The Russellville High School baseball team has hitting on all cylinders after two losses to two power house programs in Logan County and Bowling Green.
They would go and rip apart five teams with an average winning margin being almost eight runs. Their offense has never been a problem all season. With a Kenwood team from Clarksville, Tenn., coming to town it seemed to be another perfect opportunity for the Panthers to tune up their offense some more.
Before the game the Russellville Panthers held a ceremony to honor Brenda Kendall and Belinda Ray who passed away due to breast cancer. The entire baseball team including their coaches and managers wore specially designed pink uniforms to show support solidarity for the family and friends who have been affected by this terrible disease.
The Knights of Kenwood would spoil the ceremony as they handed the Panthers a stunning 3-0 loss.
“They scored two runs with two outs, I hate it but, hey nothing wrong with being humbled now and then,” RHS head coach Lou Kendall said.
The Panthers offense seemed to take its time to get going at the plate. But there was the sense in the air that the offense was going to come out and jump all over the Kenwood pitcher any minute now. In the middle innings the knock out punch was there for the taking as the Panthers loaded up the bases with one out in one inning and then no outs in the next inning.
And with an offense as loaded with talent that Russellville has this seems to be the recipe for a team to get blown away.
But Kenwood wriggled out of the jams each time without giving up a single run.
“Bases loaded with one out, and bases loaded with no outs, one a pop up Just no concentration at the plate,” coach Kendall said. “I think the pitcher was doing a good job, he changed up, he came in on us, went away, he’s a good pitcher I wish we had him.”
Russellville’s defense and pitching had only a few mistakes in the game but they all came back to bite them in the backside. Kenwood exploited each error to scratch across three runs and then their pitcher closed out the game handing the Panthers a stunning 3-0 loss.
The Panthers were looking to rebound against a tough Allen County-Scottsville team on Monday, but the Patriots had to call the game off before hand.
“They called and canceled the games, because they are seven games over the limit,” coach Kendall said.
The Panthers will now have to rebound against the rebuilt Franklin-Simpson team that gave Logan County all sorts of fits in their two games against them. Asked about what the Panthers could do to rebound from this crushing loss the coaching staff already had a game plan ready.
“They are legit no doubt about it,” coach Kendall said. “We can’t give them anything, make them earn it, hit with runners in scorer positions.”
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