ROCKINGHAM — With another successful and improved season in the books, the postseason honors for the Richmond Senior High School baseball team have been announced.
The 2025 All-Sandhills Athletic Conference baseball team was released by conference president Chad Hill earlier this month. Featured on roster were five Raider players and one coach.
Seniors Jabari Douglas, Landon Taylor and Jason Walker, along with juniors Evan Hodges and Caden Nolan, were five of the 22 players selected this season. Richmond’s five picks were the most out of any of the SAC teams.
Taylor, an outfielder and the team’s leadoff hitter, and Hodges, who batted third and was Richmond’s primary catcher, each earned his second career All-Conference nod. For Douglas, Walker and Nolan, it was their first career accolade.
Earning the top honor among conference coaches for the second straight season was head coach Eric Brown. He was named the SAC’s “Coach of the Year” following his second season at the head of the Raider program, where he played in the early 2000s.
Returning to the NCHSAA 4A East state playoffs this spring, the Raiders totaled a 17-10 overall record. That marked the most wins in a single season since Richmond had 19 victories in 2019.
Competing in a tough conference, the Raiders recorded an 8-4 mark against SAC foes. That secured second place in the regular season standings for the second straight season.
Richmond also won the 2025 SAC championship tournament against top-seeded Pinecrest, clinching the first title since 2015.
Pinecrest’s JC Woolard was named “Player of the Year,” while William Chopping was “Pitcher of the Year.”
“It really speaks to our team’s success this year to have five guys named to the All-Conference team,” Brown said. “We had a lot of players who had success throughout the season. I’m proud of all of our guys, but especially happy for the guys getting this recognition.
“These guys led the way for our team to finish second in the league and win the conference tournament,” he added. “We always talk about wanting to focus on playing good baseball and giving ourselves a chance at the end. I’m really happy that this team did that and got to experience a dogpile to celebrate their championship.”
Eric Brown, head coach
Under the moniker of “Built Different” this spring, Brown led the Raiders with grit and resolve in 2025. Brown coached the Raiders to regular-season series sweeps over Hoke County, Union Pines and Lee County high schools, while splitting series with Southern Lee and Scotland high schools.
As the No. 2 seed in the SAC championship tournament, Brown coached the team past No. 7 Hoke County and No. 3 Lee County to set up a third meeting with Pinecrest. Richmond won the title game 5-3 on the road at No. 1 Pinecrest.
Of being named Coach of the Year, Brown emphasized the team aspect of the recognition.
“Being named Coach of the Year is special,” Brown shared. “It’s nice to be recognized by the other coaches in our league. It’s a team award that recognizes our players’ success on the field and the hard work put in by our coaching staff putting together practice plans year round to get our guys ready to play.
“Coach Ryan Mercer, Coach Kevin Wallace, Coach Andy Shuler and Coach Anthony Hailey deserve a lot of credit for their efforts this year pouring their time, effort and energy into our baseball program. Nobody can do this alone, it’s a total team effort. I’m just proud to be a Raider.”
Landon Taylor, senior outfielder
Photo courtesy of Richmond Raider baseball.
An anchor in left field all season, Taylor closed his Raider baseball career with his second selection to the All-Conference team, all while being amongst the top offensive players in the league.
Taylor’s consistency in the box and speed allowed him to lead the SAC in stolen bases (19) and he finished tied for first in runs scored (27). Hitting at a .411 clip, Taylor had the second-best batting average in the conference.
Finishing the season with 37 hits, the most for the Raiders and tied for second in the conference, Taylor recorded 11 multi-hit games from the left side of the plate. He had four three-hit games against Union Pines, Scotland, Butler and West Stanly high schools.
Eight different times he scored multiple runs in a game as either the leadoff or two hole hitter. He was Richmond’s leader in batting average, hits, runs scored and steals.
“It means a lot to finish my career with a second All-Conference selection,” Taylor said. “It is something I have worked hard for all year and it feels really special to be recognized for the effort I put in.
“Raider baseball has helped me become the person I am today in many different ways. On the field, it taught me discipline, teamwork and how to play the game the right way. Off the field it has taught me to be a leader everywhere I am, whether it is at school or in the community. And playing here has built so many friendships and memories that I will never forget. I’m proud to be a part of this program and I plan to support it the rest of my life.
“Landon had a great year offensively and defensively,” Brown said. “He was about as consistent as you can be. It has been a pleasure writing his name in the lineup the last two seasons.
“He’ll be impossible to replace, we couldn’t have asked for anything more out of him. He’s a really good baseball player, but an even better person.”
Jabari Douglas, senior utility player
Photo courtesy of Richmond Raider baseball.
Always found with a smile on his face, Douglas expanded his role and contributions from the start of the season through the team’s return to the playoffs.
Able to play the outfield, third base and serve as catcher when Hodges was on the mound, Douglas personified the quintessential team guy during the 2025 season. He became an every day starter and moved to the top of the batting order midway through the campaign, leading to a team-high eight hit-by-pitches.
Douglas finished the season with a .200 batting average and a .333 on-base percentage. He connected for 16 hits and eight RBI, and recorded four multi-hit games, all against conference teams.
Also scoring two runs in three games, Douglas was tied for second on the team with 14 runs scored. His eight RBI were spread out across eight games.
“This really means a lot to me because it’s something I’ve always wanted and worked for.” Douglas said. “Earning this really shows that hard work does pay off.”
