SANFORD — The Richmond Raider baseball team had some “missed opportunities” during Friday’s series finale at Lee County High School.
Despite holding a one-run lead in the top of the fifth inning, the Raiders allowed five unanswered runs and lost 8-4.
Splitting the two-game set with the Yellow Jackets, Richmond saw its three-game Sandhills Athletic Conference winning streak come to an end.
Senior Colin Wheeler got the start on the mound and allowed three earned runs on five hits through 4.0 innings.
Sophomore James Eason tossed 1.1 innings of relief, giving up five runs (four earned) on two hits. Closing out the final two-thirds of an inning was senior Cameron Way.
“It got away from us at the end, and hats off to Lee County’s pitching, which rose to occasion,” head coach Rob Ransom said. “We left too many people on base and didn’t capitalize tonight, that’s the bottom line.
“I thought Colin pitched really well early,” he added. “The difference was we had missed opportunities to drive runners in and we didn’t do it, and Lee County got hits with runners on base.”
With the bases loaded in the top of the first, sophomore Camron Seagraves drew a walk to record an RBI. Trotting home on the free pass was senior Alston Johnson, who led off the game with a walk.
Despite having just one out, the Raiders stranded the bases loaded and took a 1-0 lead into the bottom half. An RBI double to left by Lee County knotted the game to end the opening frame.
Eason led off the top of the fourth by reaching on an error, and moved to second on the same miscue.
A ground out by senior Jude Howard moved Eason to third, who then scored on a sacrifice bunt by junior Ethan Locklear back to the to pitcher Presley Patterson (5.0 innings, 4 runs, 6 hits) to put Richmond ahead 2-1.
The Yellow Jackets (9-6, 6-2 SAC) answered with two runs in the bottom half. A fielder’s choice and an RBI single gave Lee County a 3-2 advantage.
Richmond changed momentum yet again, scoring its final two runs in the top of the fifth. With the bases loaded, an error allowed Seagraves (fielder’s choice) to score and tie the game.
Junior Ashton Phifer recorded the Raiders’ final RBI when he lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring courtesy runner Jullian Cline.
A sac fly and an error in the bottom of the fifth, and an RBI double and two RBI singles in the bottom of the sixth put Lee County ahead for good.
The Raiders collected seven hits in the loss, all singles, including three from senior Matthew Walker. Way had two base knocks, and Eason and Wheeler both had one.
Registering an RBI apiece were Seagraves, Phifer and Locklear. Richmond stranded nine runners on base.
The Raiders (9-5, 5-5 SAC) will host non-conference Lumberton on Wednesday before competing in a spring break tournament at Terry Sanford High School.
Varsity action against the Pirates (5-6) is set for 6 p.m. at Raider Stadium
JV Raiders slide past JV Yellow Jackets, complete sweep
Freshman Mason Murray slides across home plate to score the winning run. (Deon Cranford/The Richmond Observer)
Playing at home on Friday, the Richmond junior varsity baseball team erased a late-game deficit to pick up its second win over Lee County this week.
Allowing a run in the top of the second, the JV Raiders answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to earn a 2-1 win.
Freshman Landon Taylor pitched 6.0 innings to get the win, allowing just one run on seven hits and four strikeouts.
Fellow freshman Mason Murray, who had a big game on both ends, closed the door with the save, pitching one inning and collecting two Ks.
A leadoff single by freshman Jeremiah Ritter, one of just four hits for Richmond, started the rally in the sixth. Murray dug in and doubled to left field, one of his two hits, to tie the game at one run.
Following a bunt single by freshman Jason Walker, which moved Murray to third, freshman Riley Brown recorded the game-winning RBI.
On the fourth pitch of his at-bat, Brown skied a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Murray to slide safely into home to beat the relay throw.
“Another great team win tonight and our guys showed some great toughness to complete the comeback,” head coach Ryan Mercer said. “Landon did an excellent job of doing what a starter has to do by keeping us in the game. And his offense backed him up with two runs in the sixth to get the win.
“Mason did a great job coming in and slamming the door in the seventh. It was great seeing a kid get it done with the big hit then shutting it down. Riley had a great approach for the go-ahead sacrifice fly. I love seeing the fight this team is showing. It makes it fun to go to battle with them every night.”
The JV Raiders (8-4) will travel to non-conference Purnell Swett High School on Tuesday. Play will start at 5 p.m.
