Russellville opens area play with complete sweep

Russellville bats help lead the way to a sweep of West Point.

By Brannon King

For the FCT

Russellville 6, West Point 0

The Russellville baseball team defeated the West Point Warriors in the first area game of the season in front of a home crowd, March 15.

Austin Bohannon went five innings and allowed no runs and only two hits while striking out nine batters to pick up the win on the mound. Austin Kitterman and Bailey Thompson each pitched one inning of shutout relief.

“I was very pleased with our pitchers,” Russellville Head Coach Chris Heaps said. “Our pitchers pounded the zone, and we had three guys pitch tonight and get some work. Bailey (Thompson) really needed some work. He hadn’t been involved in the rotation much, and he’s a guy that we’re going to need down the road for some situational stuff, maybe against a lefty. He’s a guy that we like; he’s got a good breaking ball.”

Judd Ward went 3-4 at the plate with two doubles. Reed Smith and Skylar Holland each went 2-4, while Kitterman was 2-3 in the win. Thompson and Bohannon added hits for Russellville, and the Golden Tigers also welcomed Landon Oliver back to the lineup after missing time with a shoulder injury.

“Skylar Holland is unconscious with his bat right now. He’s hitting the ball really well,” Heaps said.  “Austin Kitterman’s getting back in the rhythm, and Judd Ward is a doubles machine; he hustles out of the box.”

Russellville 10, West Point 0

Cody Greenhill pitched a no-hitter Thursday at West Point to lead the Golden Tigers to their second-straight area win over the Warriors.

Greenhill pitched all six innings of the game, striking out seven and allowing only one West Point batter to reach base on a walk and has yet to allow a run this season.

Smith went 3-4 at the plate for Russellville. Oliver and Thompson each went 2-3. Ward, Bohannon and Landon Ezzell also had hits.

Russellville 18, West Point 3

The Golden Tigers completed the sweep of the Warriors by pounding out 18 runs on 18 hits at West Point Thursday.

Kitterman had three doubles in five at-bats to lead the attack. He also led the team with three RBIs in the game. Russ Carpenter went 4-5 with one RBI, while Tom Barkley Scott hit a homerun. Oliver, Bohannon and Ezzell all had two hits apiece.

Ward reached base four times and stole a base. Holland, Greenhill and Andrew Guinn also had hits for Russellville.

Chad Wray pitched four innings to pick up the win. Thompson pitched the final inning and allowed no runs to score.

Russellville 5, Austin 1

A four-run fourth inning put the game out of reach on Saturday in Russellville as the Golden Tigers defeated the Black Bears.

Kitterman shined on the mound and at the plate by picking up the win, throwing six innings of shutout, 4-hit ball and hitting a homerun.

Holland went 3-4 with two RBIs for Russellville, while Oliver went 2-4. Ward, Smith, Thompson and Bohannon all had a hit in the victory. Ezzell came on to pitch the final inning in relief.

Russellville 3, Austin 1

The Golden Tigers (19-1) took game two against the Black Bears with the help of a Holland homerun and his strong pitching performance on the mound. Holland came on to pitch four innings of relief to pick up the win.

Bohannon threw two scoreless innings and struck out two batters, while Wray finished the day with one scoreless inning for the save.

Smith, Oliver and Carpenter all had a hit in the win.