ROCKINGHAM — Returning to the win column on Thursday, the Lady Raider softball team used a fast start to defeat non-conference Anson High School.
Making up a rain-out from Wednesday, Richmond Senior High School defeated the Lady Bearcats 8-4.
The Lady Raiders scored seven runs in the first two innings and used home runs from junior Makayla Parks and sophomore Christi Jacobs to collect their fourth win in five games to start the season.
Junior pitcher Quston Leviner pitched a complete game, allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits. She also struck out two batters, including the final out of the game.
Sophomore Christi Jacobs (8) is greeted by teammates following her solo homer. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
Richmond’s defense helped get the Lady Raiders out of a couple of jams, turning two inning-ending double plays.
The first came with the bases loaded in the top of the first, started by third baseman Katie Way. Fielding a Mallory Sikes grounder, Way fired home to catcher Macy Steen for the force, who then got Sikes out at first.
In the top of the fourth with runners at second and third, senior second baseman Kenleigh Frye snagged a hard liner before doubling off Maci Sellers at third.
Anson took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Lady Raiders responded with four runs in the home half. Senior Allyiah Swiney (walk) scored on a fielder’s choice following a Way grounder to tie the game.
An RBI bunt single from Leviner scored Parks (walk) and Way crossed home plate in the next at-bat when Steen hit a sacrifice fly to left. The final run came when Leviner made a heads-up baserunning play to steal home with two outs.
A 1-2-3 top of the second paved the way for Parks to open the game up with a three-run blast in the bottom of the inning. A leadoff double by sophomore Ryelan Lyerly and a walk to Swiney put two runners on with two outs.
On a 2-2 offering from relief pitcher Cierra Lear, Parks barreled up pitch on the outside part of the plate to send it over the center field wall.
Ryelan Lyerly celebrates her double during the second inning of Thursday’s win. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
Anson got a run back in the top of the fourth on an RBI groundout to make it 7-2. Jacobs recorded her first home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth, hitting a towering solo homer to left field for Richmond’s final run of the game.
With one out in the seventh, the Lady Bearcats (1-5) scored two runs but saw their comeback attempt fall short.
Parks’ three RBIs were a game-high, and Jacobs, Leviner, Steen and Way all had one run batted in. Lyerly’s two hits were a team-high, and Swiney drew three walks and scored two runs.
Richmond (4-1, 1-1 SAC) will return to Sandhills Athletic Conference play on Friday at Union Pines High School (4-2, 1-1 SAC). Varsity will start at 7 p.m.
Note: The junior varsity softball team did not play on Thursday. Richmond’s JV team will travel to Union Pines on Friday and start at 5 p.m.
