ROCKINGHAM – As soon as the ball clanged off Cameron Carraway’s bat in the bottom of the sixth inning, there was no doubt that it was exiting the park.
The Raider senior blasted a 2-2 offering from Jack Britt High School’s Nick Frank over the left field fence scoring the final two runs in a four-run sixth inning that blew open an otherwise close, defensive battle.
Carraway’s dinger highlighted his stellar night at the plate going 3-for-3 with two RBIs to lift the Raiders to a 6-1 victory over the visiting Buccaneers.
With the win, Richmond (5-3, 4-1 SAC) remains just half of a game behind conference leader Pinecrest (7-2, 5-1 SAC) in the Sandhills Athletic Conference standings.
Richmond was hot at the plate all night, putting up their highest hit count of the season with 11 and drawing two walks. However, just as they did in their 7-0 loss to Pinecrest last week, the Raiders struggled to bring numerous base runners home.
Despite scoring two runs, the Raiders stranded eight runners in the first five innings keeping the Buccaneers within striking distance at 2-0. Jack Britt took advantage of that opportunity and gave Richmond a scare in the top of the sixth inning.
With one out on the board, Jack Britt’s Chandler Cannon reached first base on a dropped strike three pitch. Alex Reyna and Kevin Sentell followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases.
Chase Jernigan grounded the ball toward Richmond pitcher Hunter Parris who caught it on once bounce and tossed it back home to Raider catcher Garet Weigman. Weigman tagged Cannon out at home plate, but in an effort to get the double play, Weigman’s throw to first base sailed by Carraway allowing Reyna to come home and put the Buccaneers on the scoreboard.
The Jack Britt threat ended when Raider centerfielder Nolan Allen hauled in a fly ball from Zachary Ritter for out number three. The top of the sixth inning was the only real blemish on the night for Parris (4-0) and the Raider defense who limited Jack Britt to just four hits.
Incredibly, it took 2 minutes and 48 seconds or less for the Raiders to retire Jack Britt in the second, fourth and seventh innings; and Parris threw just 11 pitches or less in all but two innings.
The Raiders answered Jack Britt’s score with four in the bottom of the inning. With one out on the board, Dallas Cowick and Tyler Bass hit back-to-back singles. Jake Ransom brought them both home with a huge hit that rolled all the way back to the centerfield fence. That set up Carraway’s first homer of the season which all but secured the victory.
Ransom ended the night 2-for-4 with three RBIs. He plated Brett Young with a single in the bottom of the first. Bass also had a big night at the plate going 2-for-3 and hit Luke Preslar home with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth.
Parris gave up one run on four hits and struck out four batters to earn his fourth win of the season.
Richmond will return to action on Friday at Jack Britt for game two in the series. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.
