Richardson “master of his craft” in Chargers win over Raiders

By Jarrett Guthrie
Editor

DOVER – In both of the first two innings of Saturday’s Saladino Gold Division opener for Plant City and Strawberry Crest, Chargers junior pitcher Luke Richardson worked out of a jam with two aboard.
Steady, methodical, and crafty – Richardson churned through six innings holding the Raiders to a single run as Strawberry Crest turned away its nearby rival with a 3-1 victory.

“Luke is a professional pitcher, man,” Crest head coach Eric Beattie said. “He’s 17, but he pitches like he’s 30, doesn’t get frazzled, keeps his composure and is a master of his craft up there.”

Richardson (3-0) scattered six Plant City hits, and struck out eight in his six innings of work, before turning things over to Alex Philpott for a 1-2-3 seventh inning and his first save of the season.

“Those first two innings with runners on, I knew I had to keep my composure and not do too much,” Richardson said. “I knew if I (did try to do too much), it would slow thigs down for our defense so I just tried to get some contact, let our guys do the work. Once we got up, I just focused on keeping the energy going.”

After stranding a pair in the second with an inning-ending strikeout, Richardson saw his team give him all he would need in the home-half. A hit-batter, an Akhil Nimmala single and a walk loaded the bases and with two outs, and junior Eli Vickers stepped in and waited for his pitch. He got said pitch a belt-high fastball and sent it deep on a line into right field. The bases cleared as Vickers pounded his chest in celebration standing atop the bag with a triple – his third of the season.

“Our success so far has been believing that in moments like that, someone on our team is going to come through,” Vickers said. “Tonight, it was just my chance to come through.

“I went up there hunting the fastball, and when I saw it off the bat I was like, ‘I’m going to get on three.’”

Plant City (5-1) couldn’t get the big hit with runners aboard through the first five innings, finally  scratching out a single run in the sixth as Chase Mobley (2-for-4) singled into center to score Colin Shultz, who led off with a single and moved around on another single from Preston Rogers.

Junior pitcher Adan Longoria allowed the three runs on just three Chargers hits, striking out six in the loss. Rogers provided 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief without allowing a base runner and striking out three.

With the game on the line, Philpott took to the mound for his third pitching appearance of the week and struck out a pair in a clean inning of relief.

Philpott, who is just now getting going on the mound after dealing with some elbow fatigue heading into the season, picked up his first win and save this week on the mound.

“Coach Beattie pushed me to get out and throw because I think I had some mental things going on, concerned I was more hurt (than I was),” Philpott said. “But he pushed me and believed in me and I feel like I bought into his plan, and I’m thankful.”

Strawberry Crest will travel to Durant in the winners bracket of the Saladino Gold Division tournament on Monday, first pitch scheduled for 7pm. Plant City also travels to Durant on Monday, where the Raiders will take on Leto in consolation play at 4pm.

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(7) Strawberry Crest 3
(5) Plant City 1

PC 000|001|0 – |1|6|0
SC 030|000|x – |3|3|0
W – Richardson (3-0); L – Longoria (1-1); S –Philpott (1)
2B – Pues (SC); 3B – Vickers (SC). Records – PC (5-1); SC (6-2).