Russellville hosts Spring Frenzy

By Brannon King for the FCT

Russellville 9, Haleyville 8

The Russellville Lady Golden Tigers opened a busy week of games by going on the road and defeating the Haleyville Lions March 9.

Russellville scored in each of the first four innings and held off a late charge by HHS. The Golden Tigers jumped out to a 9-4 lead before the Lions roared back with one run in the fifth inning and 3 in the sixth. Haleyville had 13 hits in the game, while RHS had 12.

Kalli Beth Daniel led Russellville by going 3-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk. AJ Taylor and Alivia Clemmons both had 2-4 games while Kayla Cochran, Sydney Burcham, Madison Murray, Kourtney Joyner and Madison Lamon all had a hit each. Clemmons had three RBIs for RHS while Burcham, Taylor and Emma Whitfield had one each. Whitfield and Megan Warhurst combined to handle pitching for Russellville.

Russellville 11, Decatur Heritage 5

The Golden Tigers opened pool play in the RHS Spring Frenzy tournament March 10 with a dominating win over Decatur Heritage Christian Academy.

RHS scored in each of the four innings of game action. The Golden Tigers had eight hits, while DHCA had 7. Russellville’s big inning came in the third when the ladies scored five runs. Daniel and Lamon both went 2-3 while Whitfield, Taylor, Murray and Joyner all had one hit each. Lamon picked up a triple and five RBIs to lead Russellville.

Hamilton 5, Russellville 1

Russellville’s second game of pool action on the softball diamond came against Hamilton March 10.

The Lady Golden Tigers jumped out to a 1-0 first inning lead, but Hamilton scored all five of their runs in the third inning to grab the victory at RHS. HHS outhit Russellville 7-1, with Warhurst getting the only hit on a triple. Daniel had two stolen bases and also scored the Russellville run in the game. Warhurst pitched all four innings for RHS and picked up seven strike outs.

Russellville 2, Haleyville 1

Russellville got their second win of the week over Haleyville, and this time it came as pool action came to a close at the RHS Spring Frenzy Saturday morning.

Unlike the previous game between the Golden Tigers and Aggies, this contest was low-scoring. Haleyville claimed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first before RHS answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the second inning. Russellville scored the go-ahead run in the fourth before the game ended in the fifth.

Both teams only had two hits each in the game, and Alexis Taylor got both for Russellville. She and Warhurst had the RBIs, and one Taylor hit was a triple. Daniel was hit by a pitch two separate times in the game for Russellville. Warhurst pitched all five innings for RHS and had four strikeouts.

Russellville 15, Decatur Heritage 0

Emma Whitfield pitched a no-hitter as the Golden Tigers won their first game in tournament bracket play over the Lady Eagles. It only took three innings for RHS to advance in Spring Frenzy action. Russellville scored eight runs in the second inning and seven in the third for their second win over DHCA in as many days.

Whitfield also had a good game at the plate by picking up three RBIs. Daniel, Cochran, Taylor, Murray, Kourtney Joyner and Lamon all had one hit each for RHS. Lamon’s hit was a double, and Clemmons scored three runs for Russellville.

Russellville 9, Hamilton 6

Russellville got some revenge over Hamilton with a semi-final win over the Aggies. RHS took the game in four innings, and Warhurst pitched the entire game for the win.

AJ Taylor, Clemmons and Murray all had three RBIs each for RHS. Madison Murray went 3-3 at the plate while Clemmons, Taylor, Cochran and Daniel all had a hit for Russellville. Cochran (2), Taylor (2), Lamon (2), Daniel (1), Clemmons (1) and Karlie Moore (1) all scored runs for RHS.

Wilson 4, Russellville 3

The Russellville Spring Frenzy tournament came to a close as the Wilson Warriors defeated the Russellville Golden Tigers Saturday night at RHS.

Russellville (7-6) had three hits in the game as Daniel and Moore picked up doubles and Joyner had a single. Joyner, Daniel and Taylor scored the three RHS runs in the contest. Whitfield pitched for Russellville and gave up four hits.

“A lot of people pitched in to make the tournament happen,” Russellville Head Coach Kathryn Montgomery said. “We had some very cold and rainy weather, but our support system and our families of the softball team have been amazing.”

The Russellville team looks for big things to come this season. “The girls are really starting to come together. They’re interested in getting better and putting in the work that it takes to continue to improve,” Montgomery said.