ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond Senior High School junior varsity softball team started its new season Wednesday with a comeback win.
Beginning their 2026 campaign on their home diamond, the JV Lady Raiders scored all of their runs in one inning en route to a 4-3 victory over Union Pines High School.
The non-conference game was called in the bottom of the fifth inning due to the time limit.
Richmond trailed by a pair of runs after the top of the fourth, but answered with a four-run home half to take the lead.
Pitching a complete game was freshman Lyra Newton, who struck out six batters and gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits in her high school debut.
Newton stranded the bases loaded in the top of the first, sat Union Pines’ batters down in order in the second and left another runner on third base in the fourth.
With a two-run cushion in the fifth, Newton allowed her final run but kept the tying run at second base.
“It’s always good to start the season with a win,” head coach Lauren Brewer said. “We found ourselves down a couple of runs early but the girls stuck with it and got the bats going in the fourth to rally.
“Lyra pitched well tonight and really settled in after the first inning,” she added. “She’s going to throw a lot of innings for us this year, so this was hopefully a confidence booster for her.”
Union Pines scored its first two runs in the top of the third inning. The JV Lady Vikings capitalized on a fielding error and an RBI double to take a 2-0 lead.
Leading off the bottom of the fourth, Newton singled and sophomore Annabelle Millen doubled to move both runners into scoring position. In the next at-bat, sophomore Abby Hinson doubled in Newton and traded places with Millen.
Still with no outs, freshman Ava Parks was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Freshman Makenzie Mabe made the pitcher pay when she roped a two-run double to left field to plate Millen and Hinson.
Leading 3-2, freshman Grace Hill capped the four-run inning when she hit a sacrifice fly to center field, which allowed Parks to trot home safely.
Newton allowed a leadoff single and a two-out double in the fifth, resulting in Union Pines’ final run. Ending the inning was her final strikeout of the game.
Totaling six hits as a team, Richmond connected on three doubles – one each by Hinson, Mabe, and Millen. Newton had two singles and Hill had a base knock.
The JV Lady Raiders (1-0) play at non-conference South Stanly High School Thursday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Game information and statistics provided by the JV Lady Raiders’ GameChanger.
