ROCKINGHAM — A three-game winning streak is how the Richmond Senior High School junior varsity softball team has started its season.
Capping its three-game opening week, the JV Lady Raiders defeated Union Pines High School 3-2 Friday.
The Sandhills Athletic Conference game went final after six innings due to the time limit.
Freshman pitcher Mackenzie Quick, who has mostly played varsity this season, threw a complete game one-hitter. She allowed two runs (one earned) and struck out nine batters.
Richmond scored its first run in the bottom of the first to make it 1-0. Freshman Sydney Barnes went to the opposite alley for a double to right-center field to score sophomore Macie King, who singled earlier in the inning.
An inning later, the JV Lady Raiders loaded the bases with one out. Freshman Liz Lunceford lifted a sacrifice fly to right field for a run batted in. Racing home to beat the relay throw was freshman Annabelle Millen (single) to make it 2-0.
Union Pines scored its first run in the top of the fifth inning, making it a one-run lead. Adding an insurance run in the home half, which proved to be the game-winning run batted in, was sophomore Kaylan Parsons.
With two outs and two strikes, Parsons barreled an RBI base knock back up the middle into center field. Quick, who reached on an error earlier in the inning, scored from third.
The JV Lady Vikings again made it a one-run game in the top of the sixth, using an RBI double to make it 3-2.
Barnes made a game-saving catch on a hot shot linedrive to third base for the second out, which was followed by Quick’s final strikeout to strand the tying run at third base.
Richmond had seven hits in the win, led by Barnes and sophomore Madeline Carriker, both of whom had a single and a double. King, Parsons and Millen added a single apiece.
The JV Lady Raiders (3-0, 2-0 SAC) will play at non-conference West Stanly High School Monday at 5 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Statistics and game information provided by Richmond’s Game Changer.
