Russellville’s varsity softball team faced the Deshler Tigers and Ardmore Tigers in home games over the previous week and split the two contests.

Deshler came to Russellville March 13, and the Lady Golden Tigers dominated for the 12-0 win.

Jemma Moore pitched all five innings for RHS to get the victory. She allowed seven hits and struck out four.

The Golden Tigers smacked 13 hits, with Summer Butler and Emma Campbell each going three-for-three. Brooklyn Butler added two hits and was joined in the hit column by Jenna Whitfield, Addison Holcomb, Jaiden Calvert, Haylee Rikard and Natalie Nichols.

Campbell had two doubles, while Nichols, Holcomb, Whitfield and Brooklyn Butler had one each.

Whitfield had three RBIs, and the trio of Holcomb, Campbell and Brooklyn Butler all had two each. Also driving in runs were Summer Butler, Paislee James and Rikard.

AHSAA Class 5A Area 16 play got underway for Russellville March 16 as Ardmore came to town.

AHS got the win by a 7-3 final score with the help of some Russellville miscues – including five errors by the Lady Golden Tigers’ defense.

Russellville (7-10, 0-1) got good news with the return of junior Jacey Moore to the pitching circle for the first time this year. Moore had not been able to play because of a broken finger suffered near the end of the basketball season. The right-hander pitched all seven innings versus Ardmore in her return and allowed one earned run. She struck out nine and did not issue a walk.

RHS batters collected seven hits off Ardmore pitching. Campbell, Brooklyn Butler and Calvert had two hits each, and Jenna Whitfield added a single. One of Campbell’s hits was a double, and she also scored twice. Russellville got two RBIs from Brooklyn Butler and one from Paislee James.