ROCKINGHAM — Unable to even its non-conference season series with a rival opponent Wednesday, the Richmond Senior High School softball team didn’t return to the win column.
On their home diamond, the Lady Raiders lost 18-6 to Scotland High School. Scoring one run in each inning in the third, fourth and fifth frames, Richmond scored two runs in the sixth and one run in the seventh.
Richmond used a four-pitcher effort, starting with sophomore Madison Hancock. She pitched three innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and had four strikeouts.
Taking over to start the fourth inning was junior Emma Rusich. She totaled one inning of relief and surrendered five runs (two earned) on five hits and had two Ks. Sophomore Mackenzie Quick followed with seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and two strikeouts in 2.1 innings.
Getting the final two-thirds of an inning was freshman Claire Clark, who gave up no runs on three hits.
Hancock opened the game with a four-batter top of the first and left a runner on first. The Lady Scots plated their first four runs in the top of the second inning. Those runs were scored via an RBI triple, an error and a two-RBI double.
An inning later, Scotland took a 5-0 lead when a wild pitch allowed a run to score.
Richmond got on the board in the home half of the third. Sophomore Sydney Barnes led off with a single to left field and moved to third on a pair of stolen bases.
Junior Madeline Carriker stepped in and did a job, finishing her seven-pitch at-bat by recording an RBI groundout to the shortstop. Barnes easily scored from third to make it 5-1.
Another solo run for the Lady Scots made it a five-run lead in Rusich’s first inning of work. The Lady Raiders answered with a run in the home half.
A one-out double by Clark put her safely on base and she moved to third on a passed ball. Sophomore Lexi Smith wasted no time to lay down a well-placed sacrifice bunt down the first-base line to record the RBI and score Clark.
Scotland opened the lead to eight runs in the top of the fifth when it scored four more runs. The Lady Scots used a two-RBI double, an RBI groundout and an RBI base hit to widen their lead.
Once more, Richmond answered with a solo run in the bottom of the fifth. Rusich scored on an error when the second baseman dropped a soft liner off the bat of Quick. The Lady Raiders left two runners on base in the inning.
A three-run top of the sixth put Scotland ahead by double digits. In the bottom half, the Lady Raiders put together enough of a rally to extend the game.
Rusich barreled up a one-out RBI single that banged off the wall in right field, which scored Hancock (walk). In the next plate appearance, senior Hayden Robinson’s patience paid off as she drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Smith (double).
With the bases still loaded and one out, Richmond wasn’t able to score any more runs as a hard lineout and a strikeout ended the rally attempt.
The Lady Scots’ highest-scoring inning came in the seventh, a five-run effort to take a 13-run lead.
Clark recorded Richmond’s final run in the bottom of the seventh on a solo blast that cleared the fence in right-center near the scoreboard, her fifth home run of the season.
The Lady Raiders (5-10, 3-2 MSC) return to Mid-South Conference action Friday at home against conference-leading Hoke County High School (13-2, 5-0 MSC). First pitch is at 6:30 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: The Richmond JV softball team didn’t play Wednesday. Game information and statistics provided by Richmond’s GameChanger.
