Bishop, McCulloch lead RHS softball to 4-1 start
The Russellville varsity softball team successfully opened the 2026 season with a 4-0 start before falling in the fifth game of the week.
The Lady Golden Tigers went to Florence High School on Feb. 24 and defeated the Lady Falcons 10-4 in their season opener.
Head coach Rick Lawson’s team had six hits, including a double by Taitum Bishop. Kaylee Suggs, Bri McCulloch, Alexia Groce, Chloe James and Blevyn Sappington added singles. Erin Grimes and Bishop had two RBIs apiece while McCulloch, James and Sappington added one each.
Russellville’s Bishop was also clutch in the pitching circle. The righthander pitched all six innings and struck out 11 Lady Falcons.
RHS hosted the Hatton Lady Hornets the following day for the homeopener and the Lady Tigers won 8-1. Groce and Bishop hit home runs. McCulloch and Sadie Odom added doubles. Odom had three RBIs, Bishop and Groce had two each, and McCulloch also drove-in a run.
Bishop pitched three innings and Suggs worked four innings of relief.
The Lady Golden Tigers hosted the Russellville Invitational starting on Feb. 27 and RHS defeated Mars Hill 12-0.
Russellville had 12 hits while Bishop held the Lady Panthers to only two. Bishop struck out 10 batters during her four innings in the circle.
Ticelee Gholston of RHS had three hits, including a triple and a double. Sappington also had two extra-base hits, including a triple, and three RBIs. Odom had three hits and three RBIs while McCulloch had a hit and two RBIs.
Additional Russellville RBIs were from Bishop, Groce, James and Khristyan Huerta.
The Lady Golden Tigers took the field on Feb. 28 for two more games in the Russellville Invitational. First, was a 10-7 win over Brooks.
Russellville’s Chloe James had two hits, including a double and three RBIs to help lead the team to victory. Gholston had also had two hits, including a double, while McCulloch added a double.
McCulloch, Groce and Huerta had one RBI each.
Suggs pitched 3.2 innings for the win and Bishop got the final out.
Madison County came from behind to defeat Russellville 12-11 in the final game of the invitational. RHS led 11-4 during the third inning of the contest before Madison County came back for the walk-off win.
Bishop hit a grand slam home run and smacked two doubles during a six RBI performance at the plate.
Russellville’s Gholston, McCulloch, Groce and Huerta had two hits each while Sappington and Suggs had one hit apiece. One of Huerta’s hits was a double. Suggs had two RBIs while McCulloch, Groce and Odom had one RBI each.
Bishop and Suggs were the Russellville pitchers.
