ROCKINGHAM — The game plan Friday for the Richmond Senior High School softball team was to jump ahead early and stay in control.
That’s what the Lady Raiders did against Pine Forest High School, as they ended a two-game skid and earned their first Mid-South Conference win of the season.
Redeeming its loss to the Lady Trojans from earlier in the week, Richmond lit up the scoreboard en route to a 16-2 victory in five innings (mercy rule).
Stepping on the gas early, the Lady Raiders scored six runs in the first inning and another run in the second to lead 7-0.
Pine Forest scored its two runs in the top of the third, but the Lady Raiders answered with a five-run bottom of the third. Putting an exclamation mark on the win, the team’s final four runs came in the home half of the fourth.
“The girls were disappointed with the way the game (Tuesday) ended at Pine Forest,” head coach Caroline Wilson said. “We wanted to do the same thing we did in that game in regard to scoring early, and tonight stayed in control and kept piling on the runs.
“Winning games that we’re supposed to, especially in conference, is so important,” she continued. “Tonight was the confidence booster we needed and hopefully we can keep playing with this type of energy moving forward.”
Throwing a complete game, two-hit gem was sophomore Madison Hancock. She allowed two earned runs and struck out 10 batters in the process, a single-game career high.
Hancock sat the Lady Trojans down in order in the first and fifth innings, and had at least two strikeouts in each of the first four frames.
Getting the big first inning started, junior Jorja Moore swatted an RBI double to score sophomore Mackenzie Quick (single). Still with one out, freshman Claire Clark doubled off the wall in center to put two runners in scoring position.
An error in the infield on a soft liner by senior Kinsie Lyerly scored Moore, and on a throwing error to the plate on the same play, Clark was able to cross safely to make it 3-0.
A passed ball allowed Lyerly to hustle home two batters later, which was followed by an RBI single by Hancock, which scored junior Emma Rusich (dropped third strike).
Later in the inning, following a dropped third strike strikeout that was thrown to first, Hancock helped herself out by diving across home plate on a head’s up base running play.
A four-batter top of the second made quick work for Richmond, which scored its seventh run of the game in the bottom half. Quick, who singled earlier in the inning, scored on a passed ball.
Pine Forest scored both of its runs in the third with two away thanks to an RBI double and an RBI single in back-to-back at-bats.
Using a leadoff single by Hancock in the bottom of the third, Richmond opened its lead to 8-2 when sophomore Sydney Barnes recorded an RBI ground out back to the circle.
Two batters later, senior Hayden Robinson dug in and took a trip around the bases with her team-leading fifth blast of the season. On the first offering, Robinson belted it over the wall in left field, a two-run shot that scored sophomore Carley McCormick (hit-by-pitch).
Keeping the inning going with two outs, Moore (triple) scored on a passed ball and Lyerly tripled home Clark (dropped third strike) to extend the lead to 12-2.
Hancock faced four batters in the top of the fourth and recorded all three outs via a punchout while stranding a runner at first.
Two passed balls with Robinson at the dish with one out in the fourth paved the way for junior Macie King (single) and McCormick (walk) to each race home safely.
Richmond’s final two runs of the inning, and the game, were scored when junior Kaylan Parsons (hit-by-pitch) advanced on a passed ball and when Moore (double) scored on a Clark three-bagger.
Hancock shut the door on the victory with a 1-2-3 top of the fifth inning.
Richmond hit for the cycle as a team Friday. Robinson had one homer; Clark, Moore and Lyerly each had a triple; while Moore (2) and Clark combined for three doubles.
Adding singles were Robinson, Quick (2), Clark, Hancock (2) and King to total 14 hits in the win. Robinson’s two RBI led the way, with Moore, Clark, Lyerly, Hancock and Barnes each driving in one run.
The Lady Raiders (3-7, 1-1 MSC) will play three games next week ahead of spring break, starting with a road non-conference game at rival Scotland High School (5-6) Tuesday (6 p.m.)
Richmond will then play two MSC games Tuesday and Thursday against Jack Britt High School. Tuesday’s game will be on the road and Thursday’s game will be at home, both at 6:30 p.m.
JV Lady Raiders extend winning streak
Extending its winning streak to six games Friday, the Richmond junior varsity softball team completed its sweep of Pine Forest.
The JV Lady Raiders steamrolled the JV Lady Trojans 23-1 in three innings (mercy rule).
Between its two wins this week over Pine Forest, Richmond outscored its opponent 46-1.
Freshman Grace Hill pitched two innings in the win, one of four pitchers used. All four combined to not allow any hits. Hill had four strikeouts.
Sophomore Annabelle Millen (0.2 innings, one earned run, one strikeout), sophomore Liz Lunceford (0.0 innings) and freshman Lyra Newton (0.1 innings) were the other three pitchers.
Of Richmond’s 10 hits, freshman Kaydence Cooke has three of them. Her trio of doubles brought in a game-high six RBI.
Newton, Millen and sophomore Jordyn Chappell each drove in two runs. Six other JV Lady Raiders had one RBI apiece.
Richmond scored 15 runs in the bottom of the first and added its final eight runs an inning later.
The JV Lady Raiders (7-1, 2-0 MSC) will play only Jack Britt next week, starting on the road Tuesday (4:30 p.m.) and returning home Thursday (4:30 p.m.).
