ROCKINGHAM — Trailing 6-2 entering the bottom of the fifth inning during Wednesday’s game, the junior varsity Richmond Renegade baseball team rallied to defeat Southern Lee in walk-off fashion.
The JV Renegades plated three runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth to earn a 7-6 win, ending in a walk-off RBI single to right field by rising freshman Jason Walker.
The base knock that scored rising sophomore Cain Hunsucker (fielder’s choice) with the bases loaded ended the game in six innings due to the time limit.
Walker was swarmed by his teammates on the infield after completing the comeback win and helping the team take the first two games against Southern Lee.
Head coach Corey Wallace said he was impressed with his team’s resiliency in the final couple of frames to battle back for the win.
“The walk-off hit is a big deal for the whole team, especially Jason, because that opportunity doesn’t come up a lot at this age,” Wallace said. “The last two innings we showed we had some fight left and started having some good at-bats.
“Battling back those last two innings was great, and I’m proud of the guys, but that’s the way we have to play from the get-go,” he added. “We had to scratch out some runs late, and that’s a testament to our resiliency. Jason came up with a big-time hit.”
Rising freshman Jason Walker connects on his walk-off single in the bottom of the sixth inning. (Kyle Pillar)
Rising freshman pitcher Jeremiah Ritter started on the mound for Richmond, going three innings and allowing six runs (three earned) on five hits. He struck out five batters and walked one.
Evan Hodges, a rising eighth grader, threw the final three innings of relief and didn’t allow any runs on three hits. Hodges punched out two batters and put one on base via a walk.
Southern Lee scored three runs in the top of the first inning, but Richmond responded with a run in the home half of the second to make it a 3-1 deficit. Rising freshman Landon Taylor drew a walk, and moved around the bases to home on a couple of wild pitches.
Three more runs by Southern Lee to start the third inning came on a pair of singles and an RBI groundout. Ritter knocked a run off Richmond’s deficit in the bottom of the third by singling and later scoring on a wild pitch to make it a 6-2 game.
“Jeremiah didn’t have his best stuff today, which happens,” Wallace explained. “Evan came in and closed the door and he’s a solid pitcher who throws strikes. That’s what we expected him to do and he was able to throw three scoreless innings.”
Hodges stranded two runners on base in the top of the fourth, and Richmond’s bats couldn’t take advantage with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom half. Facing just four batters in the top of the fifth, Hodges’ efforts got the JV Renegades back to the dish.
Rising eighth grader Evan Hodges delivers a pitch during one of his three scoreless innings of relief. (Kyle Pillar)
Walker led off the bottom of the fifth with a single, which was followed by rising freshman Brooks Calhoun reaching on a one-out error to put two runners on.
Following a groundout, Ritter kept his bat hot and lasered a two-out, two-RBI double to the right-center gap, plating Walker and Calhoun. Ritter moved to third on a passed ball and scored the inning’s final run on another pitch to the backstop.
After a 1-2-3 top of the sixth that saw Hunsucker nab a runner trying to swipe second, Richmond resorted to small ball to try and scratch out the win.
Trailing 6-5, three straight hit-by-pitches to start the inning loaded the bases, and C.J. Jenkins quickly scored on a passed ball to tie the game.
Wallace had Hunsucker and Taylor attempt safety squeezes to score the game-winning run, but both times Southern Lee made the play at the plate.
Walker stepped in with two outs and barreled up the first offering, a high fastball, that landed safely in right field, scoring Hunsucker to end the game.
The JV Renegades had six hits in the win, two each from Ritter and Walker. Hunsucker and rising sophomore Tyler Graham added singles. Ritter had two RBIs and Walker had one.
Richmond (7-3) will look to close out the three-game sweep against Southern Lee on Thursday at home at 4:30 p.m.
