Taking advantage of their opportunities Monday, the Russellville Panthers earned their first win of this special season Monday.
Seventh grader Hunter Morgan got the only RBI of the game, Kristian Ortiz turned a single into the winning run, and Brandon Judd was dominant on the mound to lead the Panthers to the program’s first win in almost exactly two years.
A passed ball proved to be the difference on Tuesday as Russellville avenged an earlier loss to Heritage Christian Academy with a 2-1 walk-off victory.
Russellville won for the first time this season to improve to 1-4. Heritage Christian, which handed the Panthers one of those losses earlier in this season, dropped to 2-4 with its third loss in four outings.
Hunter Morgan’s sacrifice bunt drove in a run for a 1-0 Russellville lead in the bottom of the second, and it looked like that would be enough for Panther pitcher Brandon Judd to pick up the win. However, a passed ball allowed the Warriors to tie the game in the top of the seventh.
Ortiz singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh, but HCA’s Jayden Nichols struck out the next two Panthers to make extra innings look likely. Yet with a 2-1 count, a ball got away from the catcher and Ortiz raced home with the walk-off run.
This was the first win for first-year coach Seth Whittaker, a former Panther player.
Nichols was a hard-luck loser for the Warriors, allowing two unearned runs on two hits with three walks and 10 strikeouts.
Panther pitcher Judd gave up only an unearned run on one hit and one walk with 15 strikeouts in an impressive performance. Collin Outland got HCA’s lone hit.
Russellville’s last win had come on April 11, 2023, also against Heritage Christian. They only played one game last year before shutting down the season.
If the weather allows, the Panthers will play at Metcalfe County Thursday.