RHS softball team wins area opener vs. Lawrence County 5-4

After dropping consecutive games for the first time since late February, the Russellville High School varsity softball team rebounded with an important 5-4 win over Lawrence County in the team’s area opener March 14.

The Golden Tigers’ win over the Red Devils capped a week that started with back-to-back losses to Hamilton, 3-2, at home and on the road at Florence 6-3. Both losses happened for different reasons, according to Russellville head coach Rick Lawson.

“It was a tale of two different ball games, really,” he said. “We came out against Hamilton—they’re a very, very good team—we hit the ball extremely well. We just didn’t get that big hit we needed to and their defense made some great defensive plays to help them out of tough situations and keep us off the scoreboard.

Russellville fell behind 3-0 before scratching across a run in the bottom of the second inning. The Golden Tigers clawed back another run in the fifth on a two-out, Ticelee Gholston single to make it 3-2 but no rally was forthcoming. Senior Jacey Moore was stuck with the loss. She struck out seven batters but allowed eight hits and three runs, one earned.

The following day, Russellville traveled to play 7A Florence. The Golden Tigers led off the game with a single but were held hitless after that until the fifth inning. 

“We forgot to bring our bats, apparently, because we just did not hit very well at all,” he said. “I’m not taking anything away from Florence because they did a great job. Their pitcher changed speed up on us and the defense played really good behind her.”

The Golden Tigers eventually knocked the goose egg off the board, but all their runs came in the seventh. An RBI single by Paislee James and an RBI triple from Gholston cut the Falcons’ lead in half, but it wasn’t enough.

“We were down 6-0 and were able to scratch a few runs across in the last inning. It was just too little, too late at that point in the game,” Lawson said.

Facing the possibility of a three-game losing streak for the first time this season, Russellville reversed the week’s fortunes up to that point, edging Lawrence County 5-4 in the Golden Tigers’ area opener on March 14.

“I was really proud of how the girls responded coming off that loss against Florence,” Lawson said. “We had a good day of practice on Wednesday and focused on hitting and driving the ball.”

The game ended with a victory for Russellville, but it was an inauspicious start for the Golden Tigers. The Red Devils hit two solo home runs off ace Jacey Moore in the first inning, putting the hosts in an early hole.

“Lawrence County’s leadoff and three-hole hitter both hit home runs to start the game and put us down 2-0 going into the bottom of the first,” Lawson said. “We stayed patient though and were able to bring across a run, cut the lead in half, and we pulled away from them there in the third and fourth inning.”

A three-run third inning gave the Golden Tigers their first lead of the game. A two-RBI single by Addison Holcomb got the scoring started in the inning. Her hit was followed up later by another RBI single, this one by Jacey Moore. Crucially, Russellville tacked on another run in the fourth inning to make it 5-2. Gholston’s two-out, RBI single to left field proved to be decisive when Lawrence County’s McKenzie Hyche hit her second home run of the game, a two-run shot in the fifth to make it 5-4.

“We went into the last inning defending that lead and defensively our players made some great plays behind Jacey, who was spinning the ball very well. She did a good job filling up the strike zone and putting the pressure on (Lawrence County) to score that last run,” Lawson said.

Up one run in the top of the seventh, the Golden Tigers signaled a respect for Hyche’s bat and intentionally walked her, putting the game-tying run on first base with two outs.

“Nothing against any of the other players, but it was going to take someone else to beat us besides her,” Lawson said. “We ended up getting a big strikeout at the end and winning the game. That was huge for our girls.”

The win improved Russellville’s record to 12-6-1 overall this season and gives the Golden Tigers an early upper hand in Area 16.

“In area play, if you can jump out to an early lead in that series it’s always a help,” Lawson said. “Getting that first win gives us a little bit of an advantage in the second game because the pressure is on the opposing team. We still can’t take anything for granted, but to have that lead, knowing we have a little bit of cushion is a big assurance.”

Russellville’s next test will be on the road in another area clash, this time against Ardmore, the defending Area 16 champions. 

“It’s a big game and we think it’s going to be a dogfight,” Lawson said. “The winner of that game definitely has an advantage in the area.”

“To win it’s going to take some really good hitting, in the circle we’re going to have to fill up the strike zone and be aggressive on the base paths,” Lawson added.

Russellville travels to Ardmore on March 19 with first pitch scheduled for 4:30 P.M.