Russellville gets past Eugene in 10 innings for district title

NEW BLOOMFIELD -- Russellville erased a one-run deficit twice Tuesday before Jake Schulte doubled to left field to walk it off for the Indians in a 3-2 win in 10 innings against the Eugene Eagles to win the Class 2 District 8 championship.

Russellville will host its sectional round game Monday, May 23, and will face the District 7 Tournament winner -- either Salisbury or Harrisburg. That game will be played tonight.

Both teams were held off the scoreboard through the first four innings, but Eugene struck first with a run in the fifth.

A pair of one-out singles from Javan Steinhardt and Garrett Hogard started the rally and Russellville chose to load the bases via an intentional walk after the runners moved up to second and third on a passed ball. Colby Renn delivered for the Eagles with a sacrifice fly to left field to score Steinhardt.

Russellville answered in the bottom half.

Alex Oligschlaeger led off the inning with a single and moved to second base after Isaiah Kauffman walked before a Schulte single to right field brought him home. Eugene starting pitcher Tyler Renn induced a fielder’s choice to end the inning before settling back into a groove.

Neither team got back on the scoreboard until the ninth inning.

A one-out hit-by-pitch put Steinhardt on base for the Eagles in the top of the ninth before he stole second base. Tyler Renn was intentionally walked and Colby Renn gave Eugene the lead with a double to right field, but the inning ended on the play as Tyler Renn was thrown out trying to score at the plate.

Tyler Renn bounced back to strike out the first batter of the bottom half before having to exit due to pitch count.

He finished the night with 8⅓ innings pitched and allowed just the one run on four hits and struck out 16 batters with only one walk. This came after he placed third as an individual in the Class 1 state golf tournament in Springfield earlier in the day.

Russellville got to work at the plate following Renn’s exit.

Chris Seaver singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch before a ground out put him at third base. Oligschlaeger delivered to tie the game by beating out a groundball to second base for a single.

After Eugene went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 10th, Russellville clinched its district title.

Bryce Bryant led off with a double to center field and moved to third base on a wild pitch with still no outs. After Kauffman was walked, Schulte took a 3-1 pitch to left field to win it.

Jesse Daniel was the winning pitcher for Russellville (25-4), working the final four innings. He allowed just one run on one hit and a walk as he struck out nine. Logan Cinotto pitched the first six innings and struck out nine while allowing one run on three hits and two walks.

Colby Renn led the Eugene (13-6) offense with two hits and both RBI while Hogard and Steinhardt picked up the other two hits for the Eagles.