The Midway Raiders completed their week of games on Thursday, returning to conference action with a trip to East Duplin. After taking a 15-0 nothing shellacking the night before, the Raiders unleashed their frustrations on the Panthers in convincing fashion winning 8-0.
Cameron Barefoot kicked the game off for the Raiders as he got aboard with a base hit. Cal Tyndall was safely aboard after a Panthers error to put two runners on base with no outs. After a Carson Calcutt strikeout, East Duplin caught the error bug a second time as Colby Pope was able to reach safely to keep Midway in business. Barefoot, Tyndall and Pope would all cross home plate to give Midway the early edge at 3-0.
The Panthers had no answer in the bottom of the inning and the action advanced inning number two. In the second inning, Midway stretched their lead to 4-0. Jaron Register got the Raiders started after drawing a one-out walk. Register worked his way around the bases and another bit by Barefoot helped bring Register in for the score.
Again, the Panthers weren’t able to answer in the bottom of the inning and action shifted to the third inning where Midway continued to force the issue.
The Raiders picked up two more runs behind base hits by Chandler Williford, Austin Peterson and Drew Matthews. Brayden Coats, pinch running for Williford, and Peterson both reached home plate to stretch the lead to 6-0.
After a scoreless bottom third, Tyndall secured another run in the top of the fourth as he converted being walked into another score to make it 7-0.
Calcutt would add the exclamation point as he hit a solo home run in left field in the top of the six to make it 8-0.
On the mound, Williford was dominant as he went six innings and allowed no runs on no hits. Sawyer Sutton came in to close the game in the seventh allowed no runs on just one hit.
At the plate, Barefoot and Peterson each had two hits to lead the Raiders. Tyndall, Calcutt, Williford and Matthews all added one hit apiece.
Coming into the game, East Duplin sat alone atop the standings in the East Central Conference with an undefeated record. Midway’s win now puts the two each with one loss apiece in the conference with Clinton lurking just behind with two losses.
With the win, the Raiders improve to 10-4 overall and 5-1 in league play. They will return to action on Monday with a trip over to Hobbton followed by a home game on Tuesday against Spring Creek and one final game on Friday at Wallace-Rose Hill.