Rusk Eagles break 5-game losing streak
Rusk Lady Eagles suffer loss to 1st place Huntington Devillettes
BY LELAND ACKER STAFF WRITER

Lady Eagle 3rd baseman Rachel Mahaffey tags a Huntington base runner. Rusk lost to Huntington 7-0. The Lady Eagles now have a record of 16-8-2 overall, and 7-3 in district. Rusk travels to Crockett Friday. PHOTO: LYNN LITTLEJOHN

The Rusk Eagles snapped a five-game losing streak by defeating Huntington 9-8 Friday at Eagle Field. Rusk, who struggled due to injuries and morale issues since losing a big game to Crockett on March 20, utilized good hitting to pull ahead of Huntington in this rebound game.

The win brings Rusk to a 4-5 district record.

Chance Davis had a big night by hitting a double and a homerun. Macon Lindsey hit a single which set-up the eventual winning run.

The game was a see-saw battle, with Huntington leading by two in the 4th inning, only to have Rusk soar back to take the lead.

Stephen Halbert picked up the win for Rusk, with Brent Jones contributing by pitching well for more than four innings.

In other action from the week, the Eagles lost to Diboll 8-1.

"We are still having trouble fielding the routine play," Head Coach George Banda said. During the Diboll game, Chance Davis picked up a couple of hits, with Adam Hicks doing well from the plate also.

The Rusk Lady Eagles opened the week with a 12-2 win over Diboll, but suffered a tough loss to the Huntington Devillettes. Huntington (22-1-1, 10-0) specializes in high school softball and has been challenged in district play only by Rusk and Carthage.

Thursday's game between Rusk and Huntington saw the Devillettes take a 7-0 win over the Lady Eagles. The game was closer than it appeared, with Rusk holding Huntington to one run until the 5th inning.

Rusk Pitcher Callie Collins hurled eight strike-outs and walked five.

The game was scoreless until the top of the 3rd inning, when Huntington's Presley Modisette hit a single and advanced to 2nd base on a bad throw to 1st. Modisette scored when she was able to steal bases and eventually get to home.

The Lady Eagle defense clamped down in the 4th, with Collins striking out two and centerfielder Jerri Hill catching a key fly ball which ended the inning.

The Rusk batters struggled against Devillette pitcher Carlie Thomas. Thomas struck out eight Rusk batters.

Huntington then broke loose with four runs in the 5th inning and two more in the 6th to take a 7-0 lead over Rusk.

Kristen Joyner, Rachel Hicks, Alison Bowling and Collins all had hits for the Lady Eagles, with Joyner stealing a base. Calah Clark got on base by virtue of a Huntington error. The Lady Eagles are now 16-8- 2 on the season, 7-3 in district. They remain in 3rd place.

The Rusk baseball and softball teams head to Crockett Friday, with JV baseball beginning at 4 p.m., and varsity playing at 7 p.m. The varsity softball team will play at 6 p.m.