A bid to the Class 3A State tournament and the school's first baseball State appearance that is what the Royal Valley Panthers earned on Wednesday by winning Regional baseball at Rossville. 

It didn't come easy for the Panthers getting wins by one-run in walk-off fashion, a tight two-run win and another one run win to take the Regional title but Royal Valley made all the right plays and as the third seed at Regionals took the crown. 

Regionals opened up on Tuesday for Royal Valley as they took on Osage City in the first round and had a fight on their hands just to get out of the first round. Osage City despite being out-hit by the Panthers 12-4 established an early 4-0 lead going into the bottom of the second. Royal Valley responded with two-runs in the bottom of the second to cut the lead in half. Each team them notched a tally in the fifth inning and the game went into the bottom of the seventh down 5-3 but delivered a three-run inning to earn the walk-off win as Noah Hart scored the winning run on passed ball, lifting Royal Valley to the 6-5 victory. Garrett Schultz led the Panther offense with three hits and pitched six strong innings, while Zack Lux registered two hits in the win. 

In the Semifinals Royal Valley squared off with the host of the Regionals in Rossville and in a game that featured only seven hits between the two teams the Panthers capitalized early for runs to earn the 2-0 win. A run in the first and another in the second proved to be all Royal Valley and pitcher Hart needed as he went all seven innings for the win striking out 11, while giving up just three hits helping the Panthers pounce on the win. Hayden Fenske led Royal Valley's offense with two of the team’s four hits in the contest. 

Standing in the way of the Panthers from winning a Regional title was Silver Lake a 15 win baseball team and the number one seed in the Regional and traditionally a strong high school baseball program. The game proved to be another tough one that was highlighted by pitching and defense but it was Hart again making his presence known for Royal Valley in Regional action delivering an RBI single in the top of the seventh to produce the only run of the game and lead to the Panther 1-0 win. Derek Linn pitched a strong seven innings of scoreless baseball giving up just three hits to Silver Lake, while striking out five for the win. 

The Regional title puts Royal Valley at 15-8 on the season and earns them a spot at the Class 3A State tournament in Manhattan at Tointon Family Stadium with the State action set to commence Thursday, May 26th.