RHS to host first-round playoffs
By Brannon King / For the FCT
For the fourth consecutive season, the Russellville Golden Tigers are baseball area champions. Russellville took two games against East Limestone and got some much-needed help when Lawrence County defeated Brooks in a key matchup to keep the crown with a 5-1 area record.
April 10, RHS needed a victory on senior night to secure a place in the Class 5A playoffs, and Landon Ezzell was on the mound for his last regular season start at home.
The senior right-hander came through and got the 8-1 win by striking out 16 in a dominating performance. Ezzell threw 115 pitches over seven innings and allowed four hits and 1 unearned run. With two outs in the final frame, he issued his only walk of the game.
“I was really proud of our pitching performance tonight,” Russellville head coach Chris Heaps said. “Ezzell was lights out, and that was probably one of the best performances that I’ve seen out of him.”
Russellville jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and added four insurance runs in the sixth. The two teams combined to make nine errors on defense, and the Golden Tigers outhit the Indians 6-4.
Senior centerfielder Tom Barkley Scott had two hits for RHS three RBIs. Brock Malone added two RBIs on a single that dropped just inside the foul line to drive in the game’s first runs.
Hunter Briles reached base three times and added an RBI to the total, while Noah Gist and Houston Kitterman also hit safely.
The Indians were determined to not let Rudy Fernandez get a pitch to hit, and he walked four times and scored three runs. Ezzell also drew a couple of walks while at the plate.
The scene shifted to East Limestone Thursday for the remaining two games of the series between the two teams. With destiny in their own hands, the Golden Tigers knew that with a win in game one of the day, the area championship would again be theirs.
After two and a half innings, RHS was ahead 11-0 on their way to a 19-8 win.
Just as in the previous game, Ezzell was a key contributor for Russellville. This time he hit a home run, doubled and drove in three runs with the bat.
The homer by Ezzell was one of four that cleared the fence off the bats of RHS hitters. Fernandez, Kitterman and Scott also accomplished the feat, and Devin Buckhalter also had a big game by going 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, two RBIs and three runs scored. Caden Parker, Fernandez and Malone also added extra-base hits, while Gist and Briles each had a single and a RBI.
Pitcher Jaret Ward got the win in relief of starter Fernandez.
The final game of the series went East Limestone’s way. The Indians took the win by an 8-5 score with a four-run sixth inning helping their cause.
Jeff Lloyd led RHS with a 2-for-2 performance that included a double, RBI, two runs scored and two walks. Others with hits for Russellville included Colten Madden, Layne Johns, Buckhalter, Scott and Parker.
Three RHS pitchers took the mound; Caden Parker got the start, with Omar Tompkins and Tanner James coming in for relief duty.
Russellville (20-12) finished up the regular season with a couple of games at Madison Academy April 17 before hosting Etowah in the first round of the playoffs.
The Golden Tigers will play two games against the Blue Devils (24-8) Friday starting at 4:30 p.m., with game three to come Saturday at 1 p.m. if necessary.
