ROCKINGHAM — Thanks to a trio of two-RBI performances, the Richmond Renegade baseball team kicked off the summer with a win on Tuesday.
Defeating Northwood 14-4 in six innings, the Renegades used a five-run bottom of the sixth to end the Central Carolina Scholastic Summer League game early.
Riley Brown, Jabari Douglas and Davis Faw each drove in a pair of runs, while Landon Taylor and Brooks Calhoun recorded one RBI apiece.
Starting on the rubber was Evan Hodges, who threw 3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits. He also struck out four batters.
Earning the win in relief was Allen Taylor (2 IP, no hits or runs). Jason Walker closed the door with one inning on the hill, allowing just one hit. Taylor and Walker both struck out a pair of Chargers.
An RBI triple and an RBI single with two outs in the top of the first put Northwood ahead 2-0. After a 1-2-3 top of the second from Hodges, Richmond responded with a four spot in the home half.
Faw got Richmond on the board with a one-out double to left field, tying the game when Zane Searcy (walk) and Jeremiah Ritter (single) scored. After Faw moved up 90 feet on a passed ball, Landon Taylor brought him home on an infield single.
Caden Nolan sent a grounder to short two batters later, and due to a fielding error, Landon Taylor was able to score to put the Renegades up 4-2.
An error and an RBI single in the top of the third plated two more runs for the Chargers, but that’s all the offense they would produce.
With two gone in the bottom of the fourth, Calhoun and Douglas reached safely on a walk and hit-by-pitch, respectively. That gave Brown a chance at the plate, as he doubled home both runners on a line drive to left field.
Three more runs scored for Richmond an inning later, starting with Garret Mabe (walk) racing home on a passed ball. With the bases loaded, Douglas reached on an error at second base, scoring Allen Taylor (walk).
Leading 8-4, Walker took advantage of another ball to the backstop to extend Richmond’s lead to five runs.
Walker gave up a one-out single in the sixth, but a ground out and a strikeout ended the threat.
A total of nine batters came to the dish in the bottom of the sixth for the Renegades. Hodges led off the inning with a single and scored on a passed ball in the next at-bat with Mabe in the box.
Faw and Sam Thompson both singled to load the bases. A free pass to Calhoun, another passed ball and an RBI groundout to the shortstop by Douglas recorded three more runs.
Richmond’s final run of the game came courtesy of Calhoun, who made his way home safely on another Northwood passed ball.
Richmond tallied 10 hits in the win and was led by two each from Faw and Landon Taylor. The team also drew nine free passes.
The Renegades (1-0) will return to action at home on Thursday when they host Northwood again. Action is slated for 6 p.m.
Note: Stats and information provided by Game Changer and the Richmond coaching staff.
