Russellville baseball season ends with playoff series loss to American Christian
The 2025 baseball season came to an end for the Russellville Golden Tigers with a series loss to the American Christian Academy Patriots in the second round of the AHSAA Class 5A playoffs.
The best-of-three series began a day late after wet field conditions at RHS forced games one and two to be played on Saturday instead of Friday. American Christian Academy took game one by a 15-2 score in five innings. The Golden Tigers then bounced back and kept their season alive with a 5-3 victory in game two. In front of a packed stadium at RHS on Monday, the Patriots won the deciding game three by a score of 5-3.
ACA outhit Russellville 16-6 in game one and held a 12-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth inning when the Golden Tigers scored their two runs of the contest. Brennon Thorpe had a hit and both Russellville RBIs. Brayden Entrekin added two hits for RHS while Ty Willis, Neyland Baker and Brayden Hatton also hit safely. Entrekin got the start on the mound and went four innings before Coltan Oliver entered the game for one inning of relief. American Christian hit five home runs during the series opener including two by standout centerfielder Eric Hines.
Russellville’s Ty Engelthaler pitched a complete game and got a playoff win for the second-straight week by defeating ACA in game two of the series. The right-hander allowed six hits versus American Christian and struck out seven Patriots.
The two teams were tied 3-3 until the Golden Tigers scored twice in the top half of the fifth inning when Tripp Cleveland singled and two runs scored. Cleveland had three RBIs during the win and Brennon Thorpe added a two-run home run that came during the game’s third inning. Neyland Baker and Engelthaler added doubles to Russellville’s hit column.
Game three was an intense battle with the season on the line for both teams. ACA got a first inning home run from Hines to take the early advantage, but Russellville answered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame. ACA retook the lead with five runs in the third and the Patriots added three additional runs during the top of the fourth to go up 9-3.
The RHS team full of competitors then scored twice in the bottom of the fourth and a last inning comeback attempt that produced two runs fell just short after the Golden Tigers pulled to within two. Russellville had the winning run at the plate with runners on first and second with one out in the seventh, but a double play turned by the ACA infield ended the game.
During the game, six Russellville defensive errors were costly for the Golden Tigers including three during the third inning. Meanwhile, American Christian had four errors during the contest.
Caleb Hawkins had two hits for RHS including a two-run home run. Brayden Entrekin led the team with three hits including a double. Cleveland added two hits while Hatton and Engelthaler had one hit apiece. Cleveland and Hatton added one RBI each.
Hatton got the start on the mound for Russellville and went three innings. Cleveland worked the final four innings in relief.
Russellville ended the season with a 25-12 record while ACA improved to 29-13. The Patriots will play Scottsboro in round three.
PHOTO BY BRANNON KING – Caleb Hawkins of Russellville watches the ball fly over the fence for a home run against the Patriots.
PHOTO BY BRANNON KING – Ty Willis is at the plate for Russellville during the playoff series with American Christian.
