ROCKINGHAM — A lead in the middle innings of Wednesday’s non-conference softball game didn’t hold up for Richmond Senior High School.
Making up a rainout from Monday, the Lady Raiders hosted Jack Britt High School. Despite leading by a run after five innings, Richmond suffered an 8-7 loss.
Retaking the lead 6-5 with a four-run bottom of the fifth inning, the Lady Raiders were outscored 3-1 in the final two frames.
Richmond led 1-0 after the first inning thanks to senior Trinity Lockhart. She led off with an infield single and swiped second and third base. On the pickoff attempt to third, an errant throw allowed her to race home safely.
Jack Britt (9-7) took its first lead of the game 3-1 in the top of the third inning. Facing starting pitcher Madelynn Pearson, the Lady Buccaneers plated all three runs as a result of errors in the field.
An RBI single an inning later extended Jack Britt’s lead to 4-1. Pearson threw a complete game and allowed eight runs, only three of which were earned. She struck out 13 batters and gave up nine hits.
Chipping away at its deficit, Richmond got a run back in the bottom of the fourth when sophomore Jorja Moore recorded an RBI single. She found a hole in the left side of the infield, scoring freshman Carley McCormick (single) from second.
Jack Britt scored a run in the top of the fifth, but the Lady Raiders answered with four runs in the home half to take a 6-5 lead. Sophomore Kalynn McCormick (walk) scored on a passed ball and senior Jakayla Steele (double) scored to cut the deficit to a run.
Tying the game with an RBI base hit to left field was junior Kinsie Lyerly, which brought in junior Hayden Robinson (walk). With the bases loaded a couple of batters later, Moore recorded her second RBI of the night with a fielder’s choice groundout to third base. Racing home was Lyerly.
A three-run top of the sixth inning put the Lady Buccaneers up for good.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh and Richmond trailing by two runs, senior Mikayla English powered her first home run of the season, a solo shot, over the wall in left field for the Lady Raiders’ final run.
English and Lockhart led the team with two hits each, and Moore’s two RBI were a team-high.
The Lady Raiders (6-9, 4-4 Sandhills Athletic Conference) return to conference play Friday with a road game at Hoke County High School (12-4, 5-3 SAC). Action in Raeford is set to begin at 7 p.m.
JV Lady Raiders notch another win
The Richmond junior varsity softball team also hosted Jack Britt Wednesday and earned its sixth win in seven games to start the season.
Leading from the first inning, the JV Lady Raiders secured an 8-1 victory in four innings (time limit).
Richmond scored two runs in the first inning, two runs in the third inning and capped the victory with a four-run bottom of the fourth.
Earning the win in the circle was freshman Madison Hancock. She threw all four innings, struck out seven batters and allowed one earned run on four hits.
Richmond recorded just four hits in the win — a double by Hancock and a single apiece from sophomore Macie King and freshmen Liz Lunceford and Sydney Barnes.
Lunceford led off the bottom of the first with a single and later scored when King (single) initiated a double steal. A wild pitch allowed King to later score and make it 2-0.
Jack Britt scored its lone run of the game with two outs in the top of the third inning on an RBI groundout to second base.
Answering in the home half, Hancock helped her cause and doubled home a pair of runs to extend the lead to 4-1. Scoring on the two-bagger were Barnes (single) and freshman Jordyn Chappell (walk).
After a four-batter top of the fourth for Jack Britt, the JV Lady Raiders padded the score with four insurance runs. With the bases loaded and no outs, King drew a free pass to score freshman Abby Hinson (hit-by-pitch).
Freshman Rylee Smith (walk) made it 6-1 when she scored on a passed ball. Chappell and freshman Annabelle Millen each recorded an RBI before the end of the inning, reaching safely with the bases loaded on a walk and hit-by-pitch, respectively.
The JV Lady Raiders (6-1, 3-0 SAC) will go for the season sweep at Hoke County Friday. The game will start at 5 p.m.
