Russellville edged Trigg County 2-0 in an emotional softball game for both teams Tuesday at the Complex.
Before the game, Trigg County recognized the winningest senior class in school history. Six seniors played their final home, hoping to get their 82nd win since their eighth grade season when most of them started.
During the ceremony, the team heard a pre-recorded message from Coach Toree McMain, who gave birth to her first child Monday and obviously missed Tuesday’s game.
Once the game got going, it was a pitcher’s duel until the sixth inning when Russellville eighth grader Amiyah Collier drilled a line drive home run over the left field fence for the game’s first run. As she neared home plate, she pointed to the sky and was mobbed by her teammates. Amiyah’s mother, who coached basketball at Russellville Middle School, died suddenly April 29 at the age of 35.
It was a performance her mother would have been proud of. In addition to the solo home run, Collier pitched a two-hit shutout and struck out seven Lady Wildcats.
After Collier’s home run, the Lady Panthers pieced together three singles – the last an RBI hit from eighth grader Jaylah Kees that scored Chloe Whitescarver with an insurance run.
Trigg County appeared to get on the scoreboard in the fourth inning when Kara Southwood singled and was sacrificed to second. Alyssa Southwood singled to center field, but Brooklyn Ray’s throw to home cut down the older Southwood on a bang-bang play at the plate. Those were Trigg’s only two hits of the game.
Hannah Colbert struck out 12 and didn’t walk a batter, but the sixth inning was her undoing.
Russellville (19-7) will close out their regular season Thursday at Hopkinsville, while Trigg County (16-14) will play their regular season finale Thursday at Caldwell County.