Division II level.

Hope International’s win guaranteed that for at least one more year, California will be home to the red championship banner.

“It’s amazing, man,” Rivera said. “There’s ballers everywhere, but California always has a good group of players. So just being able to bring it back home is amazing.”

A decade of service rewarded

Mahoney has been with the Royals baseball program since 2015. He was an assistant for seven years before being named the head coach prior to the 2022 season.

The last time Hope International (45-16) made the World Series, Mahoney watched the team go 0-2 and get eliminated in 2017.

Now, in his third year as head coach, in the team’s first Series with him at the helm, he’s led the program he’s been a part of for nearly a decade to its peak. And he has a World Series trophy, banner and a pair of Gatorade baths to show for it.

“I love being a Royal,” Mahoney said. “Ever since I got into this program, we started it from scratch — me and Erich Pfohl. We had a vision for it. I’ve stayed true to that vision and we won a World Series.”

Kowatsch can be contacted at 208-848-2268, tkowatsch@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @Teren_Kowatsch.