ROCKINGHAM — Returning to play on Monday, the junior varsity Richmond Renegade baseball team collected its fourth straight win.
The JV Renegades also completed the four-game season sweep of Scotland, earning an 7-1 win in five innings (time limit).
During the four games played between the two squads this summer, Richmond outscored the Scots 34-10.
Spreading its scoring across three innings, Richmond scored two runs in the second, four runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth.
Jason Walker pitched a complete game, allowing just one earned run on two hits. He struck out seven batters and stranded five total baserunners in the first two innings.
Tyler McKenzie served as the JV Renegades’ biggest bat during the win, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs.
Contributing one RBI apiece were Walker, Jabari Douglas, Evan Hodges, Caden Nolan and Hayden Wheeler.
Walker worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first and McKenzie got Richmond on the board in the top of the second. Connecting for a double to left field, McKenzie brought home Douglas (walk) and Jason Gainey (error).
An RBI single in the top of the third inning plated Scotland’s only run of the game.
A 1-2-3 top of the fourth from Walker paved the way to a four spot in the home half for the JV Renegades.
Walker scored Sam Thompson (walk) on a safety squeeze, and an error on a Hodges ground ball allowed Brooks Calhoun (walk) to score.
Douglas and Nolan followed with RBI singles in back-to-back at-bats to extend Richmond’s lead to 6-1.
Wheeler recorded the JV Renegades’ final run on an RBI groundout to short in the fifth, plating Conner Phifer (walk).
“It was a good team win tonight,” coach Ryan Mercer said. “Jason did a great job on the mound by giving us a great chance to win.
“We took advantage of free bases and came through with big hits. Tyler had two big doubles for us today. It’s always great to get a win against a quality program like Scotland.”
The JV Renegades (8-2-1) will travel to Southern Lee High School on Tuesday for the second of their four games this week. Action is slated to begin at 4:30 p.m.
