Eva McLamb swings and sends the ball into right field on Friday night.
Daron Barefoot|Sampson Independent
Lady Raiders beatdown Red Springs; end game early with 15-0 slaughter
The Midway Lady Raiders continued their dominant run through the Southeastern Athletic Conference softball season this past week, earning a sweep over the Red Springs Lady Red Devils. After absorbing just their third loss of the season on Thursday night at Harnett Central, the Lady Raiders jumped back into the win column with a 15-0, three inning victory over the visitors.
In the first and second innings, Midway had to stave off a couple scoring opportunities that Red Springs had generated. A hit, an error, and a hit by pitch loaded up the bases for the Lady Red Devils in the first inning but a strikeout ended the inning to shut down the threat.
For the Lady Raiders, who only bat twice all game, they produced four runs in the first inning to get the scoring started. Tamia Gwynn kicked things off with an infield single before back-to-back hit by pitches loaded up the bases. A passed ball scored Gwynn to make it 1-0 and a couple batters later Mollie Bass hit a blast in center field to score Kylie Ives and Eva McLamb. A pair of passed balls scored courtesy runner Veronica Tart, making it 4-0.
After again turning away a scoring opportunity for Red Springs, Midway really went crazy in the bottom of the second inning as 11 runs were scored to blow things wide open. Sam Carter drew a walk to get things going and Gwynn followed suit. Ives hit a hard ground ball into left field, scoring both Carter and Gwynn to make it 6-0. McLamb stepped up to the plate next and delivered another ball into the outfield, scoring Ives and putting herself at second with a 7-0 lead. An error at third base allowed Kyleigh Stonerock to get safely aboard before a hit by pitch put Peyton Herring in play to load to the bases. Bass stepped in a send another hard hit ball to center field, which produced a huge error and allowed Ives, Stonerock, and Herring to score, jolting the lead now to 10-0. An infield fly out finally got two outs for the Lady Red Devils defense but the Lady Raiders were far from done. Ella Clark got an infield single, beating out a throw from shortstop to first base before Carter also beat out a throw from second base to first. In the fray, Tart, again courtesy running, and Clark both scored to make it 12-0. A ball four wild pitch to Gwynn plated Carter, making it 13-0, and another double by ives scored Gwynn to make it 14-0. Midway’s final run came on another hit by McLamb that scored Ives, making it 15-0 before Red Springs finally got out of all of that mess.
Three up, three down in the top of the third quickly ended the game as the Lady Raiders kicked the weekend off early with a 15-0 victory.
Ives and McLamb were credited two hits apiece in the game. Carter, Clark, Bass, and Gwynn all were given credit for one hit each.
Midway is now 13-3 overall and 8-0 in conference play. This week, they wrap up regular season play with their series against St. Pauls, who is also having a great season and is undefeated in league play. With the conference championship on the line, these next two games have huge implications for the playoffs, which are set to begin next week. These games are scheduled for Tuesday at Midway and Friday at St. Pauls.