ROCKINGHAM — After a slow start to the season, the Richmond junior varsity softball team continued its turnaround this week by taking one of two games against Sandhills Athletic Conference opponent Lumberton High School.
Anderson, McCormick and Young net 2 RBIs each to defeat Lumbeton
At home Wednesday, the Lady Raiders and sophomore Kearston Bruce earned their third win of the season, defeating the Lady Pirates 8-5. Bruce recorded 27 strikeouts from the circle between both games, sitting down 11 batters in the win.
In the bottom of the second inning, freshmen Kassie Smith and Marley Moss led off with hits, and fellow freshman Hayley McCormick brought them home when she crushed a two-RBI double to the gap. Darice Martin traded places with McCormick in the next at-bat to make it 3-0 Richmond.
Two innings later, the Lady Raiders would load the bases and score two more runs when freshman Taylor Young connected on a single.
Richmond would add three more runs to secure the win, starting when sophomore Shyann Byrd had an RBI base knock to score Martin. In the bottom of the sixth, Young and Bruce got on board and scored when sophomore Georgia Grace Anderson belted a double to center to round out the scoring.
Lady Raiders fall just short on the road
A night later in Lumberton, it was the Lady Pirates who edged Richmond 16-15 in a high-scoring affair. Bruce would punchout 16 batters despite the loss.
Richmond scored two runs in the first inning when Bruce roped a double to score Byrd (single), and Anderson followed up with a base knock up the middle to score Bruce.
The Lady Raiders loaded the bases two innings later, and Moss delivered with a 2-RBI single to right field, scoring Bruce and Kierston Gibson. McCormick would also plate two RBIs on a hit to right-center, seeing Smith and Moss trot home.
An inning later, Richmond would load the bases again, but a double play by the Lady Pirates helped them escape a major inning. Young, who led off with a walk, managed to score on a passed ball.
Bruce continued her hot bat when she cranked a double in the top of the sixth, scoring Sydney Mellor (single) and Byrd (error). Smith collected an RBI single in the same inning, bring home Bruce.
The seventh inning saw Richmond score its remaining runs, starting with an Anderson single to short, scoring Young (double). Byrd, Smith and Moss would all draw walks, and Moss’ came with the bases loaded, bringing in Anderson.
The final run of the game came when McCormick hit a fielder’s choice to second, allowing Smith to race home.
Following the split with Lumberton, head coach Casey Campolieta’s team’s record is 3-8. Richmond will be back in action on Tuesday at home, playing Seventy-First High School at 5 p.m.
Game information and stats provided by head coach Casey Campolieta.
