ROCKINGHAM — Having the final chance at the plate, coupled with some patience, worked in favor of the Richmond Senior High School baseball team Tuesday.
Trailing for the entire game, save for the final two at-bats, the Raiders won their series opener against Lee County High School in walk-off fashion.
Literally — a bases-loaded free pass to sophomore Caden Nolan in the bottom of the seventh etched a 5-4 victory and completed the comeback.
Facing one of the Sandhills Athletic Conference’s toughest pitchers in Walker McDuffie, a UNC signee, Richmond hung around long enough to take advantage of Lee County’s bullpen.
Also impressive, senior James Eason pitched his fourth complete game of the spring and second in as many outings to earn the win. He threw just 80 pitches and allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits with three strikeouts.
McDuffie limited Richmond to two earned runs through six innings on two hits and 10 Ks, Richmond’s only two hits in the game.
The Raiders scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh off relief pitchers Gavin Swann (0.0 innings, two runs, one walk) and Blane McDonald (0.1 innings, one run, two walks).
Through the first four innings, Eason and McDuffie engaged in a pitcher-dominated duel.
Lee County managed to score a run in the top of the first when McDuffie connected for an RBI single.
Two crucial defensive plays kept the deficit at one for Richmond. With runners on first and second, Eason fielded a bunt and flipped to third baseman Jabari Douglas for the force out, the first of the inning.
The Raiders then rolled a 6-4-3 double play, started by Nolan, to end the inning in the next at-bat. Junior Jason Walker tapped second and threw to senior Isaac Hinshaw at first for the final out.
Eason went 1-2-3 with two grounders and a strikeout in the top of the second, and in the top of the third, sophomore catcher Evan Hodges helped save a run.
Following a single, a Yellow Jacket runner got caught between third and home, and Hodges fired to Eason covering the plate to record the third out.
McDuffie kept Richmond’s bats in check with quiet frames. The Raiders had just two base runners through the first two innings (error and walk).
Lee County made it 2-0 on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth. Eason stayed composed and got a pop out before Hodges hosed Will Rannells trying to swipe third. Douglas applied the tag to end the threat.
Eason broke up McDuffie’s no-hit bid in the first at-bat of the bottom of the fifth, a single through the right side of the infield. Junior courtesy runner Conner Phifer took advantage of three wild pitches and made a good read to score Richmond’s first run of the game on a throw to the backstop.
Trailing 2-1 to start the sixth, Richmond allowed two more runs on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.
Junior Landon Taylor led off the home half of the sixth with a walk and scored when Nolan barreled up an RBI single to right field, the first of his two runs driven in.
Despite Nolan advancing to second on the throw and Hinshaw drawing a walk, Richmond stranded both runners and entered the final inning down two runs.
Eason gave the Raiders a chance with a four-batter top of the seventh, stranding a two-out walk when junior Jeremiah Ritter made a running grab in the gap in center off the bat of McDuffie.
Swann replaced McDuffie (nearing the pitch count) to start the seventh and lasted just two batters. Douglas reached safely when his chopper back to the mound was thrown into right field by Swann, allowing him to race to third.
Junior Riley Brown drew a walk in the next at-bat and freshman Collin Hill, facing McDonald, also drew a free pass to load the bases with no outs. Taylor recorded an RBI when he was hit in the right shin by a pitch, moving Douglas across the plate.
With one away and the bases still loaded, Hodges reached on an error at short, but scored courtesy runner Marquan Martin (running for Brown) to tie the game 4-4.
Digging in was Nolan, who worked the count full before watching ball four low and away to record the game-winning run. Hill trotted 90 feet and emphatically stomped home plate as the Raiders celebrated.
With the win, the Raiders moved into second place in the SAC standings, just one game behind current leader Pinecrest High School.
The Raiders (10-5, 6-2 SAC) will close the season series against the Yellow Jackets (11-6, 4-3 SAC) Friday at 7 p.m. on the road in Sanford.
Sports editor’s note: The Richmond junior varsity baseball team didn’t play Tuesday and will return to action Saturday at home against Mooresville at 11 a.m.
