RHS sweeps Lee, ready for Athens
Russellville’s Logan Ezzell dives safely back to first base to avoid being picked off during the opening game of the Golden Tigers first-round playoff series against Lee-Huntsville.
If fans of the Russellville baseball team did not know who J.T. Watkins was before the start of last week’s first round playoffs series against Lee-Huntsville, they know who he is now.
Watkins hit a solo home run and had a single and double to drive in four runs for the Golden Tigers as Russellville rolled to an 11-1 victory in the first game. He was also the hero of the second game, driving in the series-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning with a single to give Russellville the 9-8 victory to complete the sweep.
“It felt good,” Watkins said. “I saw big balls and I hit them.”
While Russellville rolled in the first game — the Golden Tigers scored seven runs in the third inning to take control — the second game was a fight until the end.
Lee built a 4-0 lead by the time Russellville came to bat in the bottom of the second inning. The Golden Tigers reduced the deficit to 4-3 as Logan Ezzell, Jordan Gist and Matthew Duncan scored.
The Generals scored a pair of runs in the fourth to increase their lead to 6-3, but once again Russellville had a rally in the bottom half of the inning.
Duncan and Nathan Vincent scored on a double by John Batchelor to pull within one run. Austin Hulsey followed Batchelor with a two-run homer to give Russellville its first lead of the game 7-6.
Lee regained the lead in the sixth inning with a two-run homer, but the lead was short lived.
Vincent led off the bottom of the inning with a triple and later scored on a passed ball to tie the game.
Lee’s first batter of the seventh inning reached on an error before Golden Tiger pitcher Ryan Bowling, who pitched all five innings of the first game and came in to relieve Batchelor, retired the next three batters.
Russellville coach David Ward said his team’s miscues in the field were a big reason Lee was able to keep the game close.
“We had a lot of hits, but we also had a lot of errors that got us in trouble,” Ward said. “They had four or five unearned runs. That is uncharacteristic of us.”
The Golden Tigers headed to the plate in the bottom of the seventh seeking to end the game before it could get to extra innings. Jordan Gist led off the inning by drawing a walk and stealing second base.
He advanced to third on a sacrifice by T.J. Lindsey and scored moments later on Watkins’ single.
“J.T. hit the ball up the middle and I was gone,” Gist said. “I had tunnel vision. When I saw the ball was through, I knew it was over.”
With the sweep Russellville picks up its first playoff series win since the 2008 season when the Golden Tigers reached the third round. Russellville will travel to Athens Friday.
The sixth-ranked Golden Eagles ended Russellville’s 31-game winning streak two weeks ago and several Russellville players are eager for the rematch.
“I’ve been waiting to play them again,” Watkins said.
It could be a tough series for the Golden Tigers and Ward knows it will not be easy and there will probably not be many more games in which Russellville will win by the 10-run rule.
“We will have to battle from here on in,” Ward said.
