LILLINGTON, N.C. — On the heels of Monday’s combined no-hitter, the Richmond Renegades rolled past Western Harnett in five innings to collect their second win in as many games.
Behind nine hits from seven different players, and a complete game from rising senior Will Dawkins, the Renegades earned a 15-5 win in five innings.
Richmond dotted the scoreboard with three runs in the first, two runs in both the second and third innings, four runs in the fourth and capped its scoring with four more runs in the fifth.
Six different Renegades recorded at least one RBI in the game, with four of those having two RBIs each — Dawkins, rising juniors Ethan Locklear and Ashton Phifer, and rising sophomore James Eason.
Rising senior Cameron Way continued his hot streak at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a game-high four RBIs and a double. Fellow rising senior Dexter Mabe accounted for the other extra-base hit, a double.
Twelve total Renegades scored a run, with Eason and rising juniors Bryce Goodwin and Walker Lambeth all scoring twice.
Dawkins threw just 84 pitches in the win, surrendering five unearned runs on four hits. He also punched out nine batters and recorded no walks.
“Will pitched really well and he only gave up two hits through the first four innings,” head coach Rob Ransom said. “We made a couple of late errors and gave up some hits in the fifth, which were due to a lack of focus.
“But it was a really good outing for our team, especially Will,” he added. “It was a confidence booster for him to work late in the game. Cameron had a couple great hits, Dexter had a nice double and there were lots of guys who stepped up and had some big hits for us.”
Way got the scoring started in the top of the first, singling a line drive to center with one out to score rising senior Alston Johsnon (hit-by-pitch). Following a single from rising senior Matthew Walker to right, fellow senior Colin Wheeler reached on an error to third, plating Way.
Another error, this time by Western Harnett’s catcher in the next at-bat, gave Walker the ability to trot home to make it 3-0.
Richmond added to its lead in the second, using back-to-back errors on balls hit by rising sophomore Isaac Hinshaw and Lambeth to put runners at first and second.
Locklear stepped in and singled to right, scoring Hinshaw, and Lambeth crossed home when Phifer grounded out to second.
ROSports File Photo: Cameron Way, seen here sliding into second during Monday’s win, had a game-high four RBIs in Tuesday’s victory. (Kyle Pillar)
Dawkins faced just four batters in the bottom of the second, and Richmond extended its lead with two more runs in the third.
With one out, Eason grounded into a fielder’s choice, but recorded an RBI when Goodwin (leadoff walk) scored. On the next pitch, Way lasered a double to the gap in center, allowing Eason to race home and make it a 7-0 ball game.
Western Harnett used a fielder’s choice groundout in the home half to cut its deficit to six runs.
Wheeler (walk) and Clayton (hit-by-pitch) led off the top of the fourth, setting up Dawkins to help his cause at the plate. Down 0-2, Dawkins went to the opposite field for a two-RBI single to right.
Back-to-back two-out singles from Locklear and Phifer opened the gap to an 11-1 lead. Locklear’s single to left brought in rising senior Jude Howard (fielder’s choice) and Phifer beat out an infield single to second, scoring Lambeth (hit-by-pitch).
Another four-batter bottom half of the inning from Dawkins got Richmond’s bats back in the dugout, which led to the team’s final four runs. Mabe led off the frame with a double to left, and he scored following two wild pitches.
A bases-loaded walk to Eason a couple batters later scored Cody Eason (walk), and Way grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring home Goodwin (hit-by-pitch). During that same play, James Eason scored when Western Harnett threw the ball around to get a runner out at third.
An error, a double and a two-RBI single in the bottom of the fifth recorded Western Harnett’s final four runs.
Richmond capitalized on five hit batters, four walks and eight errors by the Western Harnett defense.
Ransom explained Wednesday’s scheduled game has been canceled due to Western Harnett not having enough pitching for a third consecutive game.
He said it was “a little disappointing” and that he wants “our kids to play.” The Richmond varsity team (2-3) will now enter a two-week break since next week’s opponent, Pinecrest, doesn’t have a senior team.
