ROCKINGHAM — An early hiccup during Tuesday’s final home game of the summer resulted in a loss for the Richmond Renegade baseball team.
A five-run top of the second inning led to a 6-2 loss for the Renegades against the Scotland Stripers.
Richmond used three different pitchers, starting with sophomore Evan Hodges. He went two innings and allowed five runs (three earned) on four hits with two strikeouts.
Fellow sophomore Caden Nolan threw four innings of relief and allowed just one walk and no hits during that span with a pair of punchouts. Junior Jeremiah Ritter gave up one unearned run on a hit in the final frame.
The Renegades took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first following a 1-2-3 inning from Hodges.
Connecting on a one-out infield single, Hodges swiped second and moved to third on a catcher’s indifference. That led to Nolan bringing him home with a sacrifice fly to center field in the next at-bat.
An error and two singles loaded the bases for the Stripers in the top of the second. An RBI single plated two runs, which was followed by a steal of home and another RBI base knock.
With two outs, Scotland scored another run on a passed ball to take a 5-1 lead.
Richmond’s final run of the game came in the bottom of the third inning after Nolan pitched the first of his three consecutive 1-2-3 innings to quiet Scotland’s bats.
The Renegades loaded the bases with one away and junior Garret Mabe drove in an RBI on a groundout to first base. Scoring from third was junior Jason Walker, who was plunked by a pitch.
Richmond loaded the bases again in the home half of the fifth with one out, but an inning-ending double play kept its deficit at four runs.
Scotland tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh thanks to an RBI groundout to first. Richmond stranded a runner in the bottom of the frame.
Hodges, senior Isaac Hinshaw and juniors Conner Phifer and Sam Thompson were responsible for Richmond’s four hits — all singles. Nolan and Mabe were each credited with an RBI.
The Renegades (5-4) will travel to Scotland on Wednesday for the first of two road games to end the season. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
