ROCKINGHAM – For three of Richmond Senior High School’s spring sports athletes, two baseball players and one softball player, the regular season and state playoffs in green and gold hasn’t been quite enough.
Late last week, the Powerade State Games of North Carolina released some of the eight official rosters (for each sport) for the showcase summer tournament which will be held in June. Richmond juniors Cameron Carraway and Jake Ransom, along with Lady Raider freshman Paige Ransom, got the call to play on the Region 4 ball clubs.
For Jake Ransom, who has played first base and has also served as a designated hitter this season for head coach Ricky Young, this is his second selection in as many seasons. Last season, Ransom was also named to the Region 4 team, which failed to win any of its three games.
For Carraway, also a first baseman, and Paige Ransom, head coach Wendy Wallace’s starting right fielder, it’s their first career selection.
The Powerade State Games, which is in its 32nd year of operation, aims at promoting good sportsmanship and competitive play amongst some of North Carolina’s best underclassmen athletes in nearly 30 different sports. Unlike some other tournaments, the three RSHS players had to tryout to make the team. Carraway and Jake Ransom tried out at Scotland High School, while Paige Ransom attended a tryout session at Lumberton High School.
“I enjoy playing in the State Games because I enjoy competing against some of the best (baseball players) in the state,” Jake Ransom stated. “To be selected for the second year in a row is a great honor, and it’s something that I really look forward to.
“The best part about the State Games is meeting all the guys that I have played against,” Ransom continued. “And (now) I’ll be able to compete with them.”
With the Raiders’ season coming to an end with Friday’s road loss to East Forsyth High School, Ransom finished his junior season batting .292 with 13 RBIs, three doubles and one home run. His biggest hit of the season was a solo shot that helped the Raiders muscle out a 9-8 win in 11 innings over Purnell Swett High School on March 9.
Carraway, who played in 23 of Richmond’s games this season, started getting hot in the latter stretch. He finished his junior campaign with a .192 batting average, collecting seven hits, a triple and scoring eight runs. He was a big part of the Raiders’ opening-round win in the 4A playoffs against Davie County, as he crossed the plate safely to score three runs in an 8-2 victory.
“It means a lot to me to be selected and to be able to represent Richmond County,” Carraway said of his naming to the team. “We have such a great program here, and a great culture, and I’m excited to go represent that.
“There will definitely be a lot of competition (at the State Games), Carraway continued. “Some of the best players in the state will be there, so it will be a good opportunity for me to show my ability and see how I stack up with them.”
Perhaps the most impressive this season of the three has been Paige Ransom, who has had a breakout year at the plate for Wallace and the Lady Raiders. At the start of the season, she was battling for a starting position in right field, but later got the nod when she batted her way into the Richmond history books by belting a freshman record nine home runs.
It’s not only the most longballs hit by a freshman in a single season in program history, but the 15-year-old also leads the team in home runs. As the Lady Raiders continue their quest for a 4A state title on Tuesday at home against No. 8 Lake Norman, Ransom is batting second-best on the team with a .484 average and is also second in RBIs with 32.
“This will make a big opening for colleges to look at me as a softball player, giving me lots of exposure,” Paige Ransom said, alluding to her hopes of playing at the collegiate level. “As this is the first time attending the State Games, I’m looking forward to meeting new girls and growing as a player.
“I’m anticipating that all the girls and (other) teams will be very good,” she finished, adding that this experience will help her learn more about the game.
According to the Powerade State Games’ website, there are approximately 85 college and professional scouts who attend the tournament each year. Jake Ransom and Carraway will get started for the baseball tournament, as they’ll be playing for Chad Hill, who is the head coach at Scotland High School.
The baseball tournament is set to take place Wednesday, June 13, through Sunday, June 17. Featuring eight teams from eight regions around the state, games will be played on the campus of UNC-Greensboro and neighboring Grimsley High School.
For Paige Ransom, her eyes are still set on winning the Lady Raiders’ first state title in program history. But come June 13, Ransom will play for Whiteville High School’s Olivia Scott in a four-game round robin format that will culminate in gold, silver and bronze medal games.
The ROSports department will follow all three players’ journeys at the Powerade State Games, and report on their teams’ performances.
