RHS softball players gather at the mound during a spring 2026 game. Photo courtesy of The Helm.
By Taj Harrell and Jason Iwara
Riverside’s softball team beat Hillside High School 10-0 at home to advance to the second round of the 7A state tournament.
Prior to the game, junior Alexis Gracesqui said the team would need to stick together to beat Hillside for the third time.
“We need to make sure that we’re communicating on the field, even in tough situations,“ said Gracesqui, who doubled twice in the game.
The Pirates did just that. They scored 6 runs in the fourth inning and played flawless defense. Sophomore Reagan Hubbert led the team with three hits and senior Juleah Somers tripled.
The team finished the regular season with its best record since 2008 and secured the Tobacco Road 6A/7A Conference title with a 20-7 win over Northern last week.
“I want to try to make it to the states,” said Gracesqui. “If not then, at least make history.”
The 13th-seed Pirates go on the road to play 4th-seed Cleveland in round 2 of the state playoffs on Friday.
Photo courtesy of Pirate Athletics Media/RHS Athletics.
The baseball team also won on Tuesday. The Pirates traveled 122 miles to Lumberton, NC and scored eleven runs in the fifth inning to beat Purnell Swett 12-5 and advance to the second round.
“We were all pretty miserable on the bus there. So it took a while to get started,” said senior Ryan Dippolito, “But once we did get started, it just compounded.”
Senior Ryan Dawes led the offense with three of the Pirates’ 14 hits. Senior Micah Harris doubled and scored two runs, and Dippolito stole two bases and also struck out four in two innings on the mound.
The 17th-seed Pirates travel to Greenville to play top-seed D.H. Conley on Friday.
“It’ll take the power of friendship [to win], and that’s it,” said Dippolito.
