HARROGATE, Tenn. — Ritchie Richardson is as humble as they come.
 
On a day the Hall of Fame coach knew was approaching, he gave all the praise and glory to those who have worked and played under him over the past 23 seasons.
 
And that 1,000th win milestone couldn't have come on a better day than Saturday when his alma mater and Lincoln Memorial University softball team toppled first-place Lenoir-Rhyne, defeating the Bears, 5-3 and 6-4, in the paramount South Atlantic Conference matchup at Dorothy Neely Field on Senior Day.
 
"It means a lot; it really does," the second-year LMU head coach said, "but those type of things are about team and accomplishments for a lot of people. I've been fortunate in my career to work with a lot of fine assistant coaches, coached a lot of fantastic players and stuff like this is about them getting it done more than it is me getting it done. I haven't swung a bat during those 1,000 wins or caught a ball; I've just been fortunate to be around some really good people to help me get it. I always think it's a shared award — it really is.
 
"I'm always looking at the next one. I'm just glad 1,000 got us something and put us in a good position, and 1,001 was sweeter for me than 1,000 just because it was a sweep and put us back at the top of the pack. It was a great accomplishment for [the team today]."
 
The doubleheader victory was that much sweeter because it marked the LMU softball program's first 30-win season since 2013 — that squad finished 30-22 — and the 14th in program history. The pair of wins was also the Lady Railsplitters' first-ever sweep of the Bears and just the fourth and fifth victory against Lenoir-Rhyne and their first since 2014.
 
It was also fitting that LMU (31-11, 9-7 SAC) was led by its trio of seniors — Allie Jones, Jacie Pittman and Kelsie Hocutt — on their special day at Dorothy Neely Field.
 
"I thought today was awesome because it's Senior Day and our three seniors had great days," Richardson said, "and that makes it even more special."
 
In the first game, Jones was 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI that knotted the score at 2-all in the fourth inning before freshman Sierra Hucklebee (1-for-3, walk) used her first double of the day to give the Lady Railsplitters a 4-2 lead they'd never lose.
 
Fellow freshman McKenzie Henry followed Hucklebee's lead with an RBI-single, scoring Hucklebee to complete LMU's three-hit, five-run inning to chase starter Emily Kenley (L, 7-5), which proved to be enough in the 5-3 win.
 
In the circle, Justice Smith (W, 9-1) snagged her ninth victory of the season in the first game, allowing two earned runs on six hits despite walking five batters. Faith Howe started the second game, but when the Bears rallied to knot the score at 4-all in the fifth inning Bailey Griffith (W, 11-7) relieved her and did a job well done.
 
L-R (25-15, 8-7) knocked two hits across on the freshman; however, they were unable to score anymore runs as the Lady Railsplitters responded to the Bears' two-run fifth inning with one of their own.
 
It was Hocutt with a senior moment, slicing a two-RBI single through shortstop to score the game-winning runs in Emma Webb (double) and Henry (walk) for the 6-4 lead that remained true.
 
In the first inning, the Lady Railsplitters got off to a hot start, spotting four runs on conference win leader Brandi Parks (L, 17-8). Webb begin the scoring with an RBI-single to score Ty-Kella Goins (walk), and then Grace Cochran doubled into right center to bring around Webb for the 2-nil advantage.
 
Pittman was next as the senior had her biggest hit of the day, a two-RBI double into left center to plate Hocutt, who reached on an error, and Cochran for the three-hit, four-run opening frame to put LMU in prime position for the sweep.
 
The twin bill win turned over a new leaf for the Lady Railsplitters, taking them out of a four-way tie for fifth place and into a four-way tie for first place and pushing the Bears into sole possession of fifth place.
 
"Coming into today, the top team in the conference had nine wins, the bottom team in the conference had six wins and everybody is bunched up in the middle," Richardson said. "We were sitting at 7-7, tied for fifth place but because everybody is right there, literally one doubleheader and you can catapult half the conference. Our theme coming into this doubleheader was trading places. Lenoir-Rhyne was at the top, we are in the middle so let's take two from them and now we are right back up there at the top. It was good to see us have that as our theme and then accomplish it."