The Russellville High School varsity baseball team celebrated its 2025 class of five seniors during its final area series of the season against West Point last week.
Following the conclusion of the Golden Tigers’ final home game of the regular season on Tuesday, April 8, seniors Coltan Oliver, Ty Willis, Brennon Thorpe, Gunner Sappington, and Neyland Baker were recognized for their contributions to the program.
“I could go on and on about these guys, but in every sense of the word, these guys are leaders. That would be the greatest word I could use to describe them,” Russellville head coach Jess Smith said of this year’s group of seniors, which has seen 105 wins over the last four seasons. “In this program we talk a lot about our standard, which we refer to as the gold standard; and to uphold the gold stand you must be uncommon. That’s a tribute to what Coach (Chris) Heaps established here and that’s an identity of being uncommon in everything you do, and these guys certainly haven’t strayed from that. These guys embody what being uncommon is truly all about.
“Winners in the classroom, winners off the field, winners on the field—guys that one day, if I’m fortunate enough to be a father, I hope my son is like. So, they mean a lot to me—more than they’ll ever know,” Smith added.
The third-year Russellville head coach addressed each senior individually and pointed out that, while everyone can see the players they are on paper, not everyone knows their stories. Each has had a journey to get them where they are today, Smith said.
“There are a lot of adjectives you could use to describe these guys, but some that jump off the top of my head are resilient, tough, determined,” he said. “All of them have their stories and almost all of them have endured some type of adversity throughout their careers.
“Brennon Thorpe having a total knee replacement. Coltan Oliver, the game was taken from him as a freshman and he just got cleared to play as a senior. Ty Willis was really kind of a role player for us the last couple of years, and now he’s one of the top hitters in the state of Alabama,” Smith added. “Gunner Sappington transferred here and really solidified a role as one of the top closers in the state of Alabama, but he had to fight through some ups and downs to get that spot. Now he’s receiving some interest from college programs and has the opportunity to play at the next level.
“Neyland Baker is a (NCAA) Division I football commit. You know, it’s extremely uncommon in today’s age that you find kids who are committed in their primary sport to stick around and play in their secondary sport, let alone having a pretty serious back injury and come back. He had every reason to tell us, ‘No, I’m not playing this season.’ But it was never an option in his mind.” Smith said. “I tried to sit him down and tell him, ‘Look, I’m never going to take anything away from your future, and you don’t owe us anything,’ you know? But, for him, it wasn’t a matter of if but when he was going to play for us again this season.
“As far as people, you can’t ask for better. As far as players, they’re leaving their legacy every day in this program,” Smith said. “These guys mean a lot to me, but I’m not ready to have that sentimental conversation with them yet because I hope we’re still playing for a few more weeks.”
Russellville (21-10), ranked No. 9 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s latest Class 5A baseball poll, will get at least one more week together after winning the series against West Point. The Golden Tigers’ 6-2 win over the Warriors in game one of the series on Tuesday clinched their status as the runner-up in Area 14.
Led by a strong pitching performance from Ty Engelthaler on the mound, Russellville had blanked the visitors until the final inning of the game when the Warriors scored two unearned runs. Engelthaler pitched a complete game and earned the win, allowing just three hits and striking out four batters.
At the plate, Russellville was led by Thorpe, who finished with a team-high two RBI. Thorpe, Willis, and freshman Caleb Hawkins all had two hits apiece.
The Golden Tigers followed up the game one victory with another in game two to win the series on the following day, Wednesday, defeating the Warriors 11-3 in the opening game of the doubleheader at West Point.
RHS put up crooked numbers in the first three innings and led 8-0 before West Point managed to push three runs across in the fourth and fifth innings. Up 8-3 heading into the sixth, the Golden Tigers tacked on three more runs in the top half of the inning for good measure.
Out-hitting the hosts 14 to five, Russellville was led individually by Willis, who had a 3-for-3 day with an RBI and two runs scored. Engelthaler and left fielder Bryson Cooper each had two RBI, and Hawkins, after drawing two walks, came around to score twice.
Russellville threw three arms in the win with Brayden Entrekin getting the start. Entrekin tossed two scoreless innings, allowed one hit and struck out four before he was relieved by Brayden Hatton. Hatton also threw two innings and allowed one unearned run off two hits before he was taken off in lieu of Sappington, who finished out the remaining three innings. The senior right-hander allowed two runs off two hits and struck out three batters.
The final game of the series went to West Point 10-5. Led by a 3-for-4 day at the plate by Entrekin, the Golden Tigers didn’t have quite enough juice to keep up with the Warriors’ 13-hit, 10-run performance and get the series sweep.
Russellville ended the week on Friday with a 3-0 road defeat at Class 6A’s No. 1-ranked team Hartselle. The Golden Tigers will play their regular season finale on the road at Mars Hill on Monday, April 14 before traveling to Arab for the first round of the AHSAA playoffs on Friday, April 18.
Commenting on this story has been disabled.
