ROCKINGHAM — The final third of The Richmond Observer’s feature series kicks off with the Richmond Senior High School softball program.
Starting the recap of the six spring sports programs at Richmond, the Lady Raider softball team underwent a season of development in 2025.
Under the direction of first-year head coach Caroline Wilson, Richmond finished fourth in the Sandhills Athletic Conference standings and had a 9-17 overall record.
During the first round of conference play in March, the Lady Raiders faced a large deficit on the road at Lee County High School.
Trailing by eight runs after three complete innings, Richmond rallied to score nine unanswered runs to earn an 11-10 victory, cementing an exciting victory over a conference foe. Sophomore Kalynn McCormick drove in the team’s final two runs on a double.
Reread the original game story from March 18, 2025 below:
Comeback Complete: Lady Raiders score 9 unanswered runs at Lee County
SANFORD — A much-needed win for the Richmond Senior High School softball team was secured on the road Tuesday.
Battling back from an eight-run deficit, the Lady Raiders scored nine unanswered runs in the final four innings to defeat Lee County High School 11-10.
Trailing 10-2 after three complete innings, Richmond dotted the scoreboard with three runs in the fourth inning and two runs each in the fifth through seventh frames.
Six players recorded at least one run batted in for Richmond, including a team-high three RBI from sophomore leadoff hitter Kalynn McCormick. Adding a pair of RBI to go along with her team-high three hits was junior Hayden Robinson.
Bringing in one run apiece were seniors Madelynn Pearson and Mikayla English, junior Olivia Brown and freshman Lexi Smith. Three of Richmond’s 11 hits went for extra-bases — a double each from McCormick and Robinson and a triple by Smith.
Pearson made the start in the circle and surrendered nine runs (three earned) on three hits through one inning.
Sophomore Emma Rusich threw six innings of relief and recorded eight strikeouts, while limiting the Lady Yellow Jackets (2-5, 1-2 SAC) to one earned run on three hits.
Getting the rally started in the top of the fourth inning with one out, McCormick and Pearson each drew a bases-loaded walk to score a run. Robinson dug in during the next at-bat and reached on a single, which scored English (error) to make it 10-5.
An inning later, English recorded an RBI single and she scored in the next at-bat when Smith barreled an RBI triple.
Following a second consecutive 1-2-3 inning from Rusich, Richmond scored two more runs to make it a one-run deficit in the sixth. Pearson scored on a passed ball and Brown brought in Robinson on an RBI groundout to second base.
Richmond loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh inning and took the lead for good when McCormick sent a two-RBI double to left field. Scoring on the two-bagger were freshman Carley McCormick (single) and English (walk).
Preserving the one-run lead, Rusich threw a 1-2-3 bottom half of the seventh inning. She got two ground ball outs and a K to end it.
Richmond (3-6, 2-3 SAC) will play a two-game series at Northside-Pinetown High School (3-2) Friday and Saturday. The first game will start at 5 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Statistics and game information provided by Richmond’s Game Changer.
