ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond Senior High School softball team wasn’t able to notch a win in its non-conference game Wednesday.
Hosting Eastern Randolph High School, the Lady Raiders fell by a final score of 10-1.
The Lady Wildcats scored two runs in the first and added four more in the second to take a 6-0 lead. A trio of runs in the fourth made it 9-0.
Richmond scored its run in the bottom of the fifth frame before allowing its final run to Eastern Randolph (6-4) in the top of the seventh.
A two-pitcher effort was put forth by the Lady Raiders, starting with junior Maddie Pearson. She threw two innings and gave up six runs (two earned) on four hits.
Freshman Emma Rusich recorded the final five innings of work from the circle and surrendered four runs (one earned) on four hits with four strikeouts.
The Lady Raiders made five defensive errors in the loss and struck out 17 times as a team against starting pitcher Addie Flinchum.
Richmond scored its run with two outs in the fifth. Junior Trinity Lockhart drew a one-out walk and later moved to third on a groundout. Rusich recorded the RBI with a triple to left field, scoring Lockhart.
Totaling six hits as a team, Richmond was led by Rusich, who had a triple and a single. Sophomore Hayden Robinson slapped a double, while Pearson, senior Katie Way and junior Jakayla Steele each had a single.
The Lady Raiders (5-5, 4-3 Sandhills Athletic Conference) will celebrate senior night Friday with a home conference game against Hoke County High School (10-5, 3-4 SAC).
Richmond will recognize Kady Harris, Addyson Hollingsworth, Caroline Hunsucker, Christi Jacobs, Ryelan Lyerly and Katie Way. A victory would also secure the team’s 4A playoff berth.
JV Lady Raiders rout Pinecrest Tuesday
The Richmond junior varsity softball team returned to play from spring break Tuesday and coasted past Pinecrest High School 21-3 in three innings.
Macie King pitched all three frames for Richmond, allowing three earned runs on two hits. She also struck out one batter.
The JV Lady Raiders scored 12 runs in the first, six more in the second and added their final three runs in the third. All three of Pinecrest’s runs came in the final half inning.
As a team, Richmond drew 15 base-on-balls and had seven runners reach via a hit-by-pitch.
The JV Lady Raiders had just five hits — a triple by Ashton Terry and singles by Kalynn McCormick, Kinsie Lyerly, Kaylan Parsons and Madeline Carriker.
Two hit-by-pitches, a bases-loaded walk and an error made it 4-0 with no outs in the first. A couple of wild pitches and a sacrifice fly by Emma Monroe padded the lead to 7-0.
Richmond’s final five runs on the first came courtesy of a bases-loaded walk, an RBI fielder’s choice, a two-RBI triple by Terry and a wild pitch.
McCormick singled home two runs to start the top of the second. A series of errors accounted for three more runs and Parsons made it 18-0 with an RBI base knock to left.
An error, a steal of home and a hit-by-pitch recorded Richmond’s final three runs.
The JV Lady Raiders (4-2, 3-2 SAC) will host Hoke County Friday at 5 p.m.
