ROCKINGHAM — The bats stayed hot for the Richmond Senior High School junior varsity softball team Thursday.
Winning its fifth game in six tries to start the season, the JV Lady Raiders recorded their second straight mercy-rule win.
Hosting Southwestern Randolph High School for a non-conference game, Richmond blanked the JV Lady Cougars 11-0 in five innings.
A 2-0 lead after the first inning was added to by the JV Lady Raiders with a four-run third inning. Capping the win was a five-run bottom of the fourth.
Richmond connected on 14 hits, including eight extra-base hits — two inside-the-park home runs, four triples and two doubles.
Freshman pitcher Madison Hancock was dialed in all five innings against Southwestern Randolph. She pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts while only allowing two hits.
Hancock struck out the side in order in the first and fifth frames and had two strikeouts in both the second and third innings.
Sophomore Madeline Carriker got the scoring started with a two-run inside-the-park home run with one out in the first inning. Scoring ahead of Carriker was sophomore Macie King, who singled.
All four of Richmond’s runs in the third came with two outs. Freshman Sydney Barnes started the two-out lightning with an RBI triple which plated Carriker (walk). Sophomore Kaylan Parsons followed in the next at-bat with an inside-the-park home run, driving in two more runs.
Hancock kept the inning going with a single and later scored when freshman Annabelle Millen slashed an RBI single through the left side of the infield to score Hancock.
Leading off the home half of the fourth, freshman Jordyn Chappell roped a triple and trotted home four pitches later when freshman Liz Luneford barreled an RBI double.
Following a pitching change by the JV Lady Cougars, freshman Kaylee Connor connected for an RBI base hit to extend the lead to 8-0.
With two away, a two-RBI triple from Hancock scored Conner and Carriker (double). Richmond’s final run was courtesy of an RBI base knock to right field by Millen.
The JV Lady Raiders (5-1, 3-0 Sandhills Athletic Conference) will host Jack Britt High School for a non-conference game Monday. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Statistics and game information provided by Richmond’s Game Changer.
