ROCKINGHAM — A couple of high-scoring innings and a dual performance on the mound and at the plate helped the Richmond Senior High School junior varsity baseball team stay in the win column Friday.
Continuing their mid-season tear, the JV Raiders moved their winning streak to six straight games and completed another series sweep against a Mid-South Conference opponent.
Friday’s meeting with Hoke County High School, the teams’ third meeting this spring, resulted in a 14-3 mercy-rule victory for Richmond in five innings.
Freshman Colton Nelson did double damage as the team’s starting pitcher and at the plate. He pitched four innings to get the win and finished with two hits and a team-high four runs batted in.
On the bump, Nelson struck out three JV Bucks and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits. He went 2-for-4 at the dish with a double and a single.
Freshman Nate Culbreth closed the door with one inning of relief, allowing no runs on two hits.
Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the second inning, the JV Raiders struck for six runs in the home half to take the lead for good. Later in the bottom of the fourth, they doubled their scoring with seven more runs.
Freshman Brody Bryant matched Nelson for the team lead with two hits. Freshman Jackson Parsons connected for a base hit and drove in two RBI.
Adding a hit and an RBI apiece were Culbreth and freshmen Sam O’Neal and Jaxton Watson. Sophomore Kerick Hairston Jr. recorded one RBI and freshman Cooper Gainey rounded out Richmond’s nine-hit effort.
Culbreth, who singled with two away in the first inning, gave Richmond a 1-0 lead when he scored on a wild pitch.
Hoke County took a 2-1 lead after the top of the second. Getting Richmond’s six-run frame started was freshman Nate Erwin, who reached on an error following a bunt, which allowed Gainey (single) to score and tie the game.
With the bases loaded and one out, O’Neal smacked a line drive RBI single to center to bring home Bryant (single). A pitch later, Nelson helped his own cause when he connected for a two-RBI double the alley, scoring Erwin and Hairston Jr. (walk) to make it 5-2.
On the first offering in the next at-bat, Culbreth recorded his RBI with a sacrifice fly to right field, giving O’Neal time to score ahead of the relay.
Richmond’s final run of the second came when Parsons drew a bases-loaded walk. Trotting home was freshman Jacob Stogner, who was courtesy running for Nelson.
The JV Bucks got a run back in the top of the third, but that ended their scoring. Nelson faced just four batters in the fourth, which led to Richmond’s seven-run runaway inning.
Culbreth (leadoff error) scored on an RBI fielder’s choice by Watson, beating a rundown situation between third and home safely.
After Gainey reached on a free pass, he initiated a successful double steal that resulted in Watson scoring on a swipe of home. Parsons recorded his second RBI during the same at-bat with a base hit to center to score Gainey.
Up 10-3, the JV Raiders loaded the bases on a Bryant bunt single and a walk to Erwin. Parsons scored on a wild pitch and Hairston Jr. collected his RBI on a fielder’s choice, which plated Bryant.
With one away, Nelson put an exclamation point on his day with a two-RBI single on a liner to center. Scoring from third was Erwin and Hairston Jr. hustled in from second.
Culbreth loaded the bases in the top of the fifth but worked out of the jam by getting a 3-1 groundout for the third out.
The JV Raiders (9-3, 9-2 MSC) will play once more this week during Saturday’s alumni celebration. They’ll host non-conference Ashley High School at 1 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Game information and statistics provided by Richmond’s GameChanger.
