Not long after an impressive pregame ceremony honoring his distinguished career as head baseball coach at Russellville High School, the likelihood
of Coach Lou Kendall's team recording a win to make the night even more special was remote. The Panthers found themselves trailing visiting Warren
Central 7-1 in the middle of the third inning.
The Panthers, however, would not go quietly into that good night. Sending 22 batters to the plate in two innings, RHS built a 12-7 lead after four
innings and beat the Dragons 15-9 to run their record to 7-1.
More about that later.
First came the unfurling of a banner in centerfield detailing Kendall's career as the Panther bench boss.
John Brett Reynolds read a list of those accomplishments over the public address system as a surprised Kendall was flanked at the Kelly Russell
Field home plate by Superintendent Leon Smith, Board Chairman James Milam, Principal John Myers and Athletic Director Phil Todd.
Kendall has been the Panther head diamond coach for 30 seasons, winning over 450 games in the process. His teams have won two regional Class A
championships, reaching the Final Four at state. In KHSAA competition, the Panthers have won four district championships in those 29 years. In 1988 and
1998 they reached the regional finals.
The highlight of his career came seven years ago when he was inducted into the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Retired RHS football coach Ken Barrett was among those attending. Kendall was one of his assistants when Panther football reached state powerhouse
status in the 1980s. Kendall was also an assistant basketball coach, and has led the Stevenson Power Jumpers to 16 years of entertaining crowds with
their precision drills.
His late wife Brenda was by his side through most of those accomplishments. In fact, they taught on the same faculty together at Stevenson
Elementary School for decades. Some of their best friends on the faculty, including Brenda Brown and Samra Smith, were there for the surprise ceremony.
As Reynolds ended the tribute, he directed attention to centerfield where senior catcher Seth Washington lowered a 5x9 banner displaying Kendall's
trademark number 35 in the center with many of those statistics around it. The full-color vinyl banner with a metallic gold background was designed by
RHS graduate Teddy Newman of Gerald Printing. Shane Hayes, who played for Kendall at RHS from 1987-90, heads the Russellville Gerald Printing division
and helped make the impressive sign affordable.
The ceremony was coordinated by the Russellville Alumni Association. RHS grads Greg Owens and Jean Reynolds always are involved in leadership
roles of Alumni Association athletic programs.
Kendall is a native and resident of Warren County. He was a member of two state championship American Legion baseball teams, and played
collegiately for Vol State Community College and Western Kentucky University as the catcher.
His high school career was spent at Warren Central, so it was appropriate that the Central Dragons would be his opponent on this memorable night.
Russellville had taken an early lead on Washington's double, Caleb Wills' single, and an RBI grounder by Zach Denney.
Things looked bad for the Panthers as they came to bat in the bottom of the third, however. The Dragons had just sent 10 batters to the plate and
scored six runs in the top of the inning. Starting pitcher Denney had looked sharp early, but he gave up four hits and a pair of walks in the third,
and Kendall had to go to his bullpen to bring in Travis Kennedy to relieve. Kennedy was greeted by a two-run double by number nine hitter Michael Wood.
Leadoff hitter Nathan Bowen followed with another hit, but Washington and shortstop Barrett Croslin teamed to cut down Bowen trying to steal second to
end the inning.
The Panthers didn't quit. Washington walked and was hit by a pitch, Caleb Wills singled, and Denney singled for his second RBI. Croslin was hit by
a pitch, and Corey Wright reached on an error that would have driven in a run anyway. Tyler Hall lofted a sacrifice fly to centerfield, Zach Lee
singled and Jacob Proctor singled in a run. When the inning ended, RHS had cut the lead to 7-6.
Kennedy issued two walks in the fourth but got a strikeout and a fly out to Thomas Shifflett in centerfield to keep the Dragons' lead to one.
In the bottom of the fourth, Russellville took the offensive and the Central defense collapsed. After Shifflett walked, Denney reached on an error
and Croslin stroked an RBI single. When Dragon pitcher Dakota Cardwell threw wildly to first on a pickoff move, Barrett not only went to second base
but never hesitated as he sped to third. Wright plated him on a sacrifice fly to center, Hall reached on an error, Lee followed with a fielder's
choice, Proctor singled, By then, Dragon coach Shane Humphrey had called in reliever Luke Hardeman. Washington walked to reach for the fourth straight
plate appearance, Wills got his third hit, and Shifflett and Wright reached on consecutive errors.
When the fourth finally ended after Russellville had sent 22 batters to the plate and scored 11 runs in two innings, the Panthers led 12-7 and
the win was well on the way.
With the 15-9 record, Kendall's Panthers improved to 7-1, including an 11-1 romp over Todd Central in the district opener Tuesday.
All in all, it was a night to remember and cherish for Lou Kendall, his team, and his many friends.