ROCKINGHAM — Opportunities to put runs across the plate were available for the Richmond Senior High School baseball team Tuesday, but it couldn’t overcome an uncharacteristic start.
Hosting No. 3 Lee County High School in the semifinal round of the Sandhills Athletic Conference tournament, the No. 2 Raiders suffered a 3-0 loss.
Despite a complete game effort from senior pitcher James Eason, his seventh time going the distance in 10 starts this season, a trio of errors cost Richmond two runs in the top of the first inning.
Throwing 95 pitches and stranding seven runners on base, Eason allowed three unearned runs on five hits. He walked two batters and struck out two Yellow Jackets.
The Raiders made five errors defensively in the loss, two fewer than the number of base runners they left stranded on offense. All seven of Richmond’s base runners were left in scoring position.
Richmond, which trailed 2-0 through the end of the sixth inning, left runners at second and third base during the second, sixth and seventh frames.
When the team broke the huddle following its postgame meeting, head coach Eric Brown praised the Raiders’ efforts and told his players to “leave this huddle with confidence.”
“We’ve played really good baseball here of late and I think we’re hot,” Brown said. “We lost tonight, the result doesn’t show it, but I still think we’re on roll at the right time and doing the right things.
“Earlier in the year in a situation where we make three errors in the first, that game might get away from us. Credit to James, credit to the defense. Caden (Nolan) had a really good night at shortstop, he’s got his confidence back.
“(Tonight) boils down to those mistakes early and not executing with those runners in scoring position,” he added. “That’s something we’re going to keep practicing. These guys are a good baseball team and that’s what I want them to understand.”
With one out in the top of the first, Lee County (17-9) got BJ Brown on first following a throwing error from third. An errant pickoff attempt allowed him to move all the way to third.
An RBI groundout in the next at-bat by starting pitcher Walker McDuffie (four innings, two hits) made it 1-0.
A base hit to right field by Andrew Stanfield saw him reach safely, but a fielding error sent him to second base. An RBI double by Blake Carlyle extended the lead to 2-0.
Sophomore Evan Hodges (single), who was replaced by senior courtesy runner Marquan Martin, and freshman Collin Hill (double) were left on third and second, respectively, to end the second.
After the two-run top of the first, Eason was efficient and faced just four batters in the second, third, fourth and fifth frames. He stranded a pair of two-out singles in the top of the sixth with a popout and a groundout.
With two gone in the bottom of the sixth, senior Isaac Hinshaw reached safely when relief pitcher Gavin Swann missed stepping on first base on a ground ball. He was replaced by pinch runner Martin.
Breathing some life for the Raiders, Nolan drew a two-out walk, but not before Martin swiped second. Both runners moved up 90 feet to get into scoring position, but a strikeout ended the rally attempt.
A McDuffie sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh scored Lee County’s final run.
Hill (hit-by-pitch) and junior Jabari Douglas (single) got on base with one out in the seventh. Tagging up on a fly ball, Hill moved to third and Douglas later stole second base with the tying run at the plate.
Richmond’s hopes of advancing, however, ended in the next at-bat on a 4-3 groundball putout.
“Credit to (Lee County), they made the plays,” Brown said. “The center fielder made a great play to keep us off the scoreboard. If we score a run there, it could be a different story. We just have to keep plugging away.
“A consistent message we’ve always had is focus on playing our brand of baseball, doing the little things to get guys on base and manufacture runs. And let our pitching and defense keep us in games to have a chance at the end.”
Hodges, Hill and Douglas accounted for the Raiders’ three hits, with Hill’s going for two bases.
Richmond (14-9) will now await the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s playoff seeding. Brackets are set to be released Monday, May 6.
“The good thing is we know we’re in,” Brown said of the state playoffs. “We’ve earned that and they’ve done a good job. That’s been the goal since day one, and to play meaningful games late in the year.
“Now we shift our focus to winning one game at a time because it’s win or go home,” he closed. “We’re going to really focus on situational offense, defense and have a really good, competitive practice and be ready to go for Tuesday.”
The Richmond Observer will publish playoff information when it’s made available.
