FAYETTEVILLE — Opening a two-game series with Jack Britt High School Tuesday, the Richmond Senior High School softball team picked up its second conference win of the season.
Playing on the road, the Lady Raiders defeated the Lady Buccaneers 12-7 in the Mid-South Conference contest.
Using a steady stream of scoring, the Lady Raiders scored a run in the first inning and took a 4-1 lead after a three-run top of the third.
Both teams scored three runs in the fifth and sixth frames, and ensuring that Richmond was ahead for good was a two-run top of the seventh.
Seven Lady Raiders collected at least one hit, as the team finished with 14 hits in the win. Senior Kinsie Lyerly swatted a team-leading three doubles, as freshman Claire Clark matched her three hits with a triple, a double and a single.
Adding two doubles for her two hits was sophomore Mackenzie Quick. Junior Emma Rusich had a double and a single, while sophomore Carley McCormick had a pair of base hits.
Juniors Madeline Carriker and Macie King rounded out the hit parade, as both players connected for a double, two of Richmond’s 10 extra-base hits.
Five players recorded at least one run batted in, led by Rusich’s three RBI. Quick, Clark and Lyerly all drove in two runs and King plated one RBI.
It was a successful night for Rusich in the circle, too, as she threw a complete game to earn the win. Her line was seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits with five strikeouts.
Clark recorded her triple in the top of the first inning with two outs, which scored Quick (walk) to make it 1-0.
Breaking a 1-1 tie in the top of the third with one away, Lyerly doubled home Quick (walk) on a line drive to right field. Clark (error) and Lyerly would both score in the inning thanks to passed balls to make it 4-1.
Some two-out magic struck for the Lady Raiders in the top of the fifth. With two on, King connected for an RBI double to plate Clark (single). Two pitches later, Rusich barreled up a two-RBI double to right field, scoring Lyerly (double) and King to extend the lead to 7-1.
Jack Britt’s three runs in the home half cut Richmond’s advantage to three runs, but the Lady Raiders answered quickly with their next three runs in the sixth.
All three runs were the result of back-to-back-to-back RBI doubles from Quick, Clark and Lyerly, respectively. Quick’s two-bagger brought in senior Hayden Robinson (walk), and Clark and Lyerly traded places with the base runners to rebuild the lead to 10-4.
Seeing their lead cut to three runs again after six complete, the Lady Raiders added two insurance runs in the seventh.
A leadoff double by Carriker led to a run in the next at-bat when Rusich doubled her home for her final RBI. Later with two outs, McCormick (single) scored from second when Quick connected for an RBI double.
In the bottom of the seventh, Rusich shut the door on the victory with a 1-2-3 inning. She got the final three outs on a fly out, strikeout and ground out.
Set to close their series with Jack Britt before spring break begins, the Lady Raiders (4-8, 2-1 MSC) will host the Lady Buccaneers (1-12, 1-2 MSC) Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Click here to read about the JV Lady Raiders’ seventh straight win Tuesday.
Sports editor’s note: Game information and statistics provided by Richmond’s GameChanger.
