ROCKINGHAM — A two-out, five-run rally by Jack Britt at the top of the seventh inning was an unexpected turn of events, but it wasn’t enough to undo the damage that the Richmond softball team had done in the previous innings.
And the Lady Raiders were able to hold on for a 10-7 win over the visiting Buccaneers on Tuesday.
Savannah Lampley went 3-for-3 at the plate — all doubles — to lead the way for Richmond, which finished with 11 hits. Paige Ransom, Allexis Swiney and Greyson Way finished with two hits a piece. Kayla Hawkins and Taylor Parrish had one.
Ransom blasted a two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth inning to keep the team’s home-run streak alive.
The Lady Raiders (7-0, 5-0 Sandhills Athletic Conference) have now hit at least one home in their last five games.
Jack Britt, the reigning state champions, looked to be out for the count after the home team went ahead by eight runs with a six-run effort in the bottom of the sixth. But the Lady Bucs (4-2, 3-2 SAC) refused to throw in the towel.
Taryn O’Connor landed a single, Catie McGrath was walked and then Alyssa Brown made it to first on a Richmond error, which scored O’Connor from second. Carlie Myrtle brought in McGrath and Brown with a two-run double and then Jessie McRae sent one over the down fence — right down the middle — to bring Jack Britt within three runs.
Way would get the Lady Raiders out of the jam, however, by striking out Alyssa Norton to close the game. The senior ace ended the night with eight strikeouts, seven allowed hit sand three walks. She hit an RBI single in the first inning.
Lampley landed an two-run single, which was followed by Ransom’s RBI double, in the second. Both Madison Jordan and Swiney hit a 2-RBI single in the sixth inning to score Richmond’s last four runs.
Richmond and Jack Britt will meet again in Fayetteville on Friday.
