ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond Senior High School junior varsity baseball and softball teams saw a break from Sandhills Athletic Conference play this week, and only competed in one non-conference game apiece.
While the varsity teams recorded doubleheader shutout sweeps against Seventy-First High School, the junior varsity teams didn’t play due to Seventy-First not having a JV programs.
Both the JV Raiders and Lady Raiders would suffer losses Thursday, falling to Charlotte Christian School and Piedmont High School, respectively.
Richmond’s four-game winning streak snapped by Knights
Head coach Ralph Butler and the Raiders made the trip to Charlotte to face a tough Knights team. Freshman JD Lampley got the call on the mound, but suffered his first loss of the spring in a 6-3 decision.
“JD didn’t have his best stuff but he battled,” Butler commented. “We made some mistakes behind him in the first, which helped Charlotte Christian score five in the first inning.
“I went with Harley Honeycutt, who went the rest of the way,” he added of the freshman reliever. “He pitched great and gave us a chance to creep back in it. But it was too much to overcome on the road against a really good team.”
At the plate, freshman catcher Colin Wheeler went 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. Freshman Cameron Way and sophomore Michael Pettitt each collected a base knock and scored a run. Sophomore Tony Gathings finished 1-for-3 with a run scored. Lampley led the team going 2-for-3.
The loss snapped the Raiders’ four-game winning streak, as their record is now 12-4 on the season. They’ll return to SAC play on Tuesday at rival Scotland High School. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. in Laurinburg.
Early lead doesn’t hold for Lady Raiders against Piedmont
The Lady Raider JV softball team played host to the Piedmont Panthers Thursday, and saw their two-run lead slip away late in the final two innings. Head coach Casey Campolieta’s team fell by a final score of 7-2.
Richmond would get on the board early in the third inning, the game’s only runs for either team through five complete. Freshman Kierston Gibson reached safely on a single, and was moved to third base on a double by sophomore Shyann Byrd.
Fellow sophomore Georgia Grace Anderson put the ball in play to short to score Gibson. Freshman Kassie Smith followed up with an RBI single to center, plating Byrd.
In the circle for Richmond was sophomore pitcher Kearston Bruce, who kept the Lady Panthers off the board until the top of the sixth inning. Piedmont took a 4-2 lead after the sixth, and added three runs in the seventh. Bruce struck out six batters.
“Going into this week with Scotland, it’s it for (our season),” Campolieta said. “I’ve talked to the girls and they realize they have got to bring it all.
“If we can put everything together like our hits, good defense, being on the same page and just all the energy we’ve had from the games we have won, then I think we can come out on top,” she concluded. “I believe they can do it.”
The JV Lady Raiders (3-9) will travel to Scotland on Tuesday, with first pitch set for 5 p.m.
