12 and Under All-Stars take second in district tourney

J.R. Tidwell/FCT Houston Kitterman (10) of Russellville swings and connects with a pitch against Muscle Shoals Thursday evening.

MUSCLE SHOALS —The Russellville 12 and Under All-Stars took second place Thursday night at the district tournament hosted by Muscle Shoals. The Trojans defeated the Golden Tigers 18-5 in game one and 6-5 in game two to take first place.

“In the first game we came out flat,” Russellville head coach Wade Wallace said. “In the second one we played better.”

Muscle Shoals scored early and often in game one. The Trojans put up one run in the first, eight runs in the second, one run in the fourth and five in the fifth.

The Golden Tigers put a run on the board in the bottom of the first on a delayed steal by Tom Barkley Scott. Russellville’s other four runs came in the bottom of the third on an infield hit for an RBI by Scott, an RBI single on a blooper over second base by Houston Kitterman, an RBI single to right field by Caden Parker and an RBI single to right field by Jeff Lloyd.

Game two was an entirely different animal. Russellville came out firing, scoring four runs in the top of the first, including a two-RBI ground-rule double by Lloyd that went over the center field wall.

The Trojans scored one run in each of the first, second and third innings to narrow the gap, but Sawyer Lynch hit an RBI single to left center in the top of the second to give the Golden Tigers another insurance run.

Things broke down for Russellville in the bottom of the sixth in Muscle Shoals’ last at-bat, though.

The Trojans had a runner on third steal home plate on a wild pitch to make it 5-4. Muscle Shoals then ended the game with a two out walk off two-RBI single to win the game.

“We pitched alright in game two,” Wallace said. “They just outscored us. It’s a heartbreaker, but the boys fought hard and I’m proud of them.”

The Golden Tigers will now move on to the sub-state tournament for a chance to make their way to the state tournament.