A pair of softball wins came by making hits count in the last few days for the Russellville Lady Panthers. Coach Calvin Head’s team blasted University Heights Academy 15-4 and held off Hopkins County Central 6-2. In both games, their hits and runs were almost equal.
Against the Storm at RHS on Saturday, the Lady Panthers scored the six runs on just seven hits. Susanna Higgins got two of the hits and drove in three runs in the process. Brooklyn Ray and Macy Meacham each doubled. Ray scored a run and Meacham drove one in.
Tara Gilbert got a hit and got hit by a pitch. She scored a run. Cierra Collins walked and scored. Tiffany Gray also walked, and Halle York scored as her courtesy runner. Chloe Whitescarver singled in a run and then scored herself. Tonisha Hampton got the other RHS hit.
Meacham pitched the win. She allowed the two runs on four hits, two walks and an error. She struck out four and only one of the runs was earned.
On Monday, Head’s team scored the 15 runs on 14 hits, a trio of walks and a pair of hit batsmen. Seventh grader Lilly Newman had a big day. She scored four runs on three hits, including a triple, walked, stole a base, and drove in two runs.
Gilbert and Meacham each had two hits, including a double, and got three RBIs each. Meacham scored two runs and stole a base. Gilbert was hit by a pitch and scored a run.
Higgins doubled twice and scored both times. She had an RBI. Deuces were wild for Ray. She had a pair of hits, runs and RBIs. Hampton doubled among her two hits, scored twice and had an RBI.
Ray hit safely twice, was hit by a pitch, and drove in a run. Taryn Gray singled, scored, and drove in a run. Whitescarver drew a bases-loaded walk for an RBI, and scored herself.
No Lady Panther struck out in 38 plate appearances.
Gilbert was the winning pitcher. She gave four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three.
The Lady Panthers ran their record to 8-15-1.