Another Eason CG puts Raiders back in win column

CHARLOTTE — Ending its spring break on a high note Wednesday, the Richmond Senior High School baseball team got back in the win column.

Playing their fourth game in six days as part of the Jack Sink Baseball Classic hosted by Myers Park High School, the Raiders defeated Caldwell Academy.

Snapping a season-long three-game skid, Richmond defeated the Eagles 4-2.

For the third time this season, senior pitcher James Eason pitched a complete game to earn the victory. The righty surrendered just two earned runs on three hits and struck out a single-game career-high 11 batters.

Eason faced four or fewer batters in all but one of his seven innings. He retired Caldwell Academy in order in the third (all strikeouts) and the sixth.

All of the game’s scoring for both teams was done through the first four innings. The Raiders led 3-0 after two frames before jumping ahead 4-2 after four complete.

After an error in the top of the first stranded a runner for the Eagles, Richmond took a 1-0 lead in the home half. Senior Isaac Hinshaw aired a sacrifice fly the opposite way to left field, plating junior Landon Taylor (leadoff single).

Three straight hits to start the bottom of the second recorded another pair of runs for the Raiders.

Junior Jabari Douglas led off with a single through the left side of the infield and stole second base to get into scoring position. In the next at-bat, Eason helped his cause with an RBI double to the alley in center.

Three pitches later, freshman Collin Hill kept his bat hot and lined an RBI single into right field. Racing home from second was senior courtesy runner Marquan Martin (running for Eason).

The Eagles used a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch to score two runs in the top of the third to cut Richmond’s lead to 3-2.

Eason helped get the final run for the Raiders started with his second double of the game to lead off the bottom of the fourth. Martin (running for Eason) moved to third on a grounder and scored on an RBI groundout to first by Taylor.

Rounding out Richmond’s six-hit performance was sophomore Evan Hodges, who had a single.

The Raiders (9-5, 5-2 Sandhills Athletic Conference) will have off until April 9 when they host conference opponent Lee County High School. Action will start at 7 p.m.