ROCKINGHAM — A rally attempt sparked by the long ball came up short for the Richmond Senior High School softball team Wednesday.
Kicking off their 2026 season, the Lady Raiders and head coach Caroline Wilson hosted non-conference opponent Union Pines High School.
In what was a four-run game after five innings, a high-scoring sixth inning for the Lady Vikings led to a 23-7 defeat for Richmond.
Leading 11-7 to start the sixth frame, Union Pines scored 12 runs in the inning to end the game early.
“We were in it for most of the game and would have given ourselves a chance in the last couple of innings,” Wilson explained. “But things got away from us in the sixth inning and we weren’t able to reel it back in.
“Our pitching is going to need to gain some experience and I think we’ll get better as the season goes,” she added. “I was proud of how the girls didn’t give up when we were down early in the game. Knowing we have the ability to hit quality pitchers is something we can use going forward.”
Bringing the boom with the bat, both teams connected for four home runs in Wednesday's game. Hitting solo shots for the Lady Raiders were seniors Hayden Robinson and Kinsie Lyerly, as well as freshman Ava Clark. Junior Emma Rusich had the other long ball, a two-run blast.
Richmond used four pitchers in the game, starting with sophomore Mackenzie Quick. She threw 1.1 innings and allowed five earned runs on two hits and one strikeout.
Taking over in the top of the second, Clark went 4.0 innings. Keeping Union Pines in check until the sixth, Clark surrendered 11 earned runs on 16 hits and struck out four batters.
Two other pitchers made appearances in the sixth and threw one-third of an inning each – Rusich and sophomore Madison Hancock. Rusich gave up seven runs (zero earned) on three hits and Hancock ended the 12-run inning with a strikeout.
A run in the top of the first was followed by a five-run top of the second for the Lady Vikings to put them ahead 6-0.
Answering with three runs in the home half of the second, Robinson and Lyerly teed up back-to-back solo jacks to left-center field to lead off the inning and make it a four-run deficit.
Junior Jorja Moore doubled in the next at-bat, but a double play erased her from the base paths. With two gone, Clark dug in and connected for her first career home run, sending the solo blast over the wall in straightaway center field.
Union Pines scored a run in the top of the third, but again, the Lady Raiders had an answer. This time, Richmond scored two runs in the bottom of the third to make it a 7-5 game.
Hancock (error) and Rusich (double) reached with one out, which led to Robinson plating her second RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly to center field.
Rusich, who moved up to third on the same play, later raced home and scored on a passed ball.
Two innings later, Hancock and Rusich combined for Richmond’s final two runs. A single by Hancock put her on base with two outs, and Rusich crushed a 3-1 offering for her two-run homer to make it 11-7.
Following Union Pines’ 12-run top of the sixth, Richmond’s bats went down in order to end the game.
The Lady Raiders totaled seven hits in the game, led by two from Rusich (homer, double). Moore had a double to go with one homer each from Robinson, Lyerly and Clark. Hancock’s single rounded out the offense.
Now 0-1 to start the season, the Lady Raiders will travel to non-conference South Stanly High School (1-0) for their second game of the season. Thursday’s game will start at 6 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Game information and statistics provided by the Lady Raiders’ GameChanger.
