ROCKINGHAM — When the Lady Raider softball team met in left field following Monday’s mercy-rule win over Jack Britt High School, a smiling head coach Mike Way told his players that games like the one they just played are the reason softball is so exciting.
Hosting the Lady Buccaneers in their home opener, Richmond used a six-run third inning to spark a rally that led to a 13-3 win in six innings. It was the second time in as many games the Lady Raiders run-ruled their opponent to go home early.
After letting an early lead slip, Richmond trailed 3-1 entering the bottom of the third inning. A six-spot in the frame, followed by a run in the fourth, two more in the fifth and three runs in the bottom of the sixth secured the Lady Raiders’ ninth-straight win over Jack Britt dating back to 2016.
“We work on the field, do all the little things and it seems never ending. But then we come out and play a game like this and to see the girls play together with so much excitement, it makes it all worth it,” Way said.
“The kind of team we need to be is one that is like a snowball rolling down a hill, that picks up speed and that other teams can’t stop,” he added. “We’re deep one through nine and we can put it in play, make plays and run, so my job is to put heat on the other team and force them to make mistakes. We did a tremendous job of that tonight.”
Senior pitcher Paige Ransom got the nod in the circle for Richmond, throwing three innings en route to her first win of the season. She allowed three runs on two hits and the Lady Raider offense helped preserve the win with a strong third inning.
Sophomore Quston Leviner fulfilled the remainder of the pitching duties, going the final three innings without giving up any runs on just two hits. She also fanned two Lady Buccaneers at the dish, including a punchout against Ennovi Sandoval with two runners in scoring position in the top of the fifth.
An inning before, Leviner pitched her way out of a bases-loaded jam when junior shortstop Allyiah Swiney made a running throw to first on a dribbler up the middle. In the sixth, Leviner sat Jack Britt down in order, which featured a nice grab in center field by junior Kenleigh Frye on the run.
“When Coach Way put me in to pitch in the fourth, that showed me he believed that I wouldn’t let any runs score,” Leviner said. “And by doing that, it boosted my confidence in the innings afterward.
“My screwball and changeup were working well tonight,” she added. “I knew Jack Britt was really catching up to the outside pitches because they have really fast hands, so my screwball jammed them up and the changeup threw their timing off. To run-rule a good team makes our team feel really good.”
Frye, who went 3-for-3 at the dish with a double and two singles, scored Richmond’s first run in the bottom of the first on a passed ball.
Jack Britt responded with a run in the top of the second and two more in the top of the third to take a 3-1 lead.
That’s when the Lady Raiders responded with six runs in the home half of the third against pitcher Carlie Myrtle. Three straight errors to start the inning allowed Swiney and Frye to reach safely and round the bases to tie the game.
Freshman infielder Katie Way dug in for her second at-bat of the night, and on a 1-2 count launched a pitch that sailed over the left-center fence for her first career varsity dinger. Her two-run shot scored senior Payton Chappell (error) and put Richmond up 5-3, a lead the Lady Raiders would hold for good.
“I’ve seen (Myrtle) pitch before, and I had a few pitches before to see what she was throwing,” Katie Way explained of her homer. “It was a fastball that I connected on and it feels great to have my first (varsity) home run.
“The third inning was big in starting our momentum,” she continued. “We just kept the hits going, rattled their pitcher and took advantage of it.”
Katie Way added with a laugh that she’s “trying to catch my sister,” Greyson Way, who is the program’s all-time home run leader with 40 homers (2016-2019).
Leviner added the final two runs of the inning when she tripled home Ransom (walk), and trotted home on a throwing error trying to get her out at third.
In the bottom of the fourth, Chappell hit an RBI single up the middle to score Frye, who led off with a hit-by-pitch and stole second and third base. On the night, the Lady Raiders swiped four of five bags.
An inning later, with the bases loaded, Frye delivered with a two-RBI knock to right field, scoring Leviner (single) and junior Maylyn Wallace (HBP).
Ransom extended the lead in the bottom of the fifth when she sent a moonshot over the left field wall for a two-run blast, her first of the season. That scored courtesy runner Shyann Byrd, who was on for Way who drew a walk.
Five batters later, with runners on first and second, Swiney singled to left and plated sophomore Macy Steen (single) to end the game in mercy-rule fashion.
Richmond tallied 10 hits (four extra-base hits) off of Myrtle, who is committed to UNC. The senior pitcher also plunked five Lady Raiders and walked four more in the loss.
Frye’s three hits led all batters and Leviner was second on the team with two. Chappell, Ransom, Steen, Swiney, and Way all had one hit. Leading the Lady Raiders with two RBIs each were Frye, Leviner, Ransom and Way.
Through three games this season, Frye is batting 8-for-9 (.889 average) and Leviner and Ransom are both hitting .333 at the dish. Way leads the team with six RBIs.
“The home runs and extra base hits happen when we get the momentum rolling down hill,” Way explained of the late-game power. “We talk every day about moving on to the next play and I think that’s the best way to play. We were able to stack plays together in the third and carried it on to the later innings.
“We’re the kind of team that will take chances stealing bases and playing small ball, and we’re going to play the numbers if it benefits us,” he added. “I want us to play hard and fast and impose our will on the other side and make them deal with it.”
The Lady Raiders (2-1) will look for their third straight win on Wednesday when Hoke County High School (0-2) visits Richmond. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.
Note: The Lady Raider junior varsity team didn’t play Monday, but will return to action at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday against Hoke County.
