SANFORD — Pitching once against proved to be the catalyst for the junior varsity Richmond Renegade baseball team on Thursday.
Closing out its three-game week on the road at Lee County, Richmond handed the Spinners a 3-0 loss.
A strong start from Evan Hodges, coupled with a relief effort by Caden Nolan, helped the JV Renegades earn the shutout.
It was the team’s fourth shutout of the summer and second in as many nights following Riley Brown’s no-hitter over Scotland.
Hodges threw 6.0 innings and allowed just three hits and punched out six batters.
Nolan retired the Spinners in order in the bottom of the seventh and added a strikeout for the final out. Hodges impressed by sitting Lee County down in order in three of his six innings.
Richmond scored solo runs in the first, second and fourth frames. Conner Phifer had two of the team’s four hits, both singles, and Brooks Calhoun and Sam Thompson also added a single.
With two outs in the top of the first, back-to-back walks to Calhoun and Nolan put two runners on base. Hodges dug in and reached on an error at third base, which allowed Calhoun to race home and score.
An inning later, Preston Fann drew a bases-loaded walk to register an RBI. Phifer, who led off the inning with a single to center, trotted in from third.
Adding an insurance run in the top of the fourth, Hodges hit into an RBI fielder’s choice with the bases loaded. The grounder to short got the out at second, giving Thompson (single) a clear path to home plate.
Hodges worked his way out of a two-on, no-out jam in the bottom of the fourth. A flyout and back-to-back Ks ended the threat.
The JV Renegades won two of their three games this week to improve to 6-2-1 this summer.
Play will resume next Wednesday with a home game against Union Pines, starting at 4:30 p.m.
