Golden Tigers out-slug Deshler in TD classic

By Staff
Mike Self
Franklin County Times
RUSSELLVILLE – When the Russellville baseball team flew back from Orlando two days ago, they made sure to pack their bats.
The Golden Tigers pounded out 13 hits and rallied for six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on Monday, out-slugging Deshler 12-8 in opening-day action at the TimesDaily Classic.
Jake Ward went 3-for-4 with five RBIs and Evan Fergerson hit a two-run homer for Russellville (16-3), which piled up plenty of runs last week while winning six of seven games at Disney's Annual Spring Training Event at the Wide World of Sports Complex.
"We swung the bats well in Orlando, and I'm glad to see us continue to do that up here," said RHS coach David Ward, whose team was scheduled to face Central on Tuesday at 4 p.m. "We got behind early tonight and had to battle back, but give Deshler credit. They swung the bats well, too."
After Ward's two-run double in the bottom of the second inning helped the Golden Tigers take a 4-1 lead, Chase Blackburn's two-run homer sparked a six-run third inning by Deshler that gave the visiting Tigers a 7-4 lead.
Fergerson's two-run homer to the opposite field in the bottom of the third pulled Russellville within one, but Deshler tacked on another run in the fourth to lead 8-6.
The Golden Tigers took the lead for good with six runs on five hits in the bottom of the fifth.
Fergerson started the rally with a ground-rule double and scored on a single by Josh James. James later came home on a wild pitch to tie the game 8-8.
After Caleb Mitchell grounded into a force-play at the plate for the second out of the inning, Ward delivered a two-run double to the gap in right-center to put Russellville on top 10-8.
"On the pitch right before that, I almost called for a bunt," David Ward said. "The third baseman was back and Corey Flanagan was coming up next, and he's been swinging a hot bat lately. As it turned out, I'm glad I let Jake swing away."
Cory Trapp added an RBI double and then scored on a throwing error to cap Russellville's big inning and make it 12-8.
Trapp took care of the rest on the mound, striking out five batters in three hitless innings of relief to earn the win.
Mitchell had two hits and two runs scored, and Fergerson and Patrick Hines also had two hits each.
Torey Baird and Seth Fergerson each had one hit.