Richmond Senior’s Peter Howe watches the flight of his fifth-inning homer Friday night at Raider Field. Howe also pitched as the Raiders defeated Hoke County, 12-2.
Richmond gave up two runs to the Bucks in the top of the first. But that was the extent of the offense a stingy Raider squad allowed, as Richmond rallied with five runs in the third en route to a 12-2 win over Hoke County on a warm night at Raider Field.
The game was halted in the fifth inning due to the 10-run rule.
With the victory, Richmond improved to a perfect 6-0 on the season (1-0 SEC).
The Raider rally in the third began with one out. Chandler Conner reached on an error by the shortstop, and after an Andy Shuler walk, Luke Bullard plated Conner with a single. Bullard went to second on the throw.
Alex Dockery tied the contest at 2 when he drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. Austin Brower singled, driving in two runs to give the Raiders a lead they would not relinquish. Richmond picked up another marker on a double steal.
The Raiders added a run in the bottom of the fourth for a 7-2 lead. Hunter Kink walked and was sacrificed to second by Conner. With two outs, Luke Bullard was intentionally walked to get to Dockery.
Bad move.
Dockery made the Bucks pay, singling home King to put the Raiders up 7-2 with a single that plated King.
Richmond put the exclamation mark on the game in the bottom of the fifth, erupting once again for five runs. The inning was book ended by a pair of home runs: A leadoff solo shot by pitcher Peter Howe, and a walk-off solo homer by Bullard. Both long balls exited the deepest part of Raider Field: Straight-away center.
Howe went all five innings for the win, striking out six and not allowing a base runner after the first inning.
For Richmond coach Ricky Young, the result was another indication of the fact that his team does not panic when it gets in a hole.
“We know we can play from behind if we have to,” Young said. Last summer, the Raiders’ summer league squad won half of its games after coming from behind.
Richmond travels to New Hanover today. Richmond J.,V. 25, Hoke J.V. 3
Earlier, the J.V. Raiders hit early and often in a five-inning rout of their J.V. Buck counterparts.
The J.V. Raiders are also at New Hanover today.
Contact sports editor David Vantress at 997-3111 or by email at dvantress@heartlandpublications.com.
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