RAEFORD — Able to erase a deficit Friday, the Richmond Senior High School softball team couldn’t hold on and lost a heartbreaker.
Battling Hoke County High School on the road, the Lady Raiders lost 3-2. The Lady Bucks walked off the win in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Richmond played a much closer game the second time around with Hoke County, dropping the game by a run unlike its eight-run loss earlier this season against its Sandhills Athletic Conference opponent.
Hoke County took a 2-0 lead on the bottom of the third inning off starting pitcher Madelynn Pearson (six innings, eight hits, three runs). Two of Pearson’s three runs were earned.
Richmond cut its deficit in half in the top of the fourth inning when Senior Jakayla Steele led off with a solo homer.
An inning later, the Lady Raiders tied it 2-2 thanks to an RBI double to the alley in right-center by freshman Lexi Smith. Scoring was freshman Carley McCormick, who walked.
Pearson stranded runners at first and third base in the fifth and sat Hoke County (13-4, 6-3 SAC) down in order in the sixth.
The Lady Bucks scored the walk-off run when they recorded their third straight single to start the bottom of the seventh.
The Lady Raiders (6-10, 4-5 SAC) will travel to Union Pines High School (9-7, 6-2 SAC) Tuesday and try to even the season series. Play will start at 7 p.m.
JV Lady Raiders throw combined no-hitter
Also playing at Hoke County Friday, the Richmond junior varsity softball team earned another victory.
Thanks to a five-run sixth inning, the JV Lady Raiders defeated the JV Lady Bucks 9-0.
Notching its fourth consecutive victory, and sweeping Hoke County this season, Richmond won the game in six innings due to the time limit.
Richmond’s offense helped freshman pitcher Madison Hancock record another win. She threw four innings and struck out eight batters.
Sophomore Macie King threw the final inning and struck out one batter, completing the combined no-hitter. The JV Lady Raiders were two walks and two errors away from a perfect game.
Solo runs in the top of the second and third innings made it 2-0. An error allowed freshman Abigail Hinson to score and Hancock doubled home a run an inning later.
Two more runs in the top of the fifth doubled Richmond’s lead. King brought in freshman Liz Lunceford (single) on a double and King later scored on an RBI base hit by freshman Sydney Barnes.
Breaking the game open in the sixth, King recorded an RBI with a bases-loaded walk. Barnes scored a pair of runners with a double two at-bats later to make it 7-0.
Ending the scoring was Hancock, who lined a two-RBI base hit into left field.
The JV Lady Raiders (7-1, 4-0 SAC) play at Union Pines Tuesday at 5 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Statistics and game information provided by Richmond’s Game Changers.
