Lady Golden Tigers face regionals
By Brannon King for the FCT
The Russellville softball team advanced to regional play by finishing second in the Class 5A, Area 16 tournament held May 2-3 at Lawrence County.
Needing a win to keep the season alive, the Lady Golden Tigers got some revenge Wednesday over East Limestone, which had beaten RHS in the first game of the double-elimination tournament, by defeating the Indians by an 8-5 score. Madison Lamon broke a 5-5 fifth-inning tie by clearing the bases with a three-RBI hit.
“The girls came out yesterday for East Limestone really excited and ready to play, we thought, and we just really didn’t come through at all,” Russellville head coach Kathryn Montgomery said. “We got put into the losers’ bracket early, and we played and took care of Brooks. We knew that we had East Limestone again and really wanted a little bit of vengeance to show what we can do instead of what we did do”
The big hit by Lamon helped send RHS back to regional play this year. “Lamon has worked hard this season,” Montgomery said about her senior right-fielder. “She’s been low in the lineup and settled at No. 9 the last couple of weeks for us. She’s been off and on and really came through. It was the kind of hit that gives you goosebumps.”
Lawrence County finished undefeated in the tournament and took first-place by defeating RHS 12-9 in the final game. Russellville (27-21-1) faced the tough task of needing to win two-straight over the Lady Devils to finish first. RHS jumped out to a 7-0 advantage, but the Lady Golden Tigers weren’t able to hold the lead. LCHS scored seven runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning and took the lead for good in the third frame.
Kayla Cochran went 3-4 for Russellville with three RBIs. Kalli Beth Daniel and AJ Taylor both went 2-4, with Daniel scoring three runs in the game. Sydney Burcham, Madison Murray, Alivia Clemmons, Autumn Logan and Karlie Moore all added hits for RHS.
Clemmons also drove in three runs for the Lady Golden Tigers. Megan Warhurst, Emma Whitfield and Krista Sikes all saw time as pitchers for Russellville in the final game of the tournament.
The opening game of the tourney for RHS came against East Limestone with the Indians winning 2-1. Murray led the way at the plate for the Lady Golden Tigers by going 2-2 with a double, a stolen base and a run scored. Moore drove in Murray with a sacrifice-fly. Daniel and Clemmons also added hits for Russellville. Warhurst pitched the game and gave up six hits.
Russellville then needed a win over Brooks to keep the season alive. RHS jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and came back to later score seven more runs for the 11-5 win. Daniel went 4-4 and scored four runs while Cochran added three hits and two RBIs. Clemmons had two hits and three RBIs for Russellville. Other RHS hits came from Taylor (2), Moore (2), Murray (1) and Kourtney Joyner (1). Sikes and Warhurst did the pitching for Russellville.
In the big 8-5 RHS win over East Limestone, Murray went 3-4 with a double to go along with the clutch hit by Lamon. Moore had a double and two RBIs, while Clemmons and Logan each had two hits apiece. Daniel, Taylor and Burcham also hit safely for Russellville.
Sikes and Megan Warhurst both pitched, with Warhurst throwing 2.2 scoreless innings.
The Class 5A North Regional games will take place in Huntsville and are scheduled to begin May 11.
