The Folsom American Royals opened Little League Tournament of Champions play with a 3-0 victory over the El Dorado Hills Reds on Wednesday night at Mahaney Park, using timely hitting, strong pitching and flawless defense to advance in postseason action.
The Royals wasted no time taking control of the game, striking for two runs in the top of the first inning. Caden Chavez led off with a single before Hunter Smith followed with a double to put runners in scoring position. Colton Heppe then delivered an RBI single to drive in the game’s first run.
Moments later, Smith showcased aggressive baserunning by stealing home to give Folsom a 2-0 advantage.
The Royals added an insurance run later in the contest and maintained control throughout the evening behind a dominant effort on the mound.
Reed Macleod earned the victory for Folsom, allowing just two hits and no runs over 4 1/3 innings while striking out six batters. El Dorado Hills starter Cole G. turned in a strong performance despite taking the loss, surrendering three hits and two runs over 4 1/3 innings while recording 10 strikeouts.
Chavez came on in relief and closed out the game for the Royals, tossing 1 2/3 hitless innings and striking out one batter to preserve the shutout.
Defensively, Folsom was sharp throughout the contest, turning in a flawless performance in the outfield while recording five outs without an error.
With the win, the Royals advance to face the Lakeside Red Sox in the next round of the Tournament of Champions. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday at Mahaney Park.
Copyright © 2026, Folsom Times, a digital product of All Town Media LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
