ROCKINGHAM — As a new era of Richmond Raider baseball officially hits the diamond in less than a week, the program is grounding itself in its 52-year tradition.
Intent on sticking to the success of the past, while also blazing a new trail forward, the term “tradition” has become the moniker of the 2024 Raiders and first-year head coach Eric Brown.
From popping up in social media posts, to being sprawled across the team’s game day t-shirts, “Raider baseball tradition” is something Brown believes in strongly and will remain the cornerstone of Richmond this spring.
Brown, who was hired in July as the team’s new skipper, played high school ball for the Raiders before going on to play at Wingate University and get drafted by the New York Mets. He’s entering his 10th year as a high school coach.
While his days of playing in green and gold are two decades past, Brown is infusing new life into the program while at the same time reminding players what it means to wear the Raider diamond.
This year’s team has 16 players, returning seven from last year, among them four starters. Those four include seniors James Eason (pitcher/infielder), Isaac Hinshaw (infielder), Cain Hunsucker (catcher) and junior Landon Taylor (outfielder/pitcher).
Senior infielder Zane Searcy and sophomore Caden Nolan, a pitcher and infielder, are also back this spring.
Making the jump to varsity full time this spring will be five juniors — Riley Brown (pitcher/infielder), Jabari Douglas (outfielder/catcher), Conner Phifer (outfielder/infielder), Jeremiah Ritter (pitcher/outfielder) and Jason Walker (pitcher/infielder) — and sophomore Evan Hodges (pitcher/infielder).
Hodges and Ritter both made plate appearances for the Raiders last season.
Senior Marquan Martin will play this season, as sophomore Preston Fann and freshman left-hander Collin Hill may split time between varsity and junior varsity. Javian Drake, a senior outfielder, will join the team following basketball season.
A big believer in consistent, pitch-to-contact pitching, Coach Brown noted there are several players who will likely fuel the Raiders’ rotation this spring. The decision of who will be the team’s primary starters has yet to be decided.
Returning with the most innings pitched last season, Eason threw 49.2 innings with three wins, 38 strikeouts and a 2.26 earned run average. He’s also the team’s lone returning All-Conference player.
Nolan, Taylor and Hodges combined to throw 16.1 innings for the varsity team in 2023 and will look to add depth. Brown, Ritter and Walker will also eat up big chunks of innings, as the trio of juniors made two-inning appearances in the team’s scrimmages over the weekend.
Part of Coach Brown’s philosophy is to also have strong defense behind the pitching, and has encouraged the pitching staff to fill up the zone and trust that plays will be made in the field.
Adding to the versatility of the Raiders this season is depth at nearly every position, which will allow the team to use pitchers freely and adjust the lineup based on who’s on the mound.
Hunsucker will be the primary battery mate to the pitchers, coming back for his second season starting behind the plate as the catcher.
Hinshaw is a corner infielder who has split reps at first and third base during the preseason. Eason, Hodges, Nolan and Walker all played shortstop during the scrimmages, with Brown and several of those same players positioned at second base.
A quick outfield with strong arms will be anchored by Ritter and Taylor, both of whom can play left and center field. Phifer and Douglas are options in right field.
While Coach Brown has been impressed with the Raiders’ progression on the hill and in the field, he hopes to see the team’s offense continue to trend in the right direction at the plate.
Many of the Raiders’ statistical leaders from a season ago have since graduated or are no longer with the program.
Hinshaw and Eason, who batted .325 and .320, respectively, last spring, will be middle-of-the-lineup guys with Taylor (.294 as a sophomore) leading off from the left side of the dish.
Driving in a team-high 24 runs last spring, Hinshaw will look to do more damage as a senior. He was also tied for the team lead with nine extra-base hits (eight doubles, one home run). Eason drove in 13 RBI with four two-baggers.
Richmond has made the NCHSAA 4A state playoffs the last several seasons and that goal still remains. Within the Sandhills Athletic Conference, however, Brown and company will have to contend with a strong lineup of opponents on both the 3A and 4A sides.
The Raiders finished fourth in the SAC standings last spring behind conference champion Pinecrest, Southern Lee and Lee County high schools.
Brown noted that the team’s goals aren’t set at specific numbers or placements in the conference.
Instead, he wants the Raiders to play well enough throughout the season to put themselves in a good position. Should that opportunity arise, he said the team’s focus will shift toward a conference title.
Ryan Mercer and Corey Wallace return as assistant coaches this season, with Andy Shuler joining the staff. Anthony Hailey will also help with varsity and serve as the junior varsity head coach.
Thursday will be the final preseason action for Richmond, which will host West Stanly High School for a scrimmage at 5 p.m.
The Raiders head to West Cabarrus High School Tuesday to begin their season with a non-conference game. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.
SEASON SCHEDULE: Click here for an always up-to-date schedule for the Richmond softball team.
The Richmond Observer will continue its award-winning coverage of the varsity and junior varsity baseball teams this spring.
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