Home Local Sports Top Sports Stories No. 8: Lady Raider softball wins Beach Diamond Invitational

Top Sports Stories No. 8: Lady Raider softball wins Beach Diamond Invitational

The Lady Raiders' Beach Diamond Invitational win comes in at No. 8 in ROSports' countdown.
Deon Cranford — The Richmond Observer.

ROCKINGHAM — A little bit of beach hardware accompanies the No. 8 moment in ROSports’ “Top 10 Sports Stories” countdown of the 2018-19 school year.

Sun, sand and a Beach Diamond Invitational championship were on the docket for the Richmond Senior High School varsity softball team when it visited West Brunswick High School over spring break in April. The Lady Raiders returned to Shallotte, N.C., and redeemed themselves with a title win a year after falling to the host Lady Trojans in the championship game.

In 2018, the Lady Raiders saw West Brunswick edge them in extra innings to take the championship. This season had a different ending, as two big innings to start the game were enough to lead the Lady Raiders to a 9-8 victory and the crown to the 20th annual tournament.

To get to the championship game, the Lady Raiders took care of South Columbus and Whiteville high schools in the first two qualifier games. In the third round, a no-hitter by senior pitcher Greyson Way coupled with an outpouring of offense led Richmond to an 18-0 mercy-rule victory over East Bladen High School to set up the rematch.

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The Lady Raiders would score all nine runs in the opening two innings, seeing seven total doubles by six different players find the gap. Senior Taylor Parrish and freshman Allyiah Swiney each had two-RBI doubles, and Way slapped a solo shot in the second inning.

The four wins over spring break extended Richmond’s winning streak to 10 games, which was a part of a season-long 14-game winning streak. Four Lady Raiders were named to the All-Tournament team: Parrish, Way, senior Savannah Lampley and sophomore Payton Chappell.

Click the photo below for the link to the original game story, written by sports editor Kyle Pillar for the April 25, 2019, edition of the Richmond Observer:



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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.