RHS heads to semi-finals
By Brannon King for the FCT
The Russellville Golden Tigers swept two games against the Etowah Blue Devils May 6 to advance to the semi-finals of the Class 5A baseball playoffs. The Golden Tigers took game on, 3-0 and won the second game by a 5-1 score in front of one of the largest crowds ever assembled at Russellville Baseball Stadium.
Game one featured a strong performance by Cody Greenhill. The senior pitched a complete game, allowing three hits while striking out 12 and only issuing two walks for the win. He also added his 16th home run of the season, which set a new RHS record. The two-run shot over the fence came off of Etowah ace pitcher Eli Dunn, who allowed five hits and walked five RHS batters.
Russellville scored two runs in the third inning on the Greenhill homer and added a single run in the fourth frame. Tom Barkley Scott had a double for RHS and also scored a run on a wild throw to third by the Etowah catcher on a pick-off attempt. Judd Ward, Skylar Holland and Houston Kitterman all added base-hits for the Golden Tigers. Colin Garrison contributed to the RHS attack by drawing three walks and scoring a run.
The second game of the evening saw the Blue Devils claim a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning, and Etowah held the Russellville bats scoreless until the top of the sixth inning, when the Golden Tigers drew even by scoring a run when Russ Carpenter put the ball in play for an RBI.
RHS grabbed the lead in the seventh inning when Garrison led off with a walk, followed by a balk that got him to second. Judd Ward took advantage of the opportunity to advance Garrison to third with a bunt, and it worked to perfection, with Ward reaching safely with a hit in addition to moving the runner to third. Greenhill then knocked in Garrison, and Ward later scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1. Etowah later chose to walk Landon Ezzell intentionally to load the bases, and Houston Kitterman made them pay by driving in two more insurance runs with a hit.
Chad Wray went the distance on the mound for Russellville and got the win. He struck out 12 and allowed only four hits in a dominating performance. Wray outdueled Etowah starter Cade Runyan, who pitched 6.1 innings and allowed three runs on five hits while walking four and striking out two RHS batters.
“I’m proud of how my guys pitched and how they played defense,” Russellville head coach Chris Heaps said. “That’s what championship teams have to do. They have to pitch it well, and they have to play great defense, and I thought that they did that.
“Rudy Fernandez made some great plays and Ezzell made a lot of routine plays. Kitterman had a couple of hard balls hit to him – and how about the play that Tom Barkley makes out there, running through the wall almost and having no fear. Russ did a great job behind the plate, and Coach Fuller called a great game,” Heaps added.
The wins set up a semi-final matchup with the Ardmore Tigers, and they have to come to RHS. “I’m glad they have to come here,” Heaps said about the team that has already visited Russellville earlier this year, when RHS grabbed two commanding regular-season victories. “That’s the way it should be. If you want to get to Montgomery, it’s got to come through us. We’re the defending state champs, and it should have to come through us.”
