ROCKINGHAM — After leaving a short pitching outing last week due to discomfort, Walker Lambeth showed no signs of that Monday as he led the charge in a combined no-hitter for the Richmond Renegades.
Opening a three-game series against Western Harnett in Central Carolina Scholastic Summer League play, the rising junior pitcher tossed six innings of no-hit baseball as the Renegades earned an 8-2 win, their first of the summer slate.
Closing out the seventh by retiring Western Harnett in order was rising senior pitcher Cameron Way.
Lambeth was replaced after nearing the maximum pitch count (105 pitches), but recorded 10 strikeouts and allowed two unearned runs. He faced 26 batters, retiring 18 of them, while walking two, hitting two with a pitch and seeing four batters reach via an error.
Way threw just seven pitches to seal the deal in the final inning, using a fly ball, a groundout and a strikeout to end the game.
“Our pitching was much better tonight and Walker’s performance was one of the best we’ve had this summer,” head coach Rob Ransom said. “He did a great job of throwing strikes and keeping the batters off balanced and off the basepaths.
“The defense played pretty good behind him and I’m pleased with what we got out of Walker,” he added. “Then Cameron came in and got three quick outs for the combined no-hitter.”
Both teams’ starting pitchers, Lambeth and Western Harnett’s Zack Hooper, were dealing early. Through the first four innings, the two dueled to a 1-1 game before the Renegades broke it open with four runs in the fifth and three runs in the sixth.
Richmond took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Way hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring fellow rising senior Alston Johnson, who led off the frame with a double down the right-field line.
Rising senior Cameron Way, who closed the no-hitter, connects on a sacrifice fly in the first inning. (Kyle Pillar)
In the top of the fourth, Western Harnett broke into the scoring column when a leadoff walk and an error led to an RBI groundout for Ian Bristow.
The Renegades manufactured some runs in the bottom of the fifth, starting with rising sophomore James Eason who drew a two-out walk against relief pitcher Tyler Moller.
With Way at the plate, Eason stole second and third and raced home on a passed ball on consecutive pitches.
Way was hit by a pitch, and an error on a Matthew Walker ground ball put runners at the corners. Stealing home to make it 3-1 was Way, and rising senior Colin Wheeler was also plunked to extend the inning.
In the next at-bat to rising junior Ethan Clayton, Walker scored on a passed ball and Clayton delivered with an RBI single to center, scoring Wheeler to make it a 5-1 lead.
A walk and an error in the top of the sixth allowed Western Harnett to cut their deficit to three runs.
Richmond scored three insurance runs in the bottom half, starting with rising sophomore Isaac Hinshaw (walk) scoring on a passed ball.
Rising junior Ashton Phifer recorded an RBI groundout to score Lambeth (single) and rising junior Ethan Locklear (walk) recorded the final run on a passed ball.
Rising sophomore James Eason takes off for a stolen base during the fifth inning of Monday’s win. (Kyle Pillar)
The Renegades collected just four hits — a double from Johnson, and singles from Clayton, Lambeth and rising senior Will Dawkins. Clayton, Phifer and Way each recorded one RBI.
“Alston had a good at-bat early to help get us that run early, and the ball that Matthew hit (in the fifth) was smoked and that helped get our offense going late.” Ransom said. “Those late runs gave us some breathing room and their second pitcher didn’t have a whole lot, so we were able to capitalize.
“I’m pleased with the win, but we’ve really been playing better,” he closed. “We got better as the week went on last week and hopefully we come out tomorrow and get another win.”
Richmond (1-3) will head to Western Harnett on Tuesday for the second game of the series, which will begin at 7 p.m.
