MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Russellville High School senior first baseman Jackson Lindsey stroked two doubles and drove in two runs as the Golden Tigers (41-7) downed Pike Road 3-1 in game one of the AHSAA Class 5A state baseball championship series at Paterson Field Monday.
The two teams move to Riverwalk Stadium Tuesday for game two of the 2021 State Championships in the best 2-of-3 series. The “if” game, if needed, will follow game two.
G.W. Long and Westbrook Christian met in the first game of the Class 2A series at 7 p.m. at Paterson Field. That series will conclude at Riverwalk Field at 4 p.m., Tuesday, with the third game, if needed, following Tuesday night.
Lindsey’s double in the third inning plated two runs as Coach Chris Heaps’ Tigers took a 2-1 lead. The Patriots (29-10) of Coach Trent Ponder got the first run of the game across in the bottom of the second thanks to an error by Russellville.
Junior pitcher Emitt Green (13-1) pitched a masterful game going 6 1/3 innings, scattering just three hits and striking out three. The only run allowed was unearned.
Reed Hill got the final two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pick up his sixth save of the season. He yielded on hit and struck out one.
The two doubles for Lindsey were his 17th and 18th of the season. Cole Barnett also had two hits for Russellville.
Lucas Baggett got the loss for Pike Road. He also pitched well, allowing seven hits over 6 1/3 innings, allowed all three runs, but only one was earned. He struck out four.
Lead-off hitter Andrew Britton had two hits for the Patriots while Baggett and catcher Eli Clark had one hit each. Left-fielder Parker Cemen had the defensive play of the game throwing out a runner at home plate in the top of the seventh.
All AHSAA State Baseball Championship Series Games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network. All games played at Riverwalk Stadium are also being shown over AHSAA TV Network managed y and are produced by WOTM TV.