Russellville fights off Fairfield

By Staff
Jason Cannon, Franklin County Times
In four swings of the bat the Russellville Golden Tigers sent Fairfield back to Jefferson County with squashed playoff hopes last night.
Seth Ferguson, Jacob Daniel and Caleb Mitchell combined for four homeruns for all nine Russellville runs, advancing to the second round of the playoffs with a 9-2 win.
Russellville's first playoff appearance in five years got off to a rocky start.
Fairfield took a quick 1-0 run in the top of the first, but once the Golden Tigers got their turn at bat they took a lead they would never lose.
Cory Trapp took a two out walk in the bottom of the first and Seth Ferguson brought him home with a two-run blast over the wall.
The first inning turned out to be just the under card for what was shaping up as a heavyweight slugfest.
Both teams were held scoreless for the next three innings but in the bottom of the fifth, the wheels came off for Fairfield.
Seth Ferguson took to the plate in the top of the fifth and was hit by a pitch. Ferguson was hit by a pitch in his next two at bats following his homerun.
Torey Baird followed Ferguson by drawing a walk and Jacob Daniel brought them both home with a three run homerun.
The Golden Tigers added some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Caleb Mitchell got things going with a solo-homerun, giving Russellville a 6-1 edge.
Three batters later, Seth Ferguson drove in his third, fourth and fifth RBIs of the night with a three run shot over the outfield wall – his 14th of the season and second of the game.
Fairfield added one final run in the top of the seventh but it was too little, too late.
Preston Beasley got the win, giving up two hits and striking out seven batters in six innings work.
Cory Trapp came in for one inning of relief and struck out three.