Russellville softball creams Decatur, Hamilton

By Brannon King for the FCT

Lawrence County 2, Russellville 1

The Lady Golden Tigers dropped a close decision to LCHS in a Class 5A, Area 16 game in Moulton April 6.

Russellville scored first in the top of the second inning, but Lawrence County battled back to take the lead with single runs in the fifth and sixth. Both teams finished with five hits in the game, but RHS committed four errors to only one by the Lady Red Devils.

AJ Taylor went 2-3 for RHS while Kalli Beth Daniel, Makala O’Neal and Krista Sikes also hit safely. Daniel and Karlie Moore reached base on walks. Moore scored the lone Russellville run; Sikes drove her home.

Megan Warhurst pitched all six innings for Russellville. She allowed two runs on five hits while striking out two and walking none.

Russellville 12, Decatur 1

Russellville got play started in the two-day Bob Jones Tournament in Madison April 7 with a dominating win over 6A Decatur.

A big eight-run third inning gave the Golden Tigers a 10-0 lead as they cruised to a five-inning victory. Decatur got their only run in the final frame of the contest.

Emma Whitfield had a solid game at-bat and in the pitching circle for Russellville. She went 3-3 at the plate with three RBIs and a run scored and also pitched a complete game, allowing six hits, and she struck out two batters.

Taylor, Daniel and Madison Murray also had hits for RHS, with Murray’s hit going for two bases. RBIs for Russellville came from Kayla Cochran (2), Kourtney Joyner (2), Daniel (2), O’Neal (1) and Murray (1).

North Jackson 5, Russellville 2

RHS fell in the nightcap of their two games April 7 and committed six errors in the process in the five-inning game.

Madison Murray connected for a home run over the fence in left field in the bottom of the third for Russellville. She was 2-2 with one RBI and a run scored in the game. Kayla Cochran added the other RHS hit, while Moore and Daniel reached base on walks.

Krista Sikes and Megan Warhurst shared the pitching duties, with Sikes going 2.2 innings and Warhurst throwing the final 2.1.

Bob Jones 6, Russellville 0

Russellville came back to Madison April 8 and took on the home team Bob Jones to finish up the Golden Tigers’ play in the tournament. RHS managed only three hits in the game and made five errors in the loss.

Russellville hits came from a Karlie Moore double and singles by Alivia Clemmons and Madison Lamon. Autumn Logan reached base on a walk for RHS, and Clemmons got a stolen base.

Megan Warhurst pitched all five innings for Russellville. She struck out six, didn’t walk any batters and gave up eight hits.

Russellville 12, Hamilton 3

A trip to Hamilton to take on the Aggies was a successful one as the Lady Golden Tigers (13-15) used a nine-run sixth inning to put the game out of reach.

Multiple RHS batters had big games, with Cochran leading the way with a homerun and three RBIs in the victory. She also had a double and scored two runs for Russellville, while Autumn Logan went 3-4 with two doubles, a run scored and three RBIs. Karlie Moore also had a double and drove in three base-runners for RHS. Daniel (2), Sikes (2), Taylor (1), Murray (1) and O’Neal also picked up Golden Tiger hits.

Emma Whitfield got the start in the circle for Russellville. She pitched four innings before Krista Sikes came on to throw three scoreless innings of relief, including six strikeouts. She allowed one hit, while Whitfield only gave up two.

Russellville got things going their way in the game after a bit of a slow start by making some adjustments at the plate before even going through the entire batting order according to Head Coach Kathryn Montgomery. “We started off a little slow, but the girls did a great job of making adjustments very early,” Montgomery said after the game. “Defensively, we played very solid after the first inning or so, and that’s what it’s going to take for the rest of the season.”

The RHS head coach said she likes what she sees from some of her players when it comes to the important role of leadership. “I see some girls really blooming into leadership roles, which is very exciting.”