RHS boys see 2-1 week on diamond
By Brannon King / For the FCT
Russellville 6, Ardmore 4
The Golden Tigers went on the road to take on the Ardmore Tigers Feb. 27 in a game that featured two schools that last met in the semifinals of the 2017 Class 5A playoffs.
Russellville scored four times in the final two innings to pull away after the two teams were even at 2-2 after five innings of play. Ardmore tried for a comeback in the bottom half of the final inning, scoring two runs, but the Golden Tigers held on for the win.
RHS had eight hits in the game but committed four errors on defense. AHS only managed three hits off of Russellville pitching.
Landon Ezzell got the win on the mound for the Golden Tigers. The senior right-hander threw five innings and allowed two runs on two hits. He struck out eight and walked three before Caden Parker came on in relief.
Parker worked the final two innings, allowing two runs.
All Ardmore runs in the game were of the unearned variety.
Ezzell and Rudy Fernandez led the way for RHS with the bats. Both had doubles and two-for-three performances at the plate with one walk each.
Devin Buckhalter also added a double, and Jeff Lloyd, Brock Malone and Parker all added singles. Lloyd had three RBIs for Russellville, and Parker added one RBI.
Russellville 16, Guntersville 11
A Saturday trip to Guntersville for a double header came a couple of days after a scheduled match-up against Haleyville was rained out.
In the first game of two against GHS, Russellville scored nine runs in the first inning and four in the second. The Golden Tigers added two more runs in the top of the fourth inning to build a 15-0 lead before Guntersville finished the game strong by scoring 11 runs in the game’s final four frames.
Fernandez had an impressive performance as starting pitcher and in the batter’s box. The senior pitched the game’s first three innings. He allowed no runs and only three hits while striking out five and walking none. With the bat, Fernandez went three-for-four with a home run, a walk, five RBIs and two runs scored.
Other RHS batters with hits in the game were Noah Gist, Ezzell, Hunter Briles, Malone, Tom Barkley Scott and Parker. Malone had two RBIs while Ezzell, Scott, Parker and Devin Buckhalter all had one apiece. Omar Tompkins, Colten Madden and Scott pitched in the game for RHS. Scott pitched the last inning and allowed no runs or hits.
Guntersville 4, Russellville 2
The Guntersville Tigers answered in game two of the day and won the match-up despite having only one hit in the game.
Russellville (5-3) held a 2-0 lead after four innings but couldn’t hold on to get the sweep. Guntersville scored all four of their runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning. RHS had seven hits in the contest and had two errors on defense.
Scott had a home run for Russellville, and Buckhalter went two-for-three and added a stolen base. Gist, Fernandez and Ezzell all hit safely for the Golden Tigers. Fernandez joined Scott in the RBI column with one each.
Houston Kitterman got the start on the mound for RHS. He pitched 4.2 innings, allowing four runs before giving way to Scott. Later, Jaret Ward finished the game by striking out two batters on six pitches.
