PLAYOFF PREVIEW: No. 32 Lady Raiders eyeing upset of top-seeded Garner

CHAPEL HILL — The Richmond Senior High School softball team just snuck into the state playoffs, which were released Monday.

Around 2 p.m., the NCHSAA finalized its 4A East brackets with the Lady Raiders earning the No. 32 seed.

The final slot in the field of 32 teams in the East, Richmond and head coach Mike Way will try to take down the top team in No. 1 Garner High School.

Returning to the postseason for the third straight season in Way’s five years, the Lady Raiders are eyeing to get past the second round, which has been their exit the past two years.

Because Richmond dropped significantly in the seeding from the past two years (No. 7 in 2023, No. 8 in 2022), the team will have to travel this postseason.

The Lady Raiders finished their regular season with a 7-11 overall record and a final ratings percentage index (RPI) of 0.48712, which is what the NCHSAA uses to determine seeding.

Also a part of that formula were Richmond’s winning percentage (0.33389), opponent’s winning percentage (0.51852) and opponents’ opponent winning percentage (0.54347). Those factors made Richmond the No. 32 team in the 4A East in the final RPI rankings.

Garner, coached by Moe Barbour, had the highest-ranked RPI in the 4A East with a 0.70330. The Lady Trojans finished tied for first place with Willow Spring High School in the Greater Neuse River Conference.

Finishing the regular season with a 20-1 overall record, the lone loss coming to No. 4 Willow Spring, Garner enters the postseason on a 10-game winning streak.

The Lady Raiders have averaged 5.3 runs per game this spring, while allowing 8.8 runs against per game. Garner has scored 9.8 runs per game and given up just 2.1 runs per game.

Likely making the start in the circle for Richmond will be junior Maddie Pearson (5-2, 4.94 earned run average, 94 strikeouts). For Garner, it will also likely be junior Gabriella Czuczuk (17-1, 1.73 ERA, 67 Ks).

The No. 32 Lady Raiders will visit No. 1 Garner Tuesday for the first round and begin at 6 p.m.