Russellville Tigers win ARPA softball state championship
The 12U Russellville Tigers topped all tournament competition and are the 2021 Alabama Recreation & Parks Association softball state champions.
In the state tournament, held at the Liberty Park Sports Complex in Birmingham, the Russellville team went undefeated, taking down Sylacauga and then Winfield twice to earn the trophy.
In the opening game against Sylacauga, Russellville took the win by a 20-3 final score. The Russellville squad had 19 hits and stole 16 bases in the victory.
Alexia Groce had three hits, including a home run, three RBIs and three runs. Mckensie Gann also had three hits and three RBIs, and she scored one run.
Jemma Moore scored three times, picked up three hits, including a double and had one RBI. Josie Burcham had two hits including a double, scored three runs and drove in three.
Abrianna McCulloch scored three runs and had two hits, a walk and an RBI. Kaylee Suggs picked up two hits and an RBI and scored a run. Khristyan Huerta scored twice and had two hits and a walk.
Addison Holcomb scored twice and had a double, an RBI and a walk. Haylee Patrick added a run scored, a single and two RBIs, and Erin Grimes scored a run.
Moore, Suggs and Patrick shared the pitching duties, combining to strike out 12 batters.
Later that day, Russellville defeated the Winfield All-Stars 13-0. Holcomb did the pitching for Russellville and did not allow a hit or walk, throwing 39 pitches over three innings and striking out six batters. Holcomb also had a big game with the bat, hitting a home run and picking up three RBIs.
Gann had a home run as part of a 3-for-3 performance at the plate. She scored three runs and had four RBIs. McCulloch smacked a home run, scored three runs, drove in two and walked twice. Gann, Groce and Suggs all had triples, while Moore and Patrick also hit safely, and Grimes had an RBI.
Russellville clinched the championship July 11 with another victory over Winfield, this time by a 6-3 score.
Moore led the way with two hits, including a triple. Holcomb had a home run, and Suggs also tripled. Chloe James added a double and two RBIs, and other Russellville hits were by McCulloch, Gann, Grimes and Huerta.
Groce drew a walk and scored a run. Brookelynn Davis was also a member of the state championship team.
Doing the pitching for Russellville was the trio of Holcomb, Moore and Groce. Moore and Groce allowed no hits or walks, and Holcomb struck out seven batters.
