The Russellville Golden Tigers recently opened the 2024 varsity baseball season with three games.

RHS hosted Florence Feb. 15 to start the season, and the Falcons got a 5-1 win. Russellville got two hits, and they came from the bats of Daniel Askew and Neyland Baker. Askew’s hit was a double, and he also walked twice. The lone Russellville RBI came on a sacrifice fly by Brandt Cummings during the fifth inning.

Russellville used five pitchers, with Cummings getting the start. The senior right-hander went two innings, allowing two runs on two hits. He struck out three and walked four. Cayden Johns followed and went two scoreless innings. Gunner Sappington allowed one hit and two unearned runs during an inning of work and Ty Engelthaler pitched one frame and gave up a hit and one unearned run. Brayden Entrekin was on the mound during the final inning and struck out a batter.

The Golden Tigers traveled to James Clemens High School Feb. 17 for a double header on a cold day versus the Jets and Sipsey Valley.

In game one, Russellville fell to James Clemens by a score of 8-4. Five errors hurt the Golden Tigers while the Jets committed two errors defensively.

RHS had three hits and they were by Daniel Askew, Neyland Baker and Eli Boutwell. Baker’s hit was a double, and he had three RBI, while Askew drove-in the other run.

Three Russellville pitchers worked two innings each — Ty Engelthaler, Brayden Entrekin and Tripp Cleveland. The trio held the Jets to only two hits.

Head coach Jess Smith’s RHS team got their first win of the season with a 13-3 decision over Sipsey Valley.

A 10-run fourth inning helped the Golden Tigers to victory. RHS had nine hits and Brodie Vandiver led the team with two, including a triple. Daniel Askew, Neyland Baker, Eli Boutwell, Cayden Johns, Devin Green, Gunner Sappington and Michael Scofield also hit safely.

Neyland Baker pitched two innings, and Eli Boutwell worked three frames. Both allowed one hit each and no earned runs.