Russellville baseball tallies 3-1 week

By Brannon King / For the FCT

Russellville 4, Decatur 0

The Russellville Golden Tigers got a strong pitching performance from Landon Ezzell March 6 to shutout the Red Raiders.

On a day when a strong wind was blowing in at RHS, the Decatur batters found the going tough and managed only two hits. Ezzell pitched six innings, allowing one hit and striking out seven. Jaret Ward came on to finish the game on the mound, and he only allowed one base-runner.

Russellville grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and tacked on three insurance runs in the fourth. Five Golden Tigers reached base on hits: Ezzell, Noah Gist, Rudy Fernandez, Devin Buckhalter and Houston Kitterman. Ezzell, Buckhalter and Tom Barkley Scott had RBIs in the game.

Austin 7, Russellville 6

Thursday night, the Austin Black Bears visited RHS for a double header. Russellville was originally scheduled to take on Austin and Guntersville Saturday, but forecasted rain over the weekend caused a shift in the plan.

RHS fell behind in the second inning, as Austin plated five runs in the top half of the frame. The lead grew to 6-1 in favor of the Black Bears before Russellville mounted a comeback with two runs in the third, and the Golden Tigers tied the game in the fifth by adding three more runs. Eventually, however, AHS took the win with a single run in the eighth.

Caden Parker, Gist, Fernandez, Ward and Kitterman all had one hit each for Russellville. The hits by Fernandez and Kitterman were doubles, and Ezzell drew a bases-loaded walk to score the run in the fifth that, at the time, tied the score.

Rudy Fernandez started the game on the mound and gave up five runs, although only four were earned. Ward came on in relief and pitched 4.1 innings, allowing three hits and one unearned run while striking out four batters. Scott pitched the final two innings, and he also gave up one unearned run.

Russellville 11, Austin 4

The Golden Tigers gave Chris Heaps career win No. 200 as a head coach in game two Thursday night.

In just over five years as head coach at RHS, Heaps has collected 169 wins with 67 losses. A year at Central-Phenix City that included 31 victories brings his record to 200-83.

A humble Heaps was surprised to learn after the game that he had reached the milestone number of wins. “It means I’ve been around it long enough to be involved with a lot of good players,” he said. “Just as an assistant coach I spent, I guess, 15 years of my coaching career helping Coach Booth win, and I learned a lot from him. I just enjoy it.”

Three Golden Tigers hitters were key in the win this night. Ezzell, Fernandez and Kitterman all had three hits apiece. Ezzell and Fernandez both added home runs and doubles. Buckhalter also had a double, and Brock Malone was two-for-two in the game and walked twice. Hunter Briles and Parker had singles for RHS.

Parker got the win on the mound by pitching 4.2 innings. Tanner James finished the game in relief by allowing no runs and two hits.

Russellville 9, Haleyville 5

Russellville’s Brock Malone went three-for-three with three RBIs, and the Golden Tigers (8-4) won a rescheduled game against the Lions at RHS Friday evening.

Ezzell and Fernandez continued their hot-hitting with two hits each. Colten Madden, Ward and Parker also hit safely. Jeff Lloyd, Buckhalter and Parker had additional RBIs for RHS.

Malone pitched and started the game before giving way to winning pitcher Houston Kitterman.  Madden worked the final inning of the victory.