ROCKINGHAM — All of the pieces the Richmond Senior High School softball team has been working on came together Friday, head coach Caroline Wilson said.
The Lady Raiders started the second round of regular-season play against Sandhills Athletic Conference opponents at home with Southern Lee High School.
A fast start propelled Richmond to a 16-0 win in four innings, tying its largest margin of victory this season and completing the sweep of the Lady Cavaliers.
The Lady Raiders paired 11 hits with a complete game shutout performance by senior pitcher Madelynn Pearson. She allowed just two hits and two walks and struck out seven batters.
Using the long ball early, the Lady Raiders jumped out to a 4-0 lead by the end of the first inning. Pearson faced just four batters in the top half and left a runner at second.
With one away, senior Jakayla Steele put Richmond on the board with a two-run home run. Powering the ball over the left field fence, Steele brought in senior Trinity Lockhart (single) to make it 2-0.
Just two pitches later by starter Maliyah Wilson, junior Hayden Robinson blistered a no-doubt solo homer over the left field wall for back-to-back jacks.
Two batters later, junior Kinsie Lyerly capped the home run parade with a solo blast, peppering the second offering from Wilson beyond the fence in left.
A 1-2-3 inning from Pearson in the top of the second let Richmond add to its lead in the home half. Lockhart raced out an infield single, stole second base and moved to third on a throwing error. A passed ball allowed her to score and make it 5-0.
Pearson worked out of a jam in the top of the third inning when she left two runners in scoring position to preserve the five-run lead. Lockhart made a running catch in center field for the third out.
Richmond broke the game open with an eight-run third inning. Sending a dozen batters to the dish, the Lady Raiders loaded the bases with one out with three straight walks to Robinson, sophomore Emma Rusich and Lyerly.
Robinson scored on a wild pitch and freshman Carley McCormick drove in Rusich with an RBI double. Joining the offensive output, senior Mikayla English lined a two-RBI single into right field during the next at-bat to bring in Lyerly and McCormick, putting Richmond ahead 9-0.
Later with two outs and the bases loaded again, Steele drove in her team-leading third and fourth RBI of the game with a double to left field. Scoring easily on the play were English and junior courtesy runner Olivia Brown.
Richmond’s final two runs of the inning were the result of sophomore Kalynn McCormick (walk) scoring on a passed ball and a double steal initiated by Robinson that allowed Steele to touch home plate.
The first two batters for Southern Lee (2-9, 1-6 SAC) reached safely in the fourth, but Pearson again worked her way to a scoreless inning. She recorded consecutive strikeouts and used a pop out in foul territory to freshman catcher Lexi Smith to end the threat.
Brown extended the lead to 14-0 when she belted an RBI single to center field with one out in the home half. Junior Addison Connor (walk) scored.
Ending the game early by way of mercy rule, Kalynn McCormick smacked a standup double to the alley in center to plate Smith (walk) and Brown.
In addition to Steele’s four RBI, English and Kalynn McCormick both had two RBI. Driving in a run apiece were Brown, Robinson, Carley McCormick and Lyerly.
Now 5-8 overall, and 3-4 against SAC teams, Richmond will host Pinecrest High School (2-10, 1-5 SAC) Tuesday. The Lady Raiders will try to even the series starting at 6 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Statistics and game information provided by Richmond’s Game Changer. The junior varsity softball team didn’t play Friday.
