ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond Senior High School softball program has been hard at work the past two weeks preparing for the upcoming spring campaign.
Under the direction of first-year head coach Mike Way, the Lady Raiders are undergoing a transition period that will see the team without several familiar faces that highlighted the program the last few seasons.
But like all high school sports during a time of transition, Richmond is dynamic and will see many returning players and some new faces fill the gaps.
The regular season is a week away and the Lady Raiders have had to deal with wet weather and make the most out of working indoors and in the batting cage.
In this edition of Lady Raider Video Chats, senior Madison Jordan, juniors Kearston Bruce and Payton Chappell and Coach Way highlight different areas of the program.
Madison Jordan, senior infielder/outfielder
Jordan enters her third season at the varsity level, after spending the last two as the starting left fielder. This year, she looks to contribute to the team on offense, while also potentially playing first or second base.
In her video, Jordan talks about how she’ll use her senior leadership this spring, discusses the potential moves on defense and why she believes the team will uphold the program’s tradition of winning. (Click photo for video.)
Kearston Bruce, junior pitcher
Bruce will serve as one of the two Lady Raider pitchers this season, joining fellow junior Paige Ransom. A Bridgewater College commit, Bruce will replace two-year pitcher Greyson Way, who now plays at UNC-Greensboro.
When asked what she’s been working on in the offseason to prepare for her new role, Bruce discusses her agility training and how she hopes to use a mixture of strikeouts and pitching to contact. She also talks about her relationship with sophomore catcher Taylor Waitley. (Click photo for video.)
Payton Chappell, junior third baseman
Another Lady Raider who has two years of starting varsity experience under her belt, Chappell will look to hold down the hot corner for the third year in a row. She will be paired with sophomore Allyiah Swiney on the left side of the infield, and will also look to be one of the power bats in the lineup.
Chappell talks about the defensive changes and how she and Swiney are acclimating themselves with one another. She also explains some of the team’s expectations and how she hopes to utilize her veteran leadership. (Click photo for video.)
Mike Way, first-year head coach
In his first season as the head coach of the Lady Raiders, Way will look to keep the winning tradition going. Richmond has won seven consecutive conference titles, but will be without several key bats from last season.
Coach Way gives an update on his team, discusses some of the changes happening within the program and sets the bar high for the 2020 campaign. (Click photo for video.)
ROSports will publish a full season preview later this week. The Lady Raiders will scrimmage in Burlington, N.C., this Saturday.
