Russellville falls to Eureka, Blair Oaks in CCI action

The Russellville Indians had a good start to Friday's pool-play action at Vivion Field in the Capital City Invitational. They also had a good finish.

It was the middle innings that proved to be costly.

Russellville lost 7-4 to the Eureka Wildcats and then 16-3 in five innings to the Blair Oaks Falcons to finsh pool play with an 0-3 record.

"In that game against Eureka, we had a couple opportunities where we left some runners on base," Russellville coach Lucas Branson said. "Ideally, if you get a big hit in those key spots, then the momentum swings our way even more than what we already had."

The Indians wasted no time showing they weren't intimidated by playing their second Class 5 opponent is as many days.

Nick Thompson singled on the second pitch of the game and Mason Stewart followed with a double to right-center field on an 0-2 count. Two batters later, Braden Hickey singled into left field, driving home both runners to give Russellville an early 2-0 lead.

"Our kids, they know they can be good," Branson said. "I don't want them to be intimidated just because they're playing bigger schools.

"They have to get past and realize that our goal is to show up and compete every day, no matter who it is on the other side of the field."

Euerka scored twice in the third inning to tie the game at 2, but Russellville answered with another pair of runs in the fourth to retake a two-run lead. With two outs, Nick Thompson drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the go-ahead run, then Mason Stewart reached on an error to plate another run for the Indians.

"We put together a lot of good at-bats in that game," Branson said.

Russellville pitcher Riley Marcum minimized the damage through four innings while keeping a low pitch count. He retired two of the first three batters he faced in the fifth, but that third out eluded him.

Eureka, making its way through the lineup a third time, collected three straight RBI doubles off Marcum to take a 5-4 lead.

"That was something we talked about was that third time through, making sure that we tried to mix locations and mix pitches a little bit," Branson said. "He was struggling locating his curve ball."

Hickey relieved Marcum, and the first batter he faced, Noah Baker, smacked a two-run home run to left field to make the score 7-4.

Russellville brought the tying run to the plate with one out in the sixth inning, but Eureka relief pitcher Ethan Gossman got a flyout and a strikeout to end the threat and earn the win.

Marcum pitched 4 innings, allowing six runs on six hits with three walks and one strikeout. After Hickey finished the fifth, Thompson pitched one inning of relief in the sixth.

Hickey led Russellville at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI, adding a leadoff double off the left-field wall to begin the fifth inning.

The frustrations carried into the next game for Russellville, which had to use five pitchers in the first three innings against Blair Oaks.

"Things kind of snowballed this in the first inning for us," Branson said. Russellville trailed 7-0 after one inning and allowed seven more runs in the third to fall behind 16-0.

After Hickey only retired one of the eight batters he faced to start the game, Branson decided to use a bullpen by committee to keep players' pitch counts under 30 so they can be eligible to pitch today.

Russellville used the same tactic in its first pool-play game Thursday against Jefferson City.

"That also gave us the opportunity to get Nikolas Graham in there to finish the game for us," Branson said. "It was the first time he's been on the mound in a varsity game."

Nick Thompson went 2-for-3 for the Indians, hitting a two-run home run to left field in the sixth inning. Landon Plochberger added an RBI single in the seventh to give Russellville its strong finish to the day.

Russellville (4-6) will take on Lutheran: St. Charles (2-6) in the seventh-place game at 11 a.m. today at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.

"Our goal for every day is to try and get better," Branson said. "Tomorrow's another opportunity to come out and play and try to get better."