GREEN RIVER — The Green River Knights opened their Legion baseball season with a comeback win Saturday, holding off the Riverton Raiders 7-6 to begin the year 1-0.
Trailing early after Riverton scored three runs in the first inning behind an Addison Trujillo double and a Paxton Yeates single, Green River responded in the second. Travin Brown drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in a run, and a wild pitch plated two more as the Knights took a 3-2 lead.
Green River maintained that edge through the middle innings, leaning on its pitching staff and patient approach at the plate. The Knights drew 10 walks in the game, with Corwin Paoli leading the way with three.
Brylan Ginestar provided stability in relief, working five and one-third innings while allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits. He struck out five and walked four to earn the win after Draiven Houchin started and allowed three runs in the first inning.
Offensively, the Knights were balanced, with Korbin Nielson, Brown, Oliver Akin, Manuel Munoz and Aiden Mandros each recording a hit. Mandros led the team with two RBIs.
Riverton threatened late but could not regain the lead, giving Green River a one-run victory in its season opener.
The teams met again later Saturday, with Riverton earning an 8-4 win despite being outhit 5-3. Munoz led the Knights with two hits and three RBIs, while Aiden Mandros struck out seven over three and two-thirds innings but was charged with four runs, none earned.
On Sunday, the Knights faced the Cody Cubs and dropped both games. Cody pulled away for a 23-5 win in the first matchup, using a 13-run third inning to break the game open.
Green River collected five hits in the loss, with Travin Brown, Dom Hamel, Oliver Akin, Sam Dockter and Mandros each contributing one. Brown, Akin, Paoli and Landon Smart each drove in a run.
In the weekend finale, the Knights fell 16-8 after briefly taking a second-inning lead. Corwin Paoli drove in two runs, and Landon Smart had two hits, while Oliver Akin added three stolen bases as part of a seven-steal effort for Green River.
Despite the 1-3 finish, the Knights showed early signs of offensive patience and baserunning aggressiveness, opening the season with a win before facing tougher results as the weekend progressed.
