RICHMOND COUNTY – Several different Richmond County middle schools and their spring sports teams were in action Wednesday, playing for the first time since returning from holiday break last week.
BASEBALL: Rockets crush Sandy Grove 19-2
ROCKINGHAM -- For the second time this week, the Rockingham Middle School baseball team blew past its competition, this time defeating Sandy Grove Middle School 19-2 at home Wednesday. A day earlier, the Rockets had knocked off Ellerbe Middle School 14-1.
Head coach Jamie McDonald used a trio of pitchers in the blowout win, including Walker Lambeth, Jude Howard and Will Dawkins. Together, the three pitchers combined for seven strikeouts against the Panthers.
At the plate, the Rockets batted through their lineup five times in the big Southeastern Middle School Conference game. Shoan Hodges led Rockingham at the dish, going 3-for-4. James Eason (2-for-3), Matthew Walker (2-for-5) and Howard (2-for-5) were the three other Rockets batters who had at least two hits on the afternoon.
Ethan Clayton (1-for-2), Tate Fann (1-for-3) and Dawkins (1-for-3) finished off Rockingham’s hitting spree.
With the win, the Rockets improved to 4-0 on the season, and are set to play Spring Hill Middle School on Friday at 4 p.m. at home.
SOCCER: Ellerbe boys and girls shutout Spring Hill
WAGRAM, N.C. – On the road Wednesday, the Ellerbe Middle School boys and girls soccer teams continued their winning ways with a sweep of Spring Hill Middle School in Scotland County.
The Lady Wildcats improved to 4-1 on the season, winning 1-0 behind a timely goal by eighth grader Sheila Martinez. Fellow eighth grade goalkeeper Raven Robinson and the rest the Lady Wildcats defenders recorded their fourth shutout on the year. Head coach Derek Anderson noted that his team put a lot of shots on goal, while limiting Spring Hill’s opportunities.
The Wildcats team evened up its record at 2-2-1, with a 5-0 shutout win against the Spartans. Again it was an eighth grader who led the way for Ellerbe, as Duglas Recinos had two goals for EMS. But it was Enrique Hernandez, and brothers Brian and Kevin Cortes, who helped put the game out of reach by scoring one goal each.
Both Ellerbe teams will be back in action Tuesday, as they’ll travel to in-county rival Cordova Middle School.
