RICHMOND

After Tuesday’s 24-0 loss to Sacopee Valley, Richmond High School baseball coach Ryan Gardner turned off the scoreboard and told his team to “forget about this game.”

The next day at practice, Gardner went over some things with his team, but never mentioned the game from the day before.

On Thursday, his Bobcats responded like Tuesday never happened, getting a solid pitching performance from freshman Brendan Emmons and clutch hitting in a 6-2 East-West Conference victory over Valley.

The win gives Richmond a 4-1 mark, with the Bobcats slated to visit Greenville for a doubleheader on Saturday. The Cavaliers dropped their first game (2-1) after opening on Tuesday with a doubleheader sweep of Buckfield.

“We rebooted, and we realize that our margin for error is very small, so we have to get good pitching and put the ball in play to have success, and we did all those things today,” said Gardner.

In his first varsity start, Emmons gave his teammates everything he had. He threw 119 pitches, struck out 14, walked three and permitted just five hits in going the distance.

“It was a gutsy performance, and something that we needed, considering we don’t have a lot of options right now,” said Gardner. “We needed him to do the job, and he did it today.”

Valley leads

Richmond used its legs on the bases to claim a 1-0 advantage in the first inning. Mike Stewart walked against Valley starting pitcher Justin Miller and was off on the next pitch to Cody Tribbetts, who dropped a perfect bunt. Tribbetts beat the throw to first as Stewart kept running, sliding safely into third base to put runners on the corners with nobody out.

Bailey Johansen lifted a flyball to the outfield to score Stewart.

Valley got to Emmons in the third. After the freshman tossed just six pitches in the second frame, the Cavaliers put together a two-run frame for a 2-1 lead. Nate Ames walked and Jordan Gillespie blooped a single to right field. Cody Laweryson singled to right to tie the game. Emmons nearly escaped further damage, as catcher Tyler Soucy fired to third to pick-off Gillespie for the first out, and Emmons struck out Miller. But, Laweryson stole third, and the throw slipped into left field to give Valley the edge.

“I had some nerves before the game, but I was able to get comfortable,” said Emmons, who found his form from there, striking out the side in the fourth and sixth innings.

Richmond answered Valley’s two-run rally with one of its own in the home half of the third. Emmons walked and brother Cam Emmons stroked a single to center with one out. A wild pitch moved the runners 90 feet, and Soucy tied the game with a sacrifice flyball. Stewart followed with an RBI single for a 3-2 Bobcats lead.

“It was big to come right back,” said Gardner.

The Bobcats knocked Miller out of the game in the fourth. With one out, Jon Simmons walked, Curtis Anderson singled and Brendan Emmons walked to load the bases. Cam Emmons, Soucy and Stewart each singled in a run for a 6-2 advantage for the hosts.

Brendan Emmons took over from there. He pitched out of a two-on, one-out jam in the fifth, and closed things out in the seventh.

“I was tired in the seventh, and the arm is a little bit sore,” said the pitcher.

Dylan Belanger was 2-for-3 for Valley with a walk, while Gabe Pullen doubled. Justin Miller and Luke Malloy combined on seven strikeouts, six walks and eight hits on the mound.

Stewart was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs, while Cam Emmons finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Collin Acord also singled, while Soucy drove in two runs.

Richmond 6,
Valley 2

At		Richmond
Valley		— 002 000 0 — 2-5-1
Richmond		— 012 300 X — 6-8-2

Justin Miller, Luke Malloy (4) and Dylan Belanger, Jonathan Miller (5); Brendan Emmons and Tyler Soucy. Double — (V) Gabe Pullen. Repeat hitters — (V) Dylan Belanger; (R) Mike Stewart, Cam Emmons. Records — Richmond 4-1, Valley 2- 1. Up next for Richmond — Saturday at Greenville for a doubleheader, 9:30 a.m.