The Russellville High School varsity softball team notched its first area win of the campaign on Wednesday afternoon, traveling to West Point and beating the Lady Warriors 13-2 in five innings.
Russellville (6-19) was led by right fielder Khristyan Huerta, who went 3-for-4 on the day with five RBI and two runs scored, and pitcher Kaylee Suggs, who struck out seven batters while earning the win.
The Lady Golden Tigers opened up the scoring in the top of the first inning thanks to an RBI single by Alexia Groce that scored Ticelee Gholston to make it 1-0. But RHS really busted the game open with an explosive second inning that saw seven runs come across.
Russellville’s second inning barrage was nothing too fancy, just a product of solid hitting and base-running. A sacrifice fly by Sadie Odom to score Taitum Bishop was the first blow dealt. Then, in the next at-bat, a wild pitch scored Blevyn Sappington from third to make it 3-0.
A walk and a couple singles set up a ground out RBI fielder’s choice by Bri McCulloch to score Mackenzie Wright before a double into center field by Huerta drove in two more runs to make it 6-0, Lady Tigers. Huerta would later come around and steal home to make it 7-0 and then an RBI single by Bishop extended Russellville’s lead to eight runs.
In the fourth inning, RHS added three more on a Huerta RBI single, a West Point error, and a bases-loaded walk to make it 11-1.
The Lady Golden Tigers capped their scoring and triggered the run rule with two more runs in the top of the fifth inning thanks to—guess who—Huerta, again, with another two-run single that scored McCulloch and Gholston. That made it 13-1, RHS.
West Point pulled one run back after Suggs allowed two of the only five hits she surrendered in the bottom of the fifth, but the damage done was limited and Russellville was able to walk away with the run-rule area victory.
Four Lady Golden Tigers had multi-hit days with Gholston and Huerta leading the charge with three each. McCulloch accounted for a team-high three runs scored and, along with Huerta, led the team with two swiped bags, as well.
Russellville’s next games are scheduled for Friday, April 11 in Cullman. The Lady Golden Tigers are set to play two games against Brookwood and Cullman on Friday before finishing the weekend with a game against Hayden on Saturday.
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