Invitational dominance sparks RHS win streak
By Brannon King / For the FCT
The Russellville varsity softball team is on a hot streak after winning the Elkmont Invitational over the weekend and taking an important Class 5A, Area 16 regular season game at home against Lawrence County.
Over the past seven games, the Lady Golden Tigers are 6-0-1.
Russellville 16, West Limestone 2
In game one of the Elkmont tournament March 30, RHS used a 10-run third inning to finish off West Limestone. The Lady Golden Tigers outhit their opponent by a 15-3 tally.
Alivia Clemmons had two home runs, including a grand slam, on her way to an eight RBI performance. Krista Sikes and Chalea Clemmons also homered for RHS. Sikes added two doubles and went three-for-three at the plate. Emma Whitfield pitched all three innings and got the win.
Russellville 2, Elkmont 2
The second game Friday ended in a tie against the home team, Elkmont. EHS had only one hit in the game, but the Russellville defense committed five errors.
Karlie Moore and Autumn Logan both had home runs to account for the RHS runs. Sydney Burcham and AJ Taylor also had Golden Tiger hits. Sikes pitched and had eight strikeouts in the circle.
Russellville 15, Athens Bible 1
Chalea Clemmons got her first varsity pitching assignment of the season and held Athens Bible to one run and two hits in the three-inning game to start a busy day of softball for RHS in Elkmont Saturday.
Logan had the big hit of the game when she smacked a grand slam home run. Moore and Alivia Clemmons also hit home runs for RHS. Taylor had an extra-base hit, and RHS base runners stole nine bases.
Russellville 9, East Limestone 4
The Lady Golden Tigers gained confidence with a tournament win over area opponent East Limestone.
Sydney Burcham had a home run, and teammates Moore and Alivia Clemmons had doubles. Makala O’Neal and seventh-grader Jenna Whitfield both went two-for-two for Russellville.
Emma Whitfield started the game in the pitching circle for the win.
Russellville 9, Giles County (Tenn.) 1
Nine Russellville batters had hits in a tournament win over Giles County. Moore kept her clutch batting going with another home run.
Burcham and Alivia Clemmons had two hits apiece, while Lauren Rogers, Logan, Taylor, Sikes, O’Neal and Jenna Whitfield all had one hit each. Sikes worked all four innings as pitcher and allowed three hits.
Russellville 4, North Jackson 0
The Golden Tigers took the championship game of the Elkmont Invitational Saturday night with a shutout win over North Jackson.
The Russellville girls scored all of their runs in the fourth frame of the five-inning contest. Sikes pitched a gem by going the distance, allowing one hit and striking out eight. Karlie Moore had a double and two RBIs for RHS. Rogers, Logan, Taylor and Sikes also had hits.
Russellville 12, Lawrence County 5
Regular season Area 16 play resumed at RHS Monday, and the Russellville team built on tournament success and took an important game against the Red Devils.
Lawrence County took an early 1-0 lead with a home run by the first batter of the game, Kaylee Nelson. The Russellville girls (13-8-1, 3-1) answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning and then added six more runs in the second. Sikes threw 133 pitches over seven innings and got the win. She also hit a home run and had two RBIs. Jenna Whitfield went four-for-four and scored three runs.
“We were hoping to continue the way we played this weekend at Elkmont, and we came out and definitely did,” Russellville head coach Kathryn Montgomery said. “Our defense is still playing tight, our pitching is coming through, and our bats are on fire right now.”
