SOUTHERN PINES — Chipping away at its deficit late in Friday’s game, the Richmond Senior High School softball team couldn’t complete a comeback.
Continuing Sandhills Athletic Conference action at Pinecrest High School, the Lady Raiders suffered a 12-9 defeat.
The loss marked the first time Richmond hadn’t beaten the Lady Patriots (regular season or postseason) since April 28, 2015.
Scoring solo runs through the first two innings, Richmond trailed 6-2 heading to the top of the third. Pinecrest added three runs in the bottom of the fourth to hold a seven-run advantage, its largest of the night.
The Lady Raiders started their comeback attempt with three runs in the fifth, only to be answered by three more runs by the Lady Patriots in the home half.
Facing a 12-5 deficit, Richmond scored four runs in the top of the sixth before being retired quietly in the seventh.
Freshman pitcher Mackenzie Quick made the start in the circle and senior Madelynn Pearson threw in relief. The duo combined to allow 12 runs (six earned) on 12 hits and six base-on-balls. Richmond’s defense committed five errors.
With the bases loaded in the top of the first, Quick made it 1-0 with an RBI single to right field. An inning later, a two-out RBI double from sophomore Kalynn McCormick plated junior Kinsie Lyerly (single) to cut Richmond’s deficit to 3-2.
Trailing 9-2 to start the top of the fifth inning, freshman Lexi Smith and junior Hayden Robinson drew one-out walks. Quick recorded her second RBI of the game, this time singling to the hole at short to score Smith.
Two batters later with two outs, Lyerly drilled a two-RBI double to the gap in center to bring home Robinson and Quick to make it a 9-5 ball game.
Following Pinecrest’s final three runs of the game in the bottom of the fifth, senior Mikayla English started Richmond’s four-run sixth with a base hit. Junior Addison Connor dug in next and connected on the first of three consecutive RBI doubles for Richmond, plating English.
McCormick swatted a two-bagger to score Connor and Pearson lined a double to left field to bring in McCormick. Still with no one out, Smith singled hard to the right side of the infield to score Pearson to pull within three runs.
With two away, sophomore Jorja Moore singled to try and extend the inning, one of Richmond’s 14 hits in the loss. But a strikeout ended the big inning for the Lady Raiders.
Leah Gordon pitched a complete game for Pinecrest and struck out nine Lady Raiders. Despite having more than twice the total number of hits than the Lady Patriots, Richmond stranded eight runners on base.
Recording two hits each were McCormick, Pearson, Smith, Quick, Lyerly and Connor. Moore and English added one hit apiece. Richmond’s RBI leaders were McCormick, Quick and Lyerly, all of whom plated two runs.
The Lady Raiders (1-4, 1-1 SAC) will have two conference home games next week, starting with Hoke County High School (5-1, 1-1 SAC) Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Statistics and game information provided by Richmond’s Game Changer. The junior varsity softball team didn’t play Friday.
