Union’s Corey Smith pitching during Wednesday’s 8-0 loss to Midway. Smith pitched a good game early before the Raiders started to catch fire at the dish.

Midway’s Matt Barefoot at the plate prior to his 2 RBI double that helped the visting Raiders defeat Union 8-0.

Union hosted Midway on Spartan Senior Night on Wednesday. Union’s starting pitcher Corey Smith got off to a hot start, facing the minimum batters through three innings. However, late in the game, the Raider bats came alive to lift them to a comfortable 8-0 win.

The score was tied at 0 entering the fourth inning with Wesley Johnson reached on an error. This was followed by a Kyle Hawley single, and Tyler Pope getting beamed with an inside fast-ball. Two batters later, Raider Dustin Holland singled to left-field to give Midway the 1-0 lead. Midway would go up 2-0 before the end of the half inning by scoring their second run thanks to a wild pitch.

The Raiders would score again in the fifth when Tyler Pope doubled home Kyle Hawley from first. Midway would score five more in the last two innings to blow the game open.

For Union, Smith pitched the complete seven innings and was impressive for a while. Midway really struggled to stay on top of his pitches. Offensively, Ty Travers had a pair of singles, and Warren Gay had a hit.

For Midway, Dylan Hardison went a complete game, allowing no runs on 5 hits, no walks, while striking out 8. The Raiders had strong defensive plays made in the infield by Tyler Pope, at third, Drake Strickland and short, and Jake Clark at second.

Offensively, Matt Barefoot had a 2 RBI double, Hawley had a 2 RBI single, Pope had an RBI double, Trey Wood had a 2 RBI double, and Dustin Holland had the RBI single in the fourth to give the Raiders their first lead of the game.

Midway is now 17-2 on the year and 12-1 in conference play. A win against Wallace-Rose Hill Thursday would solidify a conference championship.

“We just have to go out there and play,” said Midway’s head coach Jason Fussell. “The worst thing that can happen is we tie for first with Clinton. We just need to relax and play ball the way we want to and the way that we know how to play.”