RICHMOND

Neither Richmond nor Greenville had faced a tough challenge heading into Monday’s East-West Conference high school softball doubleheader.

Figure, the Bobcats held an 80-4 scoring edge in darting out to a 6-0 start, while the Lakers took on the three-time defending Western D champions sporting a similar edge over seven games, outscoring opponents, 87-9.

Richmond showed Greenville where another Western D title runs through, winning both ends of the double dip, 7-0 in the opener and 4-2 in the nightcap.

The Bobcats improved to 8-0 and host Class C Sacopee Valley today and EWC rival Forest Hills for two on Saturday, while Greenville headed back home with its first two losses and a 7- 2 record.

“They were undefeated and they hadn’t played anybody real strong until us,” said Richmond coach Rick Coughlin. “We found out that Greenville is not bad and will be a challenge later in the season.”

“Knowing that we will not have to go to Greenville in the playoffs is a good feeling, and lets us know that we are a good team that will be tough to beat,” said Richmond senior third baseman Ciarra Lancaster, who scored the go-ahead run in the fourth inning of Game 2. “We live for these kinds of games, and the competition pumps us up.”

Opener

Richmond pitcher Jamie Plummer walked Greenville lead-off hitter Olivia Bouchard to begin the day. The senior was stellar from there, retiring the next 13 hitters and helping her teammates build a 4-0 lead.

“Jamie is doing amazing,” said Lancaster. “She is hittable, but she throws a mean changeup that gets me every time. She has given us a chance to win in every game.”

Scoreless in the third inning, Kelsea Anair walked and stole second, one of eight Richmond steals in the contest. Plummer slapped a single to left field, scoring Anair with the game’s first run. After a sacrifice bunt by Noell Acord, Payton Johnson picked up an RBI with a single, and a Greenville error allowed Johnson to score, Lancaster’s groundball completed the Richmond uprising for a 4-0 lead.

Greenville’s first two hits came in the fifth, as back-toback singles by Lindsay Fenn and Danielle Mills put two runners into scoring position. But, Plummer retired the next two hitters on harmless pop ups to keep her shutout going.

Richmond put the game away in the home half of the fifth. The Lakers committed two costly miscues to account for three unearned runs and a 7-0 edge.

Plummer finished with four strikeouts, walked one and permitted three hits, while Greenville hurler Molly Foley was touched for six hits, four walks and struck out three.

The nightcap began well for the hosts as Acord singled, was sacrificed to second by Johnson, stole third and scored on a single by Brianna Snedeker to left field in the opening frame.

Greenville was quick to answer. In the second, Michealla Gilbert led off with a single. After a passed ball and a fielder’s choice, Mills put the Lakers on the board with a groundball to tie the game, 1-1.

Foley handcuffed the Bobcats over the next two frames.

“It was against the same pitcher, but for some reason we were off and not swinging the bats well,” said Coughlin, who called his team together in the bottom of the fourth.

Lancaster heard her coach well, leading off the frame with a single. After swiping second and third, she put Richmond ahead on a wild pitch.

“She is a leader,” said Coughlin of Lancaster.

Andra Meagher followed with a walk, and Kelsie Obi dropped a perfect bunt for a hit to put two runners on. After Kalah Patterson moved the runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt, Anair lifted a flyball to the outfield for an RBI, followed by an RBI single from Plummer for a 4-1 Bobcats lead.

Greenville drew to 4-2 in the sixth when Jasmine Seratus collided with Richmond catcher Snedeker at the plate for a run, but Plummer retired the final four hitters, finishing with two strikeouts, no walks and a second straight three-hitter.

Obi paced the Bobcats with a 2-for-3 performance in the second game, while Plummer was 1-for-1 at the plate, 2-for-3 in the doubleheader with two RBIs and a pair of walks.

Richmond 7,
Greenville 0

Game 1
At Richmond High School
Greenville — 000 000 0 — 0-3-3
Richmond — 004 030 x — 7-6-1
Molly Foley and Lindsay Fenn; Jamie
Plummer and Brianna Snedeker.

Richmond 4,
Greenville 2

Game 2
Greenville — 010 001 0 — 2-3-0
Richmond — 100 300 x — 4-7-3
Molly Foley and Lindsay Fenn; Jamie
Plummer and Chika Obi, Brianna Snedeker (2).
Repeat hitter — (R) Kelsie Obi.
Records — Richmond 8-0, Greenville 7-
2.
Up next for Richmond — Today at home
against Sacopee Valley, 4 p.m.

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