The Russellville High School baseball team has faced more than just the opponent in the other dugout in 2020. The early-season rainy weather has made scheduling a challenge, with games being moved, postponed or cancelled. Now with the coronavirus threat, teams across the country are taking the field not knowing when their seasons could come to an end.

The Golden Tigers recently took on Austin, Ardmore, Alexandria and Westbrook Christian, with RHS splitting the four games to bring their record to 10-6 on the season.

Austin faced RHS March 9, and the Golden Tigers got the win by a 6-2 score. Casen Heaps and Logan White shared the Russellville pitching duties, with AHS managing two hits off the pair of freshmen.

Heaps got the start and went 4.1 innings. He struck out eight, walked one and allowed two unearned runs. White pitched 2.2 innings, striking out five and walking a batter.

JD Bishop and Jacob Bishop had two hits apiece to lead Russellville. Cole Barnett, Canyon Pace and Nick Smith all had a hit each, with Barnett and Pace picking up doubles.

Ardmore was the next opponent for RHS, and the Golden Tigers were beaten for the second time this season by AHS. Russellville tried for a late-game comeback but fell short by a 5-4 final score.

Russellville outhit the Tigers by a 7-5 total. Nick Smith was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Will Rogers plated a run with a single, while Barnett, Pace and Heaps also hit safely in the contest.

Barnett walked three times and scored a total of two runs.

Five RHS pitchers all saw action on the mound. Rowe Gallagher got the start, and he was followed by Emitt Green, White, Pace and Heaps.

Alexandria High School was the scene for a double-header for Russellville March 14. The Golden Tigers took on AHS plus Westbrook Christian School in matchups that were originally scheduled to take place at Jacksonville State University.

RHS took down Alexandria in their first game of the day, 8-6. Eli Gipson went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and stolen base to lead the Golden Tigers to victory. Canyon Pace added two hits and an RBI, while Will Rogers had a double, two walks, two RBIs and a run scored. Jackson Lindsey, JD Bishop, Smith and Green had the other Russellville hits, with Bishop getting a double.

Gallagher, White and Green did the pitching for RHS. Starting pitcher Gallagher gave up two runs; White allowed three; and Alexandria scored one on Green.

Samuel Dutton pitched a complete game two-hitter as Westbrook Christian School blanked Russellville 8-0. Dutton threw 103 pitches and struck out 12 over seven innings.

The three RHS seniors on this year’s squad are Rogers, Jacob Bishop and Cam Bonn, and they all got plate appearances. The Russellville hits were by Canyon Pace and Nick Smith. Ethan Oliver, Brayden Heaps, Casen Heaps, Reed Hill and Nathan Brockway all pitched for RHS.