RHS baseball begins
By Brannon King / For the FCT
The 2018 high school baseball season is here, and the Russellville Golden Tigers will be looking for their fourth-straight 5A state championship.
The road back to Montgomery is never easy, and the RHS squad led by head coach Chris Heaps has only a few returning contributors who have experienced a lot of success on the baseball field. Gone are the likes of Cody Greenhill and Judd Ward, who are both playing at Auburn. Chad Wray and Skylar Holland have also moved on, as well as leaders such as Russ Carpenter and Colin Garrison.
The graduation of those familiar faces opens the door for new players to lead the way. Landon Ezzell, Rudy Fernandez, Houston Kitterman, Noah Gist and Tom Barkley Scott all have started in the past on the diamond in various positions, and they could pick up leadership roles. A big senior class and a group of juniors are showing promise and are waiting on their time to shine with more playing time that is sure to come their way this season.
Russellville 6, Cleburne County 0
The Golden Tigers traveled to Oxford’s Choccolocco Park to open the 2018 season, and RHS defeated the Tigers from Heflin in the first game of the year. Cleburne County is coming off of a 5A playoff appearance last season, where they were defeated in round one.
Ezzell got the win on the mound for Russellville by allowing no runs and one hit over five innings of work. The senior, coming from off-season surgery, threw 68 pitches and struck out three while walking only one batter.
Brock Malone worked two innings of relief and allowed four hits. The Golden Tigers played errorless defense behind the two pitchers.
The Golden Tigers got their first run of the game in the top of the second inning and added to their total by plating five runs in the fourth frame. The Golden Tigers managed three hits, and Devin Buckhalter had a big game by going two for three with a double, an RBI and a run scored. He also stole a base and was hit by a pitch.
Russellville showed good plate discipline by drawing nine walks, and Kitterman and Ezzell also reached base by being hit by pitches. Kitterman drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Rudy Fernandez had a hit and reached base two other times on walks. Tom Barkley Scott accounted for the remaining RBI in the game.
Russellville 5, James Clemens 2
RHS also took game two Feb. 19 in Oxford, this time beating the 7A Jets. The James Clemens team was shaky on defense, committing four errors in the field, while Russellville only made one.
Brock Malone went 2-3 with the bat for Russellville. He had a double and a run scored. Buckhalter had a single, and teammate Colten Madden had a double and two RBI. Jeff Lloyd also had an RBI for Russellville on a sac fly.
Scott got the start on the mound and pitched six innings for the win. He gave up two runs on two hits while striking out five. Fernandez came on for the save. He pitched the seventh inning allowed one hit, and he struck out one.
Russellville Baseball Roster
1 Jaret Ward
2 Devin Buckhalter
3 Rudy Fernandez
5 Landon Ezzell
6 Noah Gist
8 Omar Tompkins
9 Jeff Lloyd
10 Houston Kitterman
14 Nate Green
15 Tom Barkley Scott
22 Caden Parker
23 Colten Madden
24 Brock Malone
25 Layne Johns
26 Hunter Briles
28 Tanner James
Russellville Baseball Schedule
Feb. 19 – Cleburne County (Oxford) and James Clemens (Oxford)
Feb. 22 – @Haleyville
Feb. 24 – Madison Academy and Corner
Feb. 27 – @Ardmore
March 1 – Haleyville
March 3 – @Guntersville (2)
March 6 – Decatur
March 10 – Guntersville and Austin
March 13 – @Lawrence County
March 15 – Lawrence County (2)
March 17 – Westbrook Christian and Hamilton
March 22 – Bob Jones
March 24 – Hayden and Hartselle
March 26 – Hewitt-Trussville (Gulf Coast Classic)
March 27 – Hackleburg (Gulf Coast Classic) and Normal West (Gulf Coast Classic)
March 28 – Fairhope (Gulf Coast Classic)
March 31 – Arab (2)
April 3 – @Brooks
April 5 – Brooks (2)
April 7 – @Hamilton and West Point
April 10 – East Limestone
April 12 – @East Limestone (2)
April 17 – @Madison Academy
