ROCKINGHAM — The first live action of the 2023 season for the Richmond Raider varsity baseball team took place on Tuesday in a scrimmage against St. Pauls High School.
Head coach Rob Ransom said recently he believes the Raiders’ pitching will be one of its strongest aspects this spring.
The pitching staff proved him right, as four Raiders combined to no-hit the Bulldogs in the seven-inning exhibition. The final tally was 8-0 in favor of Richmond.
Junior Camron Seagraves, senior Ethan Locklear and junior James Eason each pitched two of the first six innings. Sophomore hurler Mason Murray tossed the final inning of relief.
Strikeouts were key for Seagraves and Locklear, who combined for 11 of Richmond’s 15 punchouts.
Seagraves opened the game with two no-hit innings, sitting down five via the strikeout, including striking out the side in order in the top of the first.
St. Pauls used an error in the second to get a runner in scoring position, but a play at the plate saw junior catcher Cain Hunsucker tag the runner out.
Locklear allowed a leadoff walk when he took over in the top of the third, but preserved a 3-0 lead by striking out the next six batters he faced in order.
Eason made quick work of the fifth and sixth frames, retiring six consecutive batters for back-to-back 1-2-3 innings. He got a trio of ground ball outs in the fifth and picked up two Ks and a lineout in the sixth.
In the seventh, Murray faced just four batters, striking out two of them. A flyout to left field ended the scrimmage.
At the plate, the Raiders totaled six hits from four different players. All singles, Seagraves and freshman Caden Nolan each had two hits, while Murray and Locklear both entered the hit column.
Nolan and sophomore Landon Taylor led the way with a pair of RBIs, while Locklear and junior Zaviar Lowry drove in a run apiece.
Richmond took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second, with a Taylor sacrifice fly to left field starting the scoring. Crossing the plate was Nolan, who reached on a one-out single to center.
An error on a fly ball by junior Davis Faw to left allowed Lowry (walk) to score. Before the end of the inning, Faw slid under the tag on a passed ball.
Nolan opened the lead to 5-0 with a two-RBI single to left field in the bottom of the fourth. Racing home were Murray and Locklear, who hit back-to-back singles to start the inning.
The Raiders capitalized with the bases loaded for their final three runs in the bottom of the six. Locklear collected his RBI with a sac fly to center, plating Eason (hit-by-pitch).
Following an error, one of four by St. Pauls in the scrimmage, Lowry and Taylor drew consecutive bases-loaded walks to register the final two runs.
Richmond will scrimmage once more this week, traveling to Gray’s Creek High School on Friday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
The Richmond Observer will publish a full season preview ahead of Tuesday’s opener at Butler High School.
Below are photos of Wednesday’s scrimmage, taken by sports editor Kyle Pillar.
