ROCKINGHAM — Putting on a show for former players and members of the program, the Richmond Senior High School baseball team earned a mercy-rule win Saturday.
Taking a break from Mid-South Conference action, the Raiders took down another quality non-conference opponent on Alumni Day.
While celebrating the 50-year reunion of Richmond’s 1976 state championship-winning team, the Raiders steamrolled Ashley High School 11-0 in five innings.
Ten of Richmond’s 11 runs scored were runs batted in, including a career-best five RBI from sophomore shortstop Devin Haynes. He went 2-for-3 with a double and a single and scored two runs.
A pair of Raiders added two RBI each – junior Drew Gause, who had a team-high three hits and three runs scored, and freshman Noah Stubbs. Junior Jacob Trexler added the team’s other RBI.
Starting on the mound was senior Maddox Locklear, who pitched all five innings and only allowed three hits in the shutout win. He fanned three Screaming Eagles batters via the strikeout and finished with two hits and two runs scored at the dish.
Richmond got off to a fast start and scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning after Locklear faced four batters in the top half.
The Raiders plated two runs in the third and made it a double-digit lead with their last four runs in the fourth stanza.
Gause got his three-hit game started in the first with one out and the bases loaded. He singled to right field and scored senior Jake Veach (single).
The first two of Haynes’ five RBI came in the next at-bat with the bases still loaded. He poked a single to right field and brought in Locklear (single) and senior Evan Hodges (walk).
Richmond’s next two batters were Stubbs and Trexler, who brought in a run each thanks to an error and a sacrifice fly, respectively. Crossing home plate to make it 5-0 were Gause and Haynes.
Locklear recorded a 1-2-3 top of the second and did the same thing in the visitors’ half of the third inning.
Gause singled to start the third for Richmond and scored when Haynes reached on an error. After Haynes swiped second base, Stubbs drove him in with an RBI single to right field.
Leading 7-0 to start the home half of the fourth following another straight-up, straight-down inning from Locklear, Richmond was quick to strike for its final four runs.
Loading the bases with no outs were Locklear (single), senior Caden Nolan (single) and Hodges (hit-by-pitch). Everyone moved 90 feet and Locklear scored when Gause singled into the left field grass.
Four pitches later, Haynes cleared the bases and recorded his final three RBI on a double to right field. That scored Nolan, Hodges and Gause to make it 11-0.
Two of Ashley’s hits came in the top of the fifth, but Locklear stranded both runners at first and second bases when a fly out to Veach in center ended the game.
The Raiders (15-4, 10-1 MSC) will start another three-game week Tuesday at home against Overhills High School (5-12, 3-8 MSC).
First pitch from Teacher Appreciation Night is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Game information and statistics provided by Richmond’s GameChanger.
