Midway’s baseball and softball teams opened the second round of the NCHSAA state playoffs in dominant fashion Friday night, as both Raider squads rolled to mercy-rule victories and continued their postseason pushes.
The Lady Raiders blanked Greene Central 12-0 in five innings, while the Raiders baseball team powered past Northwood 11-1 in six innings.
Softball
Midway softball wasted little time shaking off any rust from its first-round bye, scoring in every inning en route to a commanding win over Greene Central.
The Lady Raiders finished with 13 hits and held Greene Central to just one hit across five innings.
Head coach Susan Clark said one of her biggest concerns entering the game was maintaining momentum after the week off, but she was pleased with the way her team responded immediately.
“Having a bye often gives you rest time, but it also keeps you out of your momentum,” Clark explained. “I wanted both pitchers to be able to face batters, and they both did a great job. Our bats were working to score every inning, not just have an explosive inning. Just produce consistently, and they did that.”
Midway opened the game with a run in the first inning before erupting for four runs in the second. The Lady Raiders added two more in the third and broke things open with five runs in the fourth inning.
Mollie Bass led the offensive attack, finishing 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Ella Clark drove in three runs while going 2-for-3 with a double and triple. Mackenzie Odom added two RBIs, and K. Stonerock finished with two hits, including a triple.
Maelyn Phillips added two hits and an RBI, while Macy Raynor and Lauralee Harris each contributed hits in the balanced offensive performance.
Inside the circle, Midway was equally dominant.
Odom pitched three innings, allowing just one hit while striking out five batters. Stonerock followed with two perfect innings and four strikeouts to help complete the combined shutout effort.
Clark credited Midway’s focus and preparation throughout the week for the sharp performance.
“I felt like our pitchers did a good job, and I feel like our bats were on and everybody was focused,” Clark said.
With another home playoff game looming Tuesday against Providence Grove, Clark believes the Lady Raiders are embracing the pressure that comes with postseason softball.
“I think this group of girls has been on big stages before, and they can handle it,” Clark noted. “Most of them play multiple sports, and they’ve already experienced deep playoff runs. I don’t think the big stage bothers them.”
Clark added that last season’s playoff disappointment continues to motivate the group.
“Every single one of them has that little desire chip on their shoulder,” Clark said. “They want to overcome what happened last year. They’re focused, they bond together, and they’re willing to do whatever it takes.”
The longtime Midway coach said this year’s team has displayed a level of determination she has rarely seen.
“I’ve never had a group that’s really this focused and wants it this bad,” Clark said. “They really do.”
Baseball
The Raiders baseball team delivered an equally impressive showing Friday, cruising past Northwood behind a deep offensive performance and another strong outing on the mound.
Midway recorded 12 hits in the 11-1 victory, with eight of the team’s nine starters registering at least one hit.
Head coach Justin Carroll said the Raiders’ lineup depth continues to be one of the team’s biggest strengths.
“We were pretty good offensively top to bottom,” Carroll said. “I think we had eight out of our nine starters record a hit during the game. Our strength is kind of in our depth, and we had some big hits from guys down in the lineup.”
The Raiders jumped ahead early and steadily pulled away throughout the game before ending things in the sixth inning.
Wesley Tew went 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI, while Carson Tew finished 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Camden Wilson added two hits, Harry Johnson went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Wyatt Scott drove in two runs.
Tanner Williams added an RBI, while Harrison Honeycutt also knocked in two runs during the offensive outburst.
On the mound, Williams struck out six batters across four innings while allowing just one run on one hit. Cameron Register tossed two scoreless innings in relief with four strikeouts.
Carroll said Midway’s offensive resurgence comes at an important time after the Raiders battled through some inconsistency at the plate late in the regular season.
“I think so,” Carroll said when asked if the bats were heating back up. “Everybody goes through slumps, and ours maybe came a week or two before the worst possible time. We saw a lot of good arms this season, and it’s coming back to help us a lot down the stretch.”
The Raiders now head to Martin County for the third round, but Carroll believes Midway’s difficult schedule has prepared the team for any postseason challenge.
“We have a lot of confidence because we played some really good teams this year,” Carroll said. “I don’t think we’re going to see anything we haven’t already seen throughout the season.”
As the postseason path continues, Carroll emphasized the importance of Midway staying true to its identity.
“Just being ourselves and not trying to be something we’re not,” Carroll said. “If we play our game, I think we’re always going to be in a position to win late in the game.”