Russellville rolls on

By Staff
Mike Self
FCT Sports Editor
KILLEN - Nobody was happier to see Ty Cox come through in the clutch than Craig Bullion–nobody but Russellville coach Steve Kerby, that is.
Cox's two-run single highlighted a five-run sixth inning on Thursday as the Golden Tigers rallied to beat Brooks 5-2, giving Bullion his first win of the season and sparing Kerby a sleepless night.
Russellville (10-17) trailed 2-0 and had runners at first and second with one out in the top of the sixth when a strategic gamble by Kerby backfired, threatening to snuff out the Golden Tigers' comeback before it got going.
"We had a runner at second earlier in the game, and when we tried to bunt him over their third baseman came charging in," Kerby said. "I filed that away for later, and when the situation came up again [in the sixth] I thought we could use the fake bunt and steal third on them."
Cory Trapp squared around as if to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but he pulled the bat back at the last instant. Courtesy runner Patrick Hines broke for third with the pitch, but this time the Lions' third baseman stayed back to cover the bag.
Hines was thrown out for the second out of the inning.
"Their third baseman stayed at home that time, like he was supposed to," Kerby said. "Give them credit for making the adjustment. We tried something and it didn't work, but our kids kept playing hard and bailed me out."
The Golden Tigers quickly regrouped and forged ahead. Trapp drew a walk, and Bullion reached on an error to load the bases.
Chris Swinney then worked the count full before drawing a walk to force home Russellville's first run.
Cox followed with a base hit through the middle to score Trapp and Bullion for a 3-2 lead.
"I knew we had two outs and that might be our last chance [to take the lead]," said Cox, who won a game last week with an extra-inning homer against Madison County. "I guess I just like the pressure."
After a balk by Brooks pitcher Will Batson, two more runs scored when Matt Humphries hustled down the line on a grounder and reached on a throwing error.
Cox said that patience was the catalyst for Russellville's late-inning rally against Batson, who had shut out the Golden Tigers on three hits through five innings.
"[Batson] started struggling with his control a little, and we started being more patient," Cox said. "We tried to make him throw strikes, and when he did we made him pay for it."
Once Russellville grabbed the lead, there was no way Bullion was giving it back.
The senior righthander retired the Lions in order in the bottom of the sixth and then struck out the first two batters in the seventh.
After hitting J.R. Pickett with a two-strike pitch, Bullion retired Batson on a fly ball to right to finish off the Golden Tigers' sixth win in their last nine games.
"Craig hit his spots tonight better than at any time this season," Kerby said. "He didn't throw quite as hard as he has, but he took a little bit off and focused on locating his pitches. He got a lot of weak little grounders."
After allowing a run in each of the first two innings, Bullion held Brooks hitless over the final five frames. He finished with 10 strikeouts and no walks, allowing just three hits and one earned run.
Bullion said he wasn't concerned with the Golden Tigers' lack of run support through the first five innings.
"I was pretty much locked in on the mound the whole game," Bullion said. "I just focused on my pitching. I knew that if I kept us in the game, the guys would eventually score some runs and the defense would make enough plays to get us a win."
Both Cox and Bullion agreed that Russellville's improvement in the field has been the driving force behind their recent strong play, which includes victories over Central, Muscle Shoals and Madison County as well as the Lions.
"We've hit the ball pretty well all season, but we're making a lot fewer errors lately," said Cox, a senior first baseman.
"At the start of the season, one person would make a mistake and then it would just snowball from there," Bullion added. "Now we're starting to learn how to put those behind us and focus on the next play."
Kerby said that avoiding "the big inning" has been crucial to the turnaround.
"The kids have worked hard, and we've talked a lot about taking control of the game," he said. "That means getting outs and making the plays we're capable of making. We don't try to play over our heads anymore."
Torey Baird started Russellville's sixth-inning rally with a single. He, Seth Fergerson, Trapp, Swinney and Cox each finished with one hit.
Batson took the loss, allowing five unearned runs on five hits in a complete game. He struck out three and walked two.