ROCKINGHAM — There was no chance to dogpile on the mound or toss celebratory gloves into the air, but that’s not stopping the Richmond Raider baseball team from celebrating a long-sought achievement.
An unconventional final week of the regular season culminated Friday with the Raiders officially named as the 2026 Mid-South Conference champions.
Snapping a decade-long drought, Richmond reigned atop the final conference standings for the first time since 2016.
Captaining his alma mater to this season’s crown, the inaugural season of the 7A/8A split conference, was head coach Eric Brown. It took the 2002 Richmond graduate and former Raider standout just three seasons to put the program back on top.
Making the conference title a little sweeter for the Raiders was clinching it against the Pinecrest Patriots, a program that had won the previous seven conference championships dating back to the 2018 season (not including the 2020 COVID-shortened season).
Setting up the rubber match in the series and the winner-take-all drama was Richmond’s 6-5 comeback win over Pinecrest Tuesday.
Unbeknownst to the Raiders’ players until the end of Tuesday’s win, that victory secured the conference championship a game earlier than expected.
Brown told The Richmond Observer that the Patriots would have to forfeit the final game of the regular season because they were playing their 25th regular-season game, one more than allowed by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.
Although the situation took away some of the angst, anticipation and celebration from the Raiders, they still came to play.
Originally started Thursday on senior night, which recognized the team’s five seniors — Colton Brown, Evan Hodges, Maddox Locklear, Caden Nolan and Jake Veach — the game stopped abruptly in the top of the third inning after a young fan was struck with a foul ball.
A joint decision by school administrators, coaches from both teams and the umpire crew to suspend the game. A decision was made Friday to resume play.
Scheduled to pick back up in the top of the third with the Raiders leading 4-0, it was decided between school officials late Friday afternoon that the game would not be resumed and had officially ruled a forfeit, Brown explained.
The Raiders started Thursday’s game with a three-run bottom of the first and added a run in the second. The decision to suspend the game was made with no outs and a runner on second base in the top of the third.
Making his first start of the season was Colton Brown, who pitched two innings and recorded two strikeouts. He allowed just two hits.
Following a four-batter inning in the top of the first by Brown, Richmond loaded the bases to start the home half. Those players were Veach (walk), Locklear (infield single) and Nolan (infield single).
Veach made it 1-0 when he scored on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Hodges. A passed ball allowed Locklear to score for another run.
With one out, sophomore Devin Haynes recorded an RBI groundout to second base, which plated Nolan to make it 3-0.
Brown sat the Patriots down in order in the second. Richmond’s final run came in its half of the inning thanks to a wild pitch. Scoring from third was freshman Nate Culbreth (walk), who moved into scoring position after a double by freshman Noah Stubbs.
Before the teams left the field, they met at the mound and were led in prayer by local pastor Eddie McLean.
Richmond finished the season with an 18-6 overall record and a 13-2 record against MSC teams. The NCHSAA will release its playoff brackets Monday.
The Richmond Observer will publish photos from senior night this weekend.
Sports editor's note: A correction was made to this article to clarify Friday's game was ruled a forfeit late Friday afternoon and was not to be resumed by both teams. Correction made May 2, 2025, at 12:53 p.m.
