WADESBORO — A lead early in Monday’s non-conference game came undone for the Richmond Senior High School softball team.
Leading by as many as five runs on the road at Anson High School, the Lady Raiders were outscored by 14 runs in the final four innings and lost 15-6.
Richmond scored two runs in the second inning and made it a 5-0 lead with three more runs in the top of the third. The Lady Bearcats used a six-run bottom of the fourth and two runs in the fifth to take the lead.
The Lady Raiders’ last run came in the top of the sixth, which made it a two-run deficit. But Anson pulled away with a seven-run home half.
Three pitchers were used for the Lady Raiders, starting with sophomore Mackenzie Quick. She pitched 3.1 innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits and had five strikeouts.
Sophomore Madison Hancock and freshman Claire Clark each pitched 1.1 innings of relief. Hancock held the Lady Bearcats to two earned runs on four hits with three Ks, and Clark gave up seven earned runs on eight hits while striking out a pair of batters.
Collecting nine hits as a team, Richmond was led by two hits apiece by junior Macie King and sophomore Lexi Smith. Both of Smith’s hits were doubles and delivered a team-high two runs batted in, and one of King’s hits went for two bases and an RBI.
Senior Hayden Robinson kept her bat hot with her team-leading eighth homer of the season, a solo shot that recorded one RBI. Sophomore Sydney Barnes had Richmond’s fifth extra-base hit, a triple, and had one RBI.
Also finishing with a base hit and one RBI was junior Emma Rusich. Clark and Quick each singled to round out Richmond’s hits.
Smith got Richmond on the board with a one-out RBI double in the top of the second. Scoring on the play was Clark, who led off the inning with a base hit.
Two batters later with two outs, Rusich brought in Smith on an RBI single to right field to make it 2-0.
Quick stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the second and Richmond added to its lead with three runs in the top of the third.
Robinson led off the inning with her solo homer, sending the ball over the fence in left field. With two away, Barnes tripled home Clark (fielder’s choice) and Smith made it 5-0 in the next at-bat when she doubled to the gap to score Barnes.
Anson capitalized on a solo homer, an RBI single and a pair of two-RBI doubles to jump ahead 6-5 after the bottom of the fourth.
An inning later, an RBI single and an RBI double extended the Lady Bearcats’ lead to 8-5.
King recorded Richmond’s final run of the game in the top of the sixth. She barreled up a double to the right-center alley and scored freshman Lyra Newton (error).
Two quick runs were scored by Anson in the bottom of the sixth, and the Lady Bearcats scored their final five runs with two outs.
In their final half inning, the Lady Raiders got one runner on base but were retired in order otherwise.
The Lady Raiders (6-11, 4-2 MSC) return home Tuesday to begin their two-game Mid-South Conference series with Overhills High School (9-7, 3-3 MSC).
The team will recognize its two seniors, Robinson and Kinsie Lyerly, ahead of the game. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: The Richmond JV softball team didn’t play Monday. All game information and statistics provided by Richmond’s GameChanger.
