ROCKINGHAM — Making a statement in the first game of a two-game series against Scotland, the Richmond Renegade baseball team took advantage in key situations during Thursday’s win.
Hosting the Stripers, the Renegades dotted the scoreboard en route to a 10-3 victory.
Using a platoon of pitchers, Richmond saw four different arms go to the mound, starting with junior Jeremiah Ritter.
Following Ritter’s two innings, junior Riley Brown also tossed two innings. Ritter allowed a hit with three strikeouts and Brown gave up two hits with two Ks.
Fellow junior Sam Thompson pitched two innings of relief in the fifth and sixth frames, surrendering two earned runs on four hits and one punchout.
Davis Faw, who had another big night at the plate, made his second pitching appearance in as many games to close it out. The senior gave up an unearned run on one hit.
A scoreless first inning was followed by a 1-2-3 top half of the second by Ritter. Thompson helped Richmond take a 2-0 lead in the home half when he reached on a throwing error, allowing Ritter and Faw (both reached on walks) to score.
Brown entered to start the third and stranded two runners on base. The Renegades added a run in the bottom of the third when junior Jabari Douglas (error) scored on a passed ball.
In the fourth, Brown stranded a two-out double and the Renegades gave the pitching staff some support with four runs.
Walks to junior Landon Taylor, Brown and senior Isaac Hinshaw loaded the bases with one out. Timing the pitcher’s windup perfectly, Taylor stole home and slid safely under the pitch while Brown and Hinshaw moved up 90 feet.
Ritter drew another walk to reload the bases and Brown scored on a passed ball to extend the lead to five runs.
With two outs and two strikes on him, Faw rocketed a two-RBI double to the warning track in left field. Trotting home were Hinshaw and Ritter to open the score to 7-0.
In the fifth, Douglas helped save a run when he started an 8-2 double play to senior catcher Cain Hunsucker at the plate. Catching a fly ball, Douglas hosed the runner at the plate, seeing Hunsucker move up the line and apply the tag.
Scotland did break into the scoring column with an RBI single before the half inning was over.
With two outs in Richmond’s half of the fifth, Douglas scored when junior Garret Mabe reached safely on an error. Another RBI single for the Stripers in the sixth cut Richmond’s lead to 8-2.
The Renegades added their final two runs in the bottom of the sixth, as back-to-back one-out singles from Hunsucker and Brown put runners on the corners.
Hunsucker stole home on a double steal initiated by Brown at first and Hinshaw dug in during the next at-bat and laced a line drive RBI single to right field.
Faw took over in the seventh and allowed a run to score following a leadoff single and a passed ball. The game came to an end when junior Conner Phifer made a diving catch in right field.
Despite getting outhit 8-4 by Scotland, Richmond made it count when it needed to. Faw’s double was added to with singles from Hunsucker, Brown and Hinshaw.
Only three of Richmond’s runs were counted as an RBI — two from Faw and one from Hinshaw.
The Renegades (5-3) are set to travel to Scotland on Wednesday to complete the two-game series. Action will start at 6 p.m.
The Richmond Observer will publish a photo gallery of Thursday’s game soon.
