Home Local Sports Six-run 6th inning results in season-opening win for Raiders

Six-run 6th inning results in season-opening win for Raiders

ROSports File Photo: Ethan Locklear was one of four pitchers to help the Raiders to a win on Tuesday. (Kyle Pillar, sports editor)

MATTHEWS — Relying on its strengths of pitching and defense, according to head coach Rob Ransom, the Richmond Raider baseball team earned a season-opening win on Tuesday.

A four-pitcher performance paced the Raiders to an 8-3 victory over non-conference Butler High School.

Despite being outhit six to four by the Bulldogs, the Raiders used a six-run sixth inning and three Butler errors to enter the win column.

Senior Ethan Locklear and junior James Eason pitched two innings apiece to start the game, followed by an inning of relief from sophomore Mason Murray.

Junior Camron Seagraves, a Campbell University commit, tossed the final two innings for the Raiders.

“We were pitching by committee tonight,” Ransom explained. “It was a great group effort on the mound and we were able to get four guys some innings. We made a couple defensive mistakes and gave Butler some opportunities, but we made some nice defensive plays in the end.

“I don’t think we swung the bat that great and had too many strikeouts,” he added. “But the guys hit the ball when we needed to and we were able to lay down some bunts to scratch out some runs.”

Ransom noted that both Eason and Seagraves “made some big defensive plays” in the field.

Locklear (2.0 IP, 1 hit, 3 Ks, 3 BBs) opened the game by stranding the bases loaded in the first and leaving two more runners on base in the bottom of the second. Both frames ended with ground ball outs to Seagraves at short.

Butler took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Sam Bryan hit an RBI single to left field off of Eason (2.0 IP, 1 run, 3 hits, 2 Ks).

With two outs and two on in the top of the fourth, the Raiders plated a pair of runs to go ahead 2-1. Locklear popped up to the shortstop, but an error of the fly ball allowed senior Ethan Clayton (walk) to score.

Extending the inning, Locklear took off for second base, swiping the bag and allowing Eason to race home from third.

Eason retired the Bulldogs (0-1) in order in the fourth and Murray did the same in the home half of the fifth. Throwing just 10 pitches, Murray recorded a strikeout and two groundouts in his one inning of work.

Sending 12 batters to the dish in the top of the sixth, the Raiders used five base on balls, two hits and two errors to break the game open.

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With one out, senior Ashton Phifer beat out an infield single to second base, recording an RBI when Clayton (walk) scored from second.

Murray drew a walk in the next at-bat and Locklear followed with a bunt. Reaching on an error by pitcher Ian Black, both courtesy runner Allen Taylor (for Phifer) and Murray scored.

Leading 5-1, freshman Caden Nolan reached via a free pass. It was deja vu for the Raiders in the next at-bat, as sophomore Landon Taylor dropped a bunt and used an error by third baseman Keontay Booker to reach safely.

Scoring on the miscue were Locklear and Nolan, as Landon Taylor moved all the way to third. Seagraves capped the scoring in the inning with an RBI triple to the gap in center field.

An error by Richmond in the bottom of the sixth and an RBI single by Booker in the seventh accounted for the Bulldogs’ final two runs.

Phifer helped keep a run off the board in the sixth, heaving a relay throw home on a single to right field to catch Zachary Francis trying to score. Mason received the throw and tagged him out.

Seagraves’ line was 2.0 innings pitched with 2 runs on 2 hits and 3 punchouts.

Registering one hit apiece were Eason, Phifer, Seagraves and Landon Taylor. Phifer and Seagraves each picked up an RBI and Clayton led the team by scoring two runs.

“Butler is a good team so it feels really good to get that first win under our belt,” Ransom closed. “We knew what our strengths were and we relied on that.

“I thought we ran the bases really well, which helped us. And everyone is still eligible to throw Thursday, so we’ll see what we can do.”

The Raiders (1-0) will look to add their second win in their opening week on Thursday at non-conference Purnell Swett High School (0-1), starting at 7 p.m.



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Kyle Pillar is a 22-time North Carolina Press Association award-winning sports editor with The Richmond Observer. Follow the sports department on X @ROSports_ for the best in-depth coverage of Richmond County sports.