By Brannon King  for the FCT

Russellville 11, Brooks 1

The Russellville bats were hot as the Golden Tigers hit six homeruns to defeat the Brooks Lions at RHS April 4 in a Class 5A, Area 16 regular season game.

The Golden Tigers wasted no time in getting into the swing of things, as Judd Ward and Landon Ezzell went back-to-back with homers in the bottom half of the first inning. After an RHS out, Skylar Holland hit a homerun to put Russellville up 3-0.

Later in the contest, Cody Greenhill hit two homers, including one to center field that clipped a branch of a tree far beyond the outfield wall. Senior catcher Russ Carpenter also cleared the fence with a drive for another Golden Tiger homerun. RHS out-hit Brooks 13-3 on their way to the big win.

“Since McGill-Toolen, we’ve been working on approach and zone recognition and doing a better job until we get two strikes of staying in our zone,” Head Coach Chris Heaps explained after the win over Brooks. “What we were doing is that we were hitting balls that are in the pitcher’s zone before we get two strikes and giving up easy outs. What we’ve been preaching and practicing is doing a better job of staying in our zone.

“Our guys have really bought into it, and in batting practice, they’re working hard on it. The whole team is really coming together at the same time,” Heaps added.

The shift in approach is paying big dividends for the RHS batters, as evidenced by the 13 hits that the Golden Tigers achieved in the game. Ward, Ezzell, Greenhill, Holland and Carpenter all went 2-3, while Houston Kitterman, Brock Malone and Tom Barkley Scott had one hit each.

Greenhill worked all five innings on the mound for Russellville. He allowed one run on three hits while striking out eight and walking none.

Brooks 14, Russellville 13

A high-scoring, ten-inning Class 5A, Area 16 contest went the way of the Lions in the first of two games at Brooks April 6.

Russellville (3-1 in area play) held a 12-4 advantage going into the bottom of the fifth inning when Brooks erupted for nine runs in the frame to take the lead. The Golden Tigers battled back to tie the score with a run in the seventh before BHS won it in the tenth with a run.

Russellville outhit Brooks 15-12 but committed four errors in the game, to only one error by the Lions.

Holland had a grand slam homerun for RHS, and Judd Ward also homered for one of his three hits in the game. Ward also walked twice and scored three runs. Holland had five RBIs, and Noah Gist picked up two, while Ezzell, Greenhill, Carpenter, Scott and Jeff Lloyd all had an RBI each. Colin Garrison had two hits and scored two runs, while Brock Malone went 1-2 with a walk. Doubles for RHS came from Scott, who had two, and Lloyd.

Chad Wray started the game on the mound for Russellville and went 4.1 innings. Holland, Rudy Fernandez and Judd Ward all worked in relief for RHS.

Russellville 9, Brooks 4

In the second game of the night at Brooks, RHS came away with a win in a game that will serve as an Area 16 tie-breaker if needed.

Russellville scored in all but two innings while out-hitting the Lions 11-6. The Golden Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead before BHS got on the board in the bottom of the third with a single run. Russ Carpenter had a triple, while Holland picked up two doubles. Meanwhile, Garrison, Ezzell and Carpenter also had doubles. Judd Ward, Kitterman, Scott and Gist also had hits for RHS.

Fernandez got the win on the mound by working four innings. He gave up four runs on six hits while striking out four and walking two. Holland pitched the final three innings and gave up no hits, runs or walks while picking up three strikeouts.

Russellville 10, Ardmore 3

The Golden Tigers returned home April 8 and swept a double header against the Ardmore Tigers.

In the first game of the day, RHS got homeruns from Holland and Greenhill. Garrison, Ezzell and Scott all had doubles. Judd Ward went 1-2 with an RBI. He scored two runs, stole a base and was hit by a pitch twice. Kitterman also had a hit for Russellville.

Greenhill got the win by pitching four innings, giving up one hit and striking out eight. Jaret Ward came on in relief and worked the final three innings, recording four strikeouts.

Russellville 12, Ardmore 2

It only took six innings for Russellville to end game two against Ardmore. RHS scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to claim the victory.

Scott got the start on the mound and picked up the win. He went four innings and gave up four hits while striking out one. Colten Madden worked the final two innings for RHS and didn’t allow a run or hit.

Holland (2), Ezzell (2), Garrison (2), Greenhill (1), Kitterman (1), Scott (1) and Fernandez (1) all had hits for Russellville.

Russellville 9, Haleyville 3

RHS traveled to Haleyville April 10 and got a win over the Lions. Russellville got on the board in the first inning as Greenhill hit a homerun. He went 2-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored in the victory.

Russellville (22-8) got hits from Greenhill (2), Ezzell (2), Kitterman (2), Ward (1), Holland (1) and Scott (1). Ezzell had two doubles while Greenhill, Holland and Kitterman had one each. Ward stole two bases for RHS.

Wray, Fernandez and Judd Ward all pitched for Russellville. Fernandez got the win by pitching three innings and allowing one run and a hit.