ROCKINGHAM — A scoreless game through the first five and a half innings of Friday’s junior varsity baseball game was broken open in the bottom of the six by the Richmond Raiders.
Hosting rival Scotland High School in the series finale, the JV Raiders earned the sweep with a 3-0 win. Richmond scored all of its runs in the sixth.
In his second straight outing, sophomore pitcher Walker Lambeth recorded a complete game shutout. Carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning, Lambeth surrendered his only hit to the first batter to start the final frame.
The right-hander struck out a season-high 14 batters, bringing his season total to 42 punchouts in eight appearances (22.0 innings pitched).
“Walker pitched a very relaxed and controlled game,” head coach Corey Wallace said. “You can’t ask for much more when your starting pitcher pitches a complete game shutout, throwing only 86 pitches and striking 14 out.
“We struggled offensively, stranding 10 runners in the first five innings,” he added. “Base running also cost us some runs. We had trouble understanding situations and executing. But I was proud of the fight the guys put up to get ahead late.”
ROSports File Photo: Sophomore pitcher Walker Lambeth threw a complete game shutout and allowed just one hit in Friday’s win. (Hannah Hinshaw)
The bottom part of the Raiders’ lineup got the scoring started in the bottom of the sixth, starting with sophomore Bryce Goodwin leading off the inning by reaching on an error, who then took second on a steal.
Freshman Davis Faw laid down a bunt and reached safely on a fielder’s choice when the Fighting Scots tried to get Goodwin advancing to third. Faw moved up to second to put runners in scoring position on a passed ball.
Sophomore pinch hitter Jullian Cline dug in for the next at-bat and recorded an RBI with a ground out to second base. Scoring was Goodwin and Faw moved up 90 feet to third.
Rolling over to the top of the lineup, freshman James Eason delivered with an RBI double to the left-center gap, bringing home Faw.
A bunt single by sophomore Ashton Phifer allowed Eason to score the game’s final run.
After giving up a liner to center to start the top of the seventh, Lambeth recorded two fly outs and his final strikeout to end the game.
Eason went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, two singles and an RBI. Faw, Phifer, sophomore Ethan Locklear and freshman Damon Bryant all recorded singles to round out Richmond’s seven hits.
Improving to 7-1 on the spring campaign, the JV Raiders will return to play next week against Purnell Swett High School.
