RUSSELLVILLE - Charlie Miller took going yard to another level Saturday afternoon.
The Russellville sophomore cleared two fences in the Russellville Tournament championship game against Pembroke Hill, launching a grand slam just in front of a fan sitting in a neighborhood yard well beyond the left-field fence that measures 300 feet from home plate.
"That's one of the longest home runs I've ever seen," Russellville coach Lucas Branson said.
That home run put the Indians ahead 6-5 in the second inning, but the hard-hitting Raiders re-took the lead in the fourth and held on for a 10-9 victory.
The game's first five batters reached base, including Ethan Berning's two-run bomb to left field.
Pembroke Hill, a Class 5 team that averages more than seven runs per game, led 4-0 after the first inning and 5-1 heading to the bottom of the second.
Nolan Schroer began a two-out rally with a single through the left side. After a single, walk and an error plated one run, Miller hit it over the white fence that surrounds the yard.
Miller also hit a three-run home run in Saturday's 4-2 win against Capital City.
"Will Robertson hit a ball to dead center that was close to hitting those pine trees out there," Branson said. "But Charlie's a special talent. He's got a lot of natural ability and he unloaded."
For reference, the trees are beyond a ditch and a couple feet from the road.
Robertson, a 2016 graduate of Fatima High School, is in the minor-league system with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Miller's first hit of the title game was an RBI double to the gap in left field in the first inning.
"He's got such a great swing and has a lot of natural power," Branson said. "And we're still trying to get him to believe just how great of a player he could be."
Russellville and Pembroke Hill each had four doubles. Luke Dema tied the game at 6 in the fourth with a double to the fence in center field. Berning got his fourth hit of the game in the seventh when he sliced one the other way to the left-field corner to drive in the Raiders' final run.
The Indians came close to either sending the game to the eighth or walking off with a win.
Alex Oligschlaeger traded spots with Jesse Daniel, who reached on an error and advanced to second base on a wild pitch, with a double to left-center field to make it 10-9.
With two outs and runners on the corners, Berning induced a fly ball to right field for the final out.
"I think it could be really big just simply because of how we handled ourselves for the most part in some pressure situations," Branson said. "We gave ourselves a chance at the end of the game and put ourselves in position to win. Didn't happen, but we've been in a couple of games earlier in the year where we didn't pick ourselves back up and start throwing punches when the other team had kind of knocked us around a little bit."
Berning pitched the first 3 innings and returned to the mound to record the final two outs. He allowed six unearned runs and six hits, striking out three and walking one.
Russellville's Isaiah Kauffman went to the hill in Schroer's place in the second inning and recorded seven outs. Miller went the final 3 innings for the Indians.
"We knew that we needed to try to steal an inning or two from guys that are a little bit further down in our pitching depth chart," Branson said. "As long as we throw strikes and try to locate as best we can, I feel like we can compete against any lineup."
Pembroke Hill (8-7) reached the title game by rallying past Union for a 14-12 victory in Saturday's other semifinal.
Logan Cinotto got the win in the semifinal against Capital City for Russellville (13-6), which is ranked No. 5 in Class 2.
Cinotto struck out 10 and walked two while allowing two unearned runs and five hits in 4 innings.
The Cavaliers got zero runs or hits against Miller, who struck out four and walked none in 2 innings.
Next up for the Indians are a pair of home games Wednesday. Russellville will face Tuscumbia at 4 p.m. before taking on South Callaway at 6 p.m.