ROCKINGHAM — The grass is cut and the base paths are lined as another season of Richmond Raider baseball officially kicks off Monday.
As the seasons begin to change, the Raiders are also undergoing a transition this spring that brings forth first-year skipper and former Raider baseball player Rob Ransom. A 1988 graduate from Richmond, the Raider baseball alumni is ready to take the season and program by storm.
Richmond will look to stay near the top of the Sandhills Athletic Conference, after finishing second last season with a 19-9 overall record under former head coach Ricky Young.
The Raiders haven’t won a conference championship since 2016, but is among the list of accomplishments Ransom hopes to achieve in his first season.
“Our goal obviously will be to win the conference and make the playoffs,” Ransom said. “We will need to rely on our pitching, which I believe is our strength. We will need to be able to take advantage of other teams’ mistakes by playing some small ball and having timely hits.”
Going back to his playing days in the mid and late 80s, Ransom understands the tradition of Raider baseball and how its grounded in the program’s success. The Raiders made the 4A state playoffs all 10 seasons under Young’s direction, and Ransom hopes to continue that trend in 2020.
A season ago, the Raiders earned a first-round playoff win on a walkoff by former senior Brett Young against R.J. Reynolds High School.
Gone are 12 seniors from last year, but a strong core of returning upperclassmen and crew of five sophomores give the Raiders a shot at making a splash.
Ransom said his team will be focused on using a strong pitching staff to do damage this spring, and leading the pack is senior Luke Preslar. The lefty is the only returning starter and he went 2-0 as a junior while striking out 17 batters in 14 innings of work.
Emphasizing there is not set rotation, Ransom will use juniors Nygie Stroman (left hander) and Michael Pettitt this spring. Joining the mix will be sophomores Harley Honeycutt, JD Lampley and Cameron Way.
All of them pitched in the preseason scrimmages at Terry Sanford last week, and Stroman canned five of his six batters on the punchout. Ransom said each of the prospective pitchers “have been able to throw strikes in scrimmages and pitch to contact.”
Around the rest of the diamond, Ransom expects healthy competition among his 24 players for playing time. First base will see a split between Honeycutt and Lampley, sophomore Alston Johnson and senior Harrison Chance will battle for time at second, senior Dallas Cowick will start at shortstop and Way and junior Hunter Hancock will vie for time at third.
Behind the plate for the Raiders will be sophomore catcher Colin Wheeler, with Pettitt and senior Austin Talton anchoring right and center field, respectively. The left field spot is still “wide open” and Ransom said “lots could change” as the season progresses.
One thing Ransom hopes to rely on is his six-man senior class, many of whom have been with the program since their freshman year. This year’s senior group is comprised of Will Chappell, Blake Hall, Chance, Cowick, Preslar and Talton.
“The senior group has seen what it takes to be competitive in this conference,” Ransom said. “We have some guys who have shown some leadership so far and I hope that continues.”
Six more juniors and all five sophomores are making the jump from the junior varsity level this season. The juniors are Pettitt, Stroman, Hancock, Tony Gathings, Jaheim Harrington and Tyler Mabe. Representing the sophomore class are Honeycutt, Lampley, Johnson, Way and Wheeler.
“The junior group has shown a great work ethic and positive attitudes,” Ransom noted. “And the sophomores have shown promise and have been working hard as well. Overall, I have been really pleased with what I have seen so far.”
The Raiders will contend with perennial threats Pinecrest and Scotland high schools, which won the SAC regular season and tournament championships, respectively, last spring.
Playing a 24-game slate this spring, with 14 games between SAC opponents, the Raiders will also play non-conference Anson, Ashley, Cape Fear, Charlotte Christian, E.A. Laney, Middle Creek, Southeast Guilford and Southern Lee high schools.
“We are inexperienced, but that does not mean we don't have talent,” Ransom closed. “Our guys are eager to prove what they can do and we are excited to see them have their opportunity to compete.”
Richmond will kickstart the 2020 campaign on Monday at home against Anson at 7 p.m. A busy first week wraps up with an away game at Cape Fear on Tuesday (5 p.m.), followed by a doubleheader Saturday at home against Ashley (12 p.m.) and Laney (4 p.m.).
