Golden Tigers sweep Helena, win 5A state championship
RHS swept Helena to carry the blue map home as the 2015 5A baseball state champions
MONTGOMERY, ALA.–For the second time this week the Russellville Golden Tigers will be bringing home a state championship. This time the baseball team won in convincing fashion on their way to defeating Helena in the 5A baseball state championship series.
RHS defeated Helena 4-1 behind a solid pitching effort by one of only two seniors on the team, Jacob Green.
After a 3-2 win on Friday evening–beating out two days of rain–the Golden Tigers met Helena with a 10 a.m. first pitch at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala. on Saturday.
The Golden Tigers finished Friday night’s win behind Cody Greenhill’s solid performance on the way to the 3-2 win. Saturday’s game two saw RHS senior and Shelton State signee, Jacob Green, take the mound. Green was solid again for the Golden Tigers going seven innings and only surrendering one run as Russellville closed out the championship series on Saturday morning.
Russellville took control of the deciding game of the series in the second inning when Austin Bohannon doubled and tallied an RBI. Two more singles–three hits in a row–and the Golden Tigers had trotted out to a commanding 3-0 lead. Little did they know that would be all they needed.
Green kept dealing from the mound and kept the Helena bats quiet.
A rally by the Huskies in the sixth inning was quelled after a double play was turned by the middle infielders followed by Green’s eighth strikeout of the day to end the frame.
The first ever state championship for Russellville baseball comes just days after the golf team won the 2015 5A state championship.
The RHS baseball team swept every series of the playoffs going 10-0 on their way to being crowned champions. With only two seniors graduating, Head Coach Chris Heaps and his staff look to bring back a solid team in 2016 to defend their 5A state title.
Look for more in-depth coverage from the weekend as well as quotes from players and coaches in next Wednesday’s Franklin County Times.
