A remarkably young Russellville softball team got off to a great start this season, going 4-0. Coach Ryan Davenport’s team posted a thrilling extra inning win over Bowling Green to start the season beforeblowing out their next three opponents.
Here’s a look at those games:
RHS 5, BGH 4
The Lady Panthers got only two hits, but they used them well, as they did the 11 walks they worked. The hits were by the two seniors, and two of the walks came from one of the only other two Lady Panthers older than a freshman in the lineup.
One of those hits was a homer by Chloe ‘Red’ Penrod, who also walked, drove in two runs, and scored twice. Neither of the runs she allowed was earned, and she had two strikeouts and no walks.
Another senior, Ja’eda Poindexter, is also a five-year starter. She got the second hit and scored.
Also scoring was sophomore Rylee Grayson, who walked twice. She was also the starting pitcher and was in the lead after working the first five innings. She gave up just two runs and walked only two Lady Purples.
Kathlyn Yarbrough and Payton Steward each had three hits for the Lady Purples. It was a good news-bad news game for Hadley Morris. She homered but took the loss on themound in relief of Ansley Turner.
RHS 19, Red Boiling Springs 1
The Lady Panthers totaled 10 hits, 19 runs, 14 RBIs and 5 walks in this four-inning rout.
Getting two hits each were freshmen Lexi Triplett and Mariyah Merriweather along with Grayson. Triplett, who also walked, drove in three runs. Grayson also walked twice and scored all four times on base. Merriweather got the team’s only stolen base, and she scored twice.
Senior Kadence Lee doubled for the team’s only extra-base hit, and with it she got an RBI and scored. Freshman Legna Taylor singled, drove in three runs and scored. Classmate Aniyah Hampton singled, walked, piled up four RBIs and scored a run.
Even though Penrod didn’t get a hit, she scored four runs and was credited with two RBIs.
Freshman DeNazia Kennnedy walked, was hit by a pitch and scored. Eighth grader Kha’Mirah Hampton scored a run.
Grayson was the starting pitcher again. She worked two innings and gave up the run on two hits and two walks. She was the winning pitcher. Amyiah Hampton worked the last two scoreless and hitless innings.
RHS 9, Monroe County 3
Penrod—one of the most experienced and successful players in Lady Panther history—had a game to remember. She pitched the complete game victory, homered among her two hits, scored twice and drove in a run.
Deuces were wild for Merriweather; the freshman had two hits and two RBIS while scoring twice. She added a stolen base.
Triplett was the third Lady Panther with two hits, and she also drove in two runs and scored one.
Poindexter, Grayson and Aniyah Hampton added a hit each. Poindexter was also hit by a pitch and added an RBI and a run scored. Grayson scored two runs and had an RBI. Hampton joined Penrod and Grayson in scoring twice.
Taylor wasn’t credited with a hit, but she joined Merriweather as the only RHS players to steal a base and scored as a result. Lee—the team’s third senior—walked, driving in a run.
Marlee Ford got two hits for Monroe and scored a run. Darcy Grider, an eighth grader, scored twice. Another eighth grader, pitcher Oakley Bartley, took the loss before being relieved for the last two outs by seventh grader Alea Craighead.
RHS 20, Northeast
Penrod put up big numbers again. She had three each of hits, RBIs and runs plus a homer and two doubles.
Her fellow seniors were productive, too. Poindexter put her skills, quickness and experience to good use with three hits, two each of RBIs and runs scored, and a double. Lee singled, walked and drove in two runs.
Grayson started on the mound and pitched a hitless, scoreless inning. On offense, she had two each of hits, walks and runs and also drove in a run.
Aniyah Hampton doubled among her two hits, walked, scored twice and got an RBI. She also pitched two innings. Another freshman, Merriweather, reached three times on errors, stole two bases and scored all three times.
Triplett, who is in her third year starting a freshman, scored twice and drove in two runs. She pitched a one-run inning and struck out two of the Tennesseans she faced.
Eighth grader Kha’Mirah Hampton walked and scored twice. Taylor scored twice and picked up an RBI.
Also seeing action were sophomore Audie Crenshaw, freshman Kennedy and eighth grader Grace Tinsley.
Following those four wins, the Lady Panthers have lost a pair of games on the road to Franklin-Simpson and Clinton County.
After playing at Allen County-Scottsville Monday, they are to make a short trip to Logan County Tuesday for the first Clash of the Lady Cats this spring.