LAURINBURG — Rivalry games are a must-win for most teams whether it’s for bragging rights or jump starting a team that’s been struggling over the past few games — the Fighting Scots final home game against Richmond on Wednesday was no different.

It was a must-win rivalry game as both teams eye conference seedings and berths to the postseason. A multitude of fielding errors and a lack of offensive production was the down-fall of the Scots — a recurring theme throughout the season. The Scots handed the Raiders a 7-3 victory to push Richmond into sole possession of third place while the Scots slid into fifth place behind Lumberton.

Both teams were scoreless through the first inning before Richmond’s Jonathan Lee hit a solo home-run over the right-field wall to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead.

Richmond added five more runs in the third inning as Justin Ingram laid down a well placed bunt to give the Raiders a runner. A fly out by Richmond’s Chase Haywood and a heads-up play by the Scots defense tagging Ingram out at second quickly put Richmond in a two-out hole. That didn’t stop the Raiders as Hyatt walked Drew Loving to keep the inning alive. A double to the center-field wall by Chandler Johnson put runners in scoring position. A hard-hit ball to Scots short-stop Donta Green took a bad hop and allowed one run to score and Jack Webb to make it safely to first.

Hyatt then walked Jake Ransom to load the bases. A dropped third strike to Myles Rohleder scored another run for the Raiders before a single to center by Trey Watkins brought in the fifth run of the inning. A fly out to right by Ingram ended the inning, but the damage was already done.

Down 6-0 the Scots started the bottom of the third strong with a single to center by McKenzie White. A strikeout by Justin Ray and an infield ground-out by Justin Bowers saw the Scots quickly pick up two outs. Senior Donta Green was hit by a pitch and Tyler Faulk walked to load the bases for the Scots. A walk to Austin Norton scored White from third, but a strikeout by Daly Marcano snuffed out the Scots two-out rally.

The Scots capitalized on multiple fielding errors by the Raiders in the bottom of the fourth to score their final two runs. Back-to-back strikeouts by Davon Ratliffe and Trey Armstrong put the Scots in a hole early, but a shallow fly behind first by White gave the Scots a must needed base runner. Ray reached base on an infield single to the short stop that was bobbled. With two runners on the Scots dug into their bag of tricks. Ray purposely got himself caught in a run down to give White enough time to score from second. The tactic worked and Ray made it safely to second on an error by the Raiders. A check swing by Bowers bounced off the first-base bag. Bowers made the heads up play and booked it down the baseline before Richmond knew what was going on. Ray was able to sneak across home plate to put the Scots within three of the Raiders, 6-3.

With runners on Richmond opted to intentionally walked Green. Richmond changed pitchers as Lee took the mound in relief of Watkins. Lee went right to work and struck out Faulk to end the inning.

Richmond scored the final run of the game in the top of the seventh inning. Lee started the inning with a ground ball to Bowers at first, relief pitcher Trey Armstrong ran over to cover the base and appeared to have tapped the bag before Lee got there. The field umpire called Lee safe and Scots head coach Chad Hill went out to argue the call — to no avail.

A routine fly ball to right-center field dropped in the middle of three Scots to put Rohleder on base and score Lee. A bunt by Alex Anderson and a dropped third strike loaded the bases for the Raiders with two outs. Hill opted to pull Armstrong and put in Grant Burleson. The Scots sophomore got his team out of the jam on a ground-ball force out at second.

The Scots ended the game with a fly out and two strikeouts looking by Faulk and Zac Phillips.

With the loss, the Scots move to 15-6 overall and 4-5 in SEC play while Richmond moves to 14-9 overall and 5-4 in conference play. The two teams will meet again tonight in Rockingham to finish their regular seasons. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The teams will then wait to be seeded for next week’s conference tournament that starts on Monday, May 1.

Amber Hatten can be reached at 910-506-3170.

Amber Hatten | Laurinburg Exchange Fighting Scots senior McKenzie White stands on third base during Wednesday’s game against Richmond after getting his helmet knocked off after sliding into the bag. White and the Scots four other seniors were honored before the start of the game.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_IMG_1741.jpgAmber Hatten | Laurinburg Exchange Fighting Scots senior McKenzie White stands on third base during Wednesday’s game against Richmond after getting his helmet knocked off after sliding into the bag. White and the Scots four other seniors were honored before the start of the game.

Amber Hatten | Laurinburg Exchange Fighting Scots senior first baseman Justin Bowers tries to tag out a Richmond runner during the early part of Wednesday’s game. Bowers and the Scots other four seniors were honored before the start of the game.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_IMG_1723.jpgAmber Hatten | Laurinburg Exchange Fighting Scots senior first baseman Justin Bowers tries to tag out a Richmond runner during the early part of Wednesday’s game. Bowers and the Scots other four seniors were honored before the start of the game.
Drop rivalry game to Richmond, 7-3

By Amber Hatten

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