Russellville opens baseball season with busy week on diamond
The Russellville Golden Tigers took the field to begin the 2021 varsity baseball season and faced tough competition during the first week of action.
RHS opened things up with a 13-3 loss to perennial 6A power Cullman Feb. 22.
Russellville’s Jackson Lindsey went 2-for-3 with two home runs and two RBIs. Reed Hill scored a run and had two hits, including a double. JD Bishop had the other RBI, and he also picked up a single and a walk. Ethan Oliver also had a hit.
Gordon White got the start on the mound for Russellville. He pitched an inning, allowing five runs on three hits, and he walked four. Brayden Heaps relieved him, and he gave up two runs on four hits. He struck out one and walked two.
Emitt Green was next on the mound, and he went 2.2 innings. Green gave up one unearned run, and he struck out two and allowed two hits.
Banks Langston finished things up, and he gave up five runs on four hits. He struck out two and walked a batter.
Jake Dueland got the start for Cullman and went five innings for the win.
RHS hosted Deshler Feb. 23 for the home opener, and the Golden Tigers got a 6-2 victory.
Rowe Gallagher was first on the mound for Russellville, and the senior right-hander got the win. He went four innings and threw 57 pitches. He allowed one unearned run on two hits, struck out three and walked none.
Ethan Oliver was next to pitch, and he went two innings. He allowed a hit and a walk, gave up one run and struck out four batters.
Reed Hill pitched the game’s final inning, and he got the save. Hill struck out three and walked one.
Hits for RHS came from Cole Barnett, Nick Smith, Casen Heaps and Banks Langston. Barnett had two RBIs, while Smith and Bishop had one apiece. Bishop also walked twice, stole two bases and scored a run.
Priceville came to town Feb. 25, and Russellville got a 7-2 win on a combined no-hitter. Langston got the start, and he allowed the two Priceville runs. He struck out three but walked five and hit two batters with pitches.
Green followed with 4.1 innings to get the win. He struck out five and walked two.
Hill worked the final inning, and he struck out two batters.
Barnett was 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Smith also had a long home run. He picked up two RBIs, scored twice and walked once.
Grayson Thorpe smacked a triple, and Jackson Lindsey had a double and scored two runs.
Other big hits for RHS came from Hill and Canyon Pace, who had two RBIs each.
“Emitt Green had a great day,” said Russellville head coach Chris Heaps. “Offensively, we came out with a bang. Cole’s solo home run and Jackson smoking one in the gap and then Nick coming up with that big home run really set the tone for things.”