“This senior class has really shown what hard work and grit really is to the younger guys and we leave with a conference tournament title, something that hasn’t happened in Richmond baseball in years. It really means a lot.”
“I could not be more proud of and happy for Jabari,” Brown said. “He was the heart and soul of our team. He played multiple positions, did any and everything we asked him to do. He was an on-base machine.
“When we moved him to the leadoff spot, it completely changed our offense for the better. He’s one of the toughest kids to ever lace them up for Raider baseball, he loved being a Raider and represented the green and gold the right way.”
Jason Walker, senior pitcher
Continuing his development from his junior season, Walker proved to be the dominant No. 1 pitcher on the staff the Raiders needed this season.
A big believer in trusting the defense to work behind him, Walker recorded a 1.57 earned run average, second in the SAC only to freshman teammate Devin Haynes. Striking out 68 batters in 58.0 innings of work, Walker ranked third and fourth, respectively, amongst pitchers in the conference.
Registering a 5-4 record, the right-hander picked up wins over Southern Lee, Hoke County, Union Pines and Lee County (twice). Striking out at least six batters in seven of his starts, Walker recorded a single-game career high 12 strikeouts in a win over Southern Lee to start conference play.
One of the tougher pitchers to make contact against in the conference, Walker limited opposing batters to a .179 batting average.
“It means a lot, obviously, because I really worked hard at practice and treat this more seriously than a game,” Walker reflected. “It’s a passion and to see the effort being paid off is fulfilling. I learned a great deal of lessons including leadership and companionship and the importance of having a team.
“Everyone has roles, whether they’re in a business or working on a project, and baseball is probably one of the best displays of this lesson. The teammates and brothers I made will always stick with me along with the overall feel of the community. To have the county and people of all ages come together and enjoy baseball is a luxury most people take for granted.”
“I can’t say enough good things about Jason,” Brown noted. “The way he pitched for us last year, we knew he was going to be our No. 1 this year and he delivered every time out.
“We knew with Jason on the mound we had a chance to win every game he pitched, he’s one of the best competitors I’ve ever coached.”
Evan Hodges, junior utility player
A true utility player, Hodges accepted his role again this season as catcher to help benefit the team, serving as a crucial battery mate to Richmond’s pitchers.
Nearly perfect in the field, Hodges led the SAC with a .995 fielding percentage. Offensively, he was third in the conference with a .515 on-base percentage and ranked fifth in batting average (.380).
Connecting for 30 hits, second on the team, and 12 RBI, Hodges had nine multi-hit games this season. He connected for a season-high three hits two times in games against Porter Ridge and North Brunswick high schools. He also had three multi-RBI games, including a season-high three RBI in a win over North Brunswick, and led Richmond with nine doubles.
When he wasn’t calling pitches behind the plate, Hodges pieced together a 3-1 record on the mound. He threw 30 innings and struck out 31 batters.
“It’s definitely an honor to be selected two years in a row and was a very big accomplishment of mine I wanted to achieve going into the season,” Hodges noted. “I’m going to continue to grow as a person and player and help the people around me as well.
“I’m going into my senior season and I know I’m going to be the leader on this team. I hope to get the people around me to have the same mindset I have, which is winning the regular season conference and also winning the conference championship again.”
“Evan once again proved that he’s one of the best catchers in the state,” Brown said. “In conference play, his offensive numbers weren’t spectacular but he had great at bats every night and had a lot of tough luck outs.
“But what he’s able to give defensively behind the plate, is invaluable. He’s a big reason our pitching staff was the best in the league this year.”
Caden Nolan, junior infielder/pitcher
Perhaps the best two-way player for Richmond this season, Nolan did damage at the plate as the Raiders’ cleanup hitter and helped stack up the wins as the No. 2 pitcher in the starting rotation.
Nolan was ranked in the top five in five categories in the conference — .514 slugging percentage (second), .520 on-base percentage (second), 71 strikeouts (tied second), two home runs (fifth) and 19 RBI (tied fifth).
Emerging as the No. 2 starter, Nolan had a 5-3 record with victories over Porter Ridge, Union Pines, Scotland and Hoke County (twice). Holding batters to a .230 average, Nolan struck out 71 batters in 47 innings. He had four outings of 10+ strikeouts, including a single-game career-high 11 Ks against Hoke County in the SAC tournament.
At the plate for the Raiders, Nolan drove in a team-high 19 RBI on 24 hits. He had five multi-hit games and four multi-RBI games, including two three-RBI performances against Southern Lee and Caldwell Academy. Nolan’s four hits at Scotland resulted in his best performance. Going yard twice, Nolan’s homer in the SAC championship game helped seal the deal at Pinecrest.
“It’s an honor, I’m very grateful and ready to keep working,” Nolan shared. “I think what was most notable about this year was how close we were as a team.
“We were like a family and enjoyed playing with each other, and even though we are losing a part of that family, we have new guys joining who are ready to get to work to help the team and add on to our Richmond baseball family.”
“Caden made huge strides and really improved this year,” Brown shared. “He’s starting to turn into the player we’ve always thought he would be. We didn’t have him pegged as our No. 2 pitcher coming out of the preseason, but he got the opportunity and didn’t look back.
“Offensively he was the guy we wanted up with runners on base, and time and time again he delivered. He made our offense go and was one of the most feared hitters in our league this year.”
The Richmond Observer published All-Conference articles for softball and girls’ soccer earlier this month.
