RHS advances to regional tourney as area runner-up
By Brannon King
For the FCT
The Russellville softball team advanced to the AHSAA North Regional with a runner-up finish in the Class 5A Area 14 tournament held at Lawrence County High School.
The Lady Golden Tigers started the area tournament with a first-round win over West Point by the score of 7-2. RHS outhit the Lady Warriors 8-2 with Ticelee Gholston and Taitum Bishop leading the Lady Tigers with two hits each. Gholston had two RBIs with additional Russellville RBIs coming from Bishop, Khristyan Huerta and Alexia Groce.
CONTRIBUTED/BRANNON KING
Alexia Groce of Russellville makes a catch during an area tournament win over West Point.
Bishop pitched a complete game to get the win.
Later that evening, Russellville fell to Lawrence County in the double-elimination tournament by the final score of 13-6.
The Lady Red Devils scored seven runs in the first inning to build an early lead. RHS got home runs from Groce and Bishop while Bri McCulloch and Gholston collected doubles. Bishop led the Lady Tigers with three RBIs.
Kaylee Suggs pitched four innings for Russellville and Jonalyn Thorn pitched two innings of relief.
Russellville came back the following afternoon and won an elimination game versus West Point, 5-4.
The Lady Golden Tigers trailed West Point 4-1 in the bottom half of the fourth inning when Sadie Odom hit a two-run home run. Then, during the fifth, Bishop added another two-run homer to give Russellville the lead. Gholston led the team with two hits, and Groce drove-in the first RHS run.
Bishop pitched a complete game in the circle to get the win.
Lawrence County won the area championship with a 17-0 victory over Russellville. The Lady Red Devils scored five runs in the third inning and four each during the first, second and fourth frames. LCHS outhit the Lady Golden Tigers by a 15-1 total. McCulloch singled for the only Russellville hit during the four-inning game.
Russellville’s Taitum Bishop (12) is surrounded by teammates after hitting a home run during a win over West Point in the area tournament. CONTRIBUTED/BRANNON KING
Alexia Groce of Russellville makes a catch during an area tournament win over West Point.
