BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. — When the Richmond Senior softball team hosted Marlboro Academy a little more than two weeks ago, it only recorded two hits and failed to score any runs in a 4-0 loss.
Friday afternoon, the Lady Raiders got their revenge.
After a two-run homer from Owen Bowers tied the game 3-3 in the fifth inning, NaLee Jacobs hit a lead-off home run in the top of the sixth in order to score the game’s final run. Richmond would take home a 4-3 victory and hand Marlboro its first loss of the season.
“The girls made some good adjustments tonight,” coach Wendy Wallace said. “I think the biggest difference this game was that we were able to execute on our bunts and move runners around. We made things happen.”
Richmond trailed 3-0 after the first three innings, as Marlboro’s Regan Liles brought in a teammate with a first-inning homer. An error by the Lady Raiders would help the home team earn its third run in the bottom of the second.
Tori Mabe’s base hit and Savannah Lampley’s bunt, which gave Richmond a spark in the fourth inning, helped the Lady Raiders squeeze in its first run of the game. The homers from Bowers and Jacobs put the final touches on the come-from-behind win.
”It showed a lot of growth from the last game. It would’ve been easy to give up early but they stayed with it,” Wallace explained. “I think the girls had a better mentality at the plate and they stayed upbeat.”
Jacobs, Lampley and Mabe each had two hits in the victory. Bowers’ home run was her lone hit of the afternoon.
Richmond (7-1) will put its six-game win streak on the line when it travels to Hoke County on Tuesday.
Girls soccer downs Whiteville
WHITEVILLE — Although it gave up an early goal within the first ten minutes of Friday’s matchup at Whiteville, the Richmond Senior girls soccer team didn’t panic.
“The girl split our defenders and got one in the goal but it didn’t rattle us. We just came back and started knocking the ball around,” coach Bennie Howard said.
The Lady Raiders tightened up their defense and answered the opening goal with a score of their own about ten minutes later. Cassie McFayden would put one in the back of the net thanks to an assist from Morgan Hooks.
Emilly Buie scored before the half and helped Richmond to a 2-1 lead. Jessi Graham, who scored an important goal in a tie with Pine Forest earlier this month, scored the game’s final goal around the 60-minute mark — earning Richmond a 3-1 victory at Whiteville.
“Overall, I’m pleased with the girls’ effort. We controlled the ball and passed well,” Howard added. “We played a full 80 minutes tonight.”
Friday’s victory makes helped the Lady Raiders remain unbeaten on the season. They tied with Union Pines and Pine Forest, but defeated Seventy-First, South View, High Point Central and Hoke County prior to the duel with Whiteville.
Richmond (5-0-2) now prepares for matches at Purnell Swett, at Lumberton and against Central Academy on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
“It’s building our confidence,” Howard said of his team’s undefeated record so far.” “Like grandma used to say, we’ve just got to keep our noses to the grindstone and continue working in practice. The young ladies are very happy.”
The junior varsity girls soccer team also won, holding Whiteville scoreless and improving to 5-0 on the season.
Baseball falls in extra innings
CHARLOTTE — For the second game in a row, the Richmond Senior baseball team was forced into extra innings after holding a lead.
The Raiders wouldn’t come on top this time, however.
Charlotte Christian got runners on base in the bottom of the seventh due to a Richmond error and a walk and then capitalized — scoring two runs before getting its third out. The Knights would go without a run in the eighth innning but score one in the bottom of the ninth and earn a close 4-3 win over Richmond.
Charlotte got on the board first in the third, but Noah Stubbs’s 2-RBI double in the top of the fourth put Richmond ahead by one run. An RBI double from Jonathan Lee in the seventh gave the Richmond a 3-1 lead.
The Raiders failed to take advantage of runners on first and second base in the ninth inning after Chase Haywood hit a double and Drew Loving got hit by a pitch.
Richmond (6-2) will face Southeast Guilford today at 3:30 p.m.
Ellerbe baseball, softball drop openers
RAEFORD — The Ellerbe Middle School baseball and softball teams came up short in their season-opening games at East Hoke on Thursday.
The softball team fell in a quick three innings, while the baseball team lost 11-7 in a game that lasted three hours. Cale Luckey led the Wildcat baseball team with two hits. Caleb Autry, Marshall Barnum, Dexter Mabe and Tyler Mabe each recorded one hit.
The Ellerbe soccer teams split with East Hoke on Wednesday, as the girls lost by a goal and now sits at 1-1 overall. The boys team earned a 4-3 win and remains undefeated (2-0), with Alexus Colon, Johan Chavez, Cambry Fonseca and River Meacham scoring a goal each.
Reach sports editor Leon Hargrove Jr. at 910-817-2673 and follow the sports section on Twitter @RCDailySports.
Senior pitcher NaLee Jacobs hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning of Richmond Senior’s softball matchup at Marlboro Academy.