RICHMOND COUNTY — Monday will kickoff the second round of the Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference baseball playoffs, while the softball championship will be held on Wednesday.
No. 3 Lady Rockets looking to claim second title in three years
The Rockingham Middle School softball team cruised through its first two playoff games to make its way back the the SEMSAC championship. Head coach Morgan Davis and the Lady Rockets bounced No. 6 East Hoke Middle School in the first round, before upsetting No. 2 rival Hamlet Middle School 6-3 last Wednesday.
With their ticket already punched, the Lady Rockets will have to wait until Monday evening to see who their opponent will be in the title game. No. 1 Carver Middle School (9-0) hosts No. 4 Anson Middle School Orange in the semifinal game, and the winner will advance to play Rockingham (8-2).
In the regular season, the Lady Rockets fell 5-1 to the top-seeded Lady Eagles, and also lost 16-3 to the Lady Bearcats. Those were the only losses for Rockingham this season.
ROSports will update the location and time of the softball championship when it’s made available.
No. 2 Rockingham hosts No. 3 Hamlet in baseball semis
SEMSAC rivals Rockingham and Hamlet middle schools will meet on the baseball diamond Monday with a chance to play in the championship game on the line.
The No. 2 Rockets and head coach Jamie McDonald haven’t played since before spring break, and Hamlet just edged No. 6 Anson Blue 5-4 in the opening round last Thursday. Cain Hunsucker recorded the walk-off infield single in the seventh inning.
Rockingham (8-1) run-ruled the Red Rams (8-2) 13-3 in the only other meeting between the two teams this spring. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. in Rockingham.
No. 5 Ellerbe looking to unseat No. 1 Carver
The final Richmond County team to advance past the first round was No. 5 Ellerbe Middle School. Allen Adeimy’s Wildcats (6-4) handed Anson Orange an 8-4 loss behind a Brycen Goodwin complete game in the opening round.
It’s the first time since 2015 that Ellerbe has made it to the conference semis, and defeated Carver Middle School in that season’s playoffs to advance. Ellerbe will visit No. 1 Carver on Monday at 4:15 p.m.
The two teams didn’t meet in the regular season due to weather.
