A difficult season came to an end for the Russellville Panthers Tuesday.

When the homestanding Logan County Cougars beat the Panthers 10-0 in five innings in the 13th District Tournament, Coach Lou Kendall's team finished with four wins.

It was Logan's eighth straight win over the Panthers. The pattern was the same as it has been in most of the other seven. Russellville kept it close the first half of the game and then saw the Cougars blow it open late.

That was the case of the first clash between the crosstown rivals in April. The Cougars won the middle meeting 17-0.

The second inning was typical of the frustrations the Panthers have experienced during this season. Panther pitcher Justin Taylor established what is being called a district tournament record.

He struck out all five batters he faced in the inning. And still the Cougars scored a run.

Catcher David Parrish had trouble corralling Taylor's pitches. Batters Chris Cartas and Jay Hart both reached first while Parrish was tracking down third strikes. Courtesy runner Ethan Holloway scored on the throw that got away from first baseman Kyle Boisseau.

That proved to be the only run Cougar pitcher Steven Ross would need. The senior southpaw allowed only one hit, an infield single by Murphy to lead off the second.

Following the death of catcher Shawn Edmonds in the offseason, the serious illness contracted by second baseman Ron Smith during the season, and the decision of a returning starter at second base not to play baseball, Kendall put an inexperienced team on the field with sophomores at first and short and a freshman at second base.

Meanwhile the experienced Cougars flexed their muscles.

Cartas hit a 2-run homer in the third and Kyle Morrison hit a two-run home run in the eighth.

That made it 9-0. Afterwards Ryan Roche, Kerry Thompson and Kevin Jackson followed with hits. Roche scored the game-ender when another throw got away from Parrish.

Thompson had two hits. as did Cartas and Morrison.

Cartas was on three times and Holloway scored on each. Hart reached on an error in addition to the wild pitch. Jordan reached on two errors.

Taylor gave up only one hit the first two innings, but then allowed nine more in the last three. After striking out six in the first two innings, he got only one more K. He issued only one walk, that coming to Jackson in the third.

The only defensive jewel coming from the Panther defense was early when Murphy speared Jackson's line drive as it headed to left field.

Ross walked three batters. Matthew Montgomery got a free pass on four pitches to start the game. Brian Crawford sacrificed him over, but Ross and Jordan picked him off second.

After Murphy singled, Boisseau sacrificed him to second and Parrish walked, but Ross got 2 of his 6 strikeouts to end that threat.

Taylor walked in the fourth but was stranded.

Middle schooler Chris Ward walked as a pinch hitter in the fifth, but Cartas and Jordan gunned him down stealing. First baseman Morrison fielded pinch hitter Chris Richmond's grounder to end the Panther offense.