The Lady Raiders softball team was off to a hot start in Four County Conference play headed into Tuesday night’s contest against the Wallace-Rose Hill Lady Bulldogs. Unfortunately for the Lady Raiders, the Lady Bulldogs squeaked out a dazzling 10-6 victory in a game that took three extra innings to decide.

Midway had a great opportunity in the bottom of the first inning as they found themselves with bases loaded and a chance to plate the first runs of the game. Wallace-Rose Hill, however, notched a couple strikeouts to shut down the threat.

The Lady Bulldogs made the Lady Raiders pay, picking up three runs in the third inning en route to a 5-0 lead through five innings.

Midway wasn’t done, however.

The Lady Raiders cut the deficit to 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning as Caitlyn Holland and Alyssa Wrench tactfully made their way around the bases to pick up a couple runs for Midway.

The Lady Bulldogs picked up an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning — a run that proved to be critical.

Trailing 6-2 and with their backs against the wall in the seventh, Midway strung together a brilliant rally. Leah Williams, JJ Sankey, Holland and Abby Baggett all crossed home plate to tie the game up at 6-6 to force extra innings.

The contest remained deadlocked at 6-6 until the top of the 10th inning. Midway worked themselves into a bases-loaded, no outs jam. The batter hit a grounder to Wrench for what should have been a routine throw home, but the throw was wild and the ball sailed over Midway catcher Blythe Best’s head as a run scored for the Lady Bulldogs, giving them a 7-6 lead.

The next two batters also each hit grounders to Wrench, but this time the Raider sophomore was able to connect with Best at the plate to preserve the 7-6 deficit. The next couple of Bulldog batters, however, connected on sharply hit balls to the outfield that helped extend the lead to 10-6 for Wallace-Rose Hill.

In the bottom of the inning, Midway was retired in order to end the game as the Raiders took their first conference loss, 10-6.

Leading the way for Midway was Holland with three hits and an RBI and Williams and Kayley Hawley with two hits each. Sankey, Wrench and Lucas also each had one hit.

With the loss, Midway falls to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the Four County Conference.

They were scheduled to be right back in action on Wednesday as they host Triton.

Midway’s Hannah Lucas belts a base hit on Tuesday night against Wallace-Rose Hill.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_Hannah1.jpgMidway’s Hannah Lucas belts a base hit on Tuesday night against Wallace-Rose Hill.
Midway suffers first conference loss, 10-6

By Daron Barefoot

Sports Editor

Reach Sports Editor Daron Barefoot at [email protected].