Royals Make Statement in Minot, Sweep League-Leading Metros to Take Control of West Region

The Valley City Royals are playing their best baseball of the summer—and the rest of the West Region is officially on notice.

After opening July with a victory over Midway-Minto on July 1, the Royals traveled to Minot on Monday and delivered perhaps their biggest statement of the 2026 season, sweeping the league-leading Minot Metros in a doubleheader by scores of 7-1 and 18-4.

The three-game winning streak improves Valley City to 13-6 overall and strengthens the Royals' grip on first place in the West Region with a 7-1 conference record. While the Metros still own the better overall record at 19-7, Valley City's head-to-head performance made one thing clear: the Royals have established themselves as a legitimate championship contender.

The Royals began the month by shutting out Midway-Minto 7-0 behind an outstanding pitching performance. Valley City jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning before adding four more runs in the fourth. The Royals' pitching staff combined to blank Midway-Minto while the defense turned key double plays and never allowed the visitors to build momentum.

Royals Silence the Metros in Game One

Game one against Minot featured another complete performance.

Valley City struck first on a leadoff home run by Jack Samuelson before adding two runs in the second and gradually pulling away for a convincing 7-1 victory. Corbyn Powell continued his hot stretch with multiple RBI singles, while James Schwehr kept one of the league's top offenses in check, allowing just one run over seven innings.

Defensively, the Royals came through with several clutch plays, including a momentum-changing double play at home plate in the third inning that kept the Metros off the scoreboard.

If Game One sent a message, Game Two removed any doubt.

The Royals erupted for eight runs in the opening inning, then piled on nine more in the second to seize complete control. Valley City finished with 18 runs, collecting hit after hit while capitalizing on Minot miscues to end the night with an emphatic 18-4 victory.

Nearly every spot in the Royals lineup contributed as Jack Samuelson, Corbyn Powell, Parker Roelfsema, James Schwehr, Andrew Sykora, Bryson Heck, Trevor Fetsch, and Leighton Hendrickson all played major roles in the offensive outburst.

A Team Finding Its Stride

Winning games is one thing. Winning three straight against quality opponents—and sweeping the club that entered the day atop the overall standings—is another.

The Royals have steadily improved throughout the season, and the recent stretch suggests the club is peaking at the right time. They are pitching efficiently, playing clean defense, and producing offense throughout the lineup.

With a 7-1 West Region record, Valley City now sits firmly atop the regional standings and has positioned itself as one of the teams everyone else will be chasing as the Legion season moves deeper into July.

The message from Minot was loud and clear:

The Valley City Royals aren't just leading the West Region—they're proving they belong among the top Legion teams in North Dakota.