One win away from a trip to the state championship series, the Midway Raiders now find themselves in a winner-take-all showdown after splitting the opening two games of the NCHSAA 3A Regional Finals against Whiteville.
Midway opened the best-of-three series in dominant fashion Tuesday night on the road, blanking the Whiteville Wolfpack 4-0 behind a complete-game gem from junior Tanner Williams. However, the Raiders were unable to close out the series Thursday at home, surrendering a late lead in a 5-4 loss that forced a decisive Game 3 tonight in Whiteville. See full game results Wednesday and upates on our Facebook page.
Despite the setback, Midway head coach Justin Carroll believes his team will respond with the right mentality as the Raiders attempt to punch their ticket to the state championship.
“We just made too many mistakes, and it was self-inflicted wounds more than anything,” Carroll reflected. “We beat ourselves and didn’t capitalize on plenty of opportunities that we had.”
Still, the longtime skipper indicated the Raiders quickly turned their attention toward the opportunity still in front of them.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got one game to go to a state championship,” Carroll emphasized. “We’ve kind of got to put last night behind us and move on as quick as we can and get over it.”
Tuesday’s series opener showcased Midway at its best.
Williams delivered a complete-game shutout, tossing seven innings while allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out six batters. The junior threw 82 pitches and consistently worked ahead in counts to keep Whiteville from ever finding offensive rhythm.
At the plate, Midway generated just enough offense to back its ace.
Senior Carson Tew continued his standout postseason by going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a double. Camden Wilson added a hit and scored a run, while Harry Johnson and Wyatt Scott each contributed hits. Scott also drove in a run for the Raiders.
Midway finished with five hits and four RBIs in the victory while holding the Wolfpack scoreless throughout the night.
The momentum appeared to carry into Thursday’s second matchup as the Raiders built a 4-2 advantage entering the later innings.
Midway’s offense started fast, collecting seven hits while receiving RBIs from Cameron Register, Wesley Tew and H. Honeycutt. Tew also launched a home run as part of a 1-for-3 performance with an RBI and a run scored.
Register finished 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored, while Honeycutt went 1-for-2 with two RBIs. Camden Wilson, Luke Peterson, Tanner Williams and Harry Johnson each added hits in the contest.
The Raiders appeared positioned to seize control of the regional finals after settling in defensively through the middle innings.
Register started on the mound for Midway and allowed just one earned run across four innings while surrendering two hits and striking out one batter. Wesley Tew came in briefly in relief before Wilson worked the final 3 1/3 innings, striking out three batters.
After Midway retired Whiteville in order during the top of the fourth inning, the Raiders carried a 4-2 lead into the fifth and looked poised to close out the series on their home field.
However, Whiteville clawed its way back in the fifth inning, tying the contest at 4-4 following a stolen base and a pair of sacrifice flies before eventually pulling ahead late to even the series.
Midway had opportunities to answer in the bottom half of the fifth.
Williams opened the inning by putting the ball in play, but was retired at first base. Wesley Tew followed with a flyout before Wyatt Scott worked a walk to keep the inning alive. With two outs, Harry Johnson battled through a lengthy at-bat before eventually striking out as the Raiders stranded another runner.
Carroll noted afterward that missed opportunities ultimately proved costly in a game that carried enormous stakes.
Even so, the Raiders enter today’s winner-take-all contest believing they are capable of finishing the job on the road, where they already claimed a shutout victory earlier in the series.
“It’ll be fine,” Carroll said of his team’s mindset heading into Game 3. “We’ll get to practice today and move on. We’ve got one game to go to a state championship.”
Adding to the emotional weight of the weekend, several Midway seniors walked across the graduation stage Friday before preparing to take the field once again Saturday with their season on the line.
Carroll does not expect the moment to become a distraction.
“It’s just another stepping stone for them. They’ll graduate and then we’ll get back to work the next day.”
The Raiders may also benefit from the emotion surrounding the moment.
“I think so,” Carroll said when asked whether Midway would carry a chip on its shoulder into Game 3. “It’ll be an emotional game, and that’s fine. We typically play pretty well during an emotional game. We’ve just got to take it one pitch at a time, and I think we’ll be in good shape.”
The winner of today’s regional championship game will advance to the NCHSAA 3A State Championship Series. The official championship site has not yet been announced, though Carroll noted the series is expected to be held either in Burlington or Holly Springs.