The Russell County Lady Lakers have clinched the No. 1 seed in the district tournament.
The Lady Lakers (16-7, 6-0) secured the top seed by coming out on top 7-6 against the Cumberland County Lady Panthers (9-11, 4-2) on Thursday.
Senior Payton Kinnett went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and scored a team-high two runs.
Junior Jadyn Mann went 3-for-4 and drove in four of the team’s seven runs, with three of her RBI coming from a double in the bottom of the second inning that gave Russell County a 6-0 lead. Freshman Neveah Duncan recorded the team’s only other RBI, as Duncan and sophomore Addie Davis both scored due to a Cumberland County error.
Senior Sophie Shearer also continued her hot streak at the plate, recording at least two hits in five consecutive games.
In the pitcher’s circle, senior Tarryn Reynolds recorded 13 strikeouts in the complete game win.
Clinging to a one-run lead heading into the seventh inning, Reynolds retired the side by forcing a ground out to Kinnett at third base and then recording two consecutive strikeouts to end the game.
The game served as Senior Night for the Lady Lakers’ four seniors: Kinnett, Reynolds, Shearer, and Caroline Wells.
The victory secured Russell County a perfect 6-0 regular season record in the district and will pit them against the No. 4 seed in the first round of the district tournament.
Of the seven games remaining on the Lady Lakers’ schedule, five are road games and five of the games will be against opponents who are currently in first place in their respective districts, starting on the road at Southwestern today (May 2) and at home May 3 against Green County at 5 p.m.
