Raiders fall in final round

The Raiders were poised and hyped followed the dramatic victory they had scored against the Trojans of Harnett County. Facing the Cleveland Rams, Midway kept their wits about them on the diamond but the opposition stood stoic and took the victory in convincing fashion, shutting out the Raiders in five innings for win, 7-4.

Out in South Johnston, the bleachers were packed with proud parents and fans for their respective schools. Midway’s Jackson Campbell was the starting pitcher and ready to keep the Rams dugout in check for what would be a long game. The Rams started out with textbook play as they took their first at bat of the evening as they took a couple of good swings that would translate to just one run with the Raiders running a tight infield defense.

Come the next inning, the Raiders responded in kind. Poised at the plate, Wyatt Lucas would get on the bag to kick things off. Following a quick out, John McLamb walked up looking ready for his first at bat. After a couple of throws from the pitcher, he was locked in and his next swing would be explosive. As the ball zipped to him, McLamb swung and the loud crack of aluminium had the Raiders crowd roaring. He watched for but a moment as the ball sailed high and long, no doubt that he had just hit a home run.

The Midway dugout was at home plate to celebrate his two run jack that would give them the lead at 2-1. Carson Tew would walk to first as the opposing pitcher, clearly shaken, from the homer he had given up. He would advance to second using speed, beating out the Rams catcher, sliding onto base. The last two batters would be sent packing to close out the first. This would be their last score up until the seventh inning.

Campbell was holding his own but trouble was on the horizon. He’d score a strikeout in the opening of the inning and get the out at first off a weak chopper that he fielded cleanly. He ran into trouble, struggling to find the strike zone and walked the next batter. Following this, Cleveland would send a liner into the left corner that gave trouble to the outfielder. In the scramble to grab the ball, the Rams were able to speed home to tie things up at two all.

Campbell stayed the course and was looking to get the next out. A resounding thud could be heard through the diamond as the next hit sped right into Campbell’s chest. He floundered for but a moment as the wind had been knock out of him, but his heroics would pay off as he reached down and somehow got the throw to first to beat the runner for the final out of the inning. The coaches came out to check on him as he squatted to the ground right after the out. He walked off the field to the applause from both sides of the house.

The Raiders ran into some trouble at the plate, and though they made good contact on their three plate appearances, the ball kept finding itself in gloves of the Rams, including a liner straight to the second baseman who reflexively caught it.

Campbell was hurting and it showed in his pitches. Midway was warming up a reliever in anticipation, considering the liner he took to the chest. The first plate appearance from the Rams would be a homer, adding to the stress for the pitcher. There was some hesisitance in his delivery following the shot and it created issues with finding the strike zone as he walked the next two batters. Cleveland managed to load the bases, but Midway was fighting to keep things stable after losing the lead and had accumulated two outs off strong play on the defense.

A grounder that found the glove of Tripp Westbrook would douse the fire from Cleveland as they escaped.

The Raiders fought back in the fourth despite failing to get the ball in play due to the Rams tight infield play for two quick outs. The opposing pitcher would walk the next batter and Tanner Williams would fight hard, driving up the pitch count up to earn a walk. With two outs and two men in play, Midway was looking to score. Cleveland would get the final out of the inning on a strikeout and the pitcher let out a shout as the stress was removed from shoulders.

Campbell would walk the next batter and would be pulled from mound as their next pitcher was warmed up. Harry Johnson took over but Cleveland was hot and ready for him. Wyatt Scott snagged a hard grounder at third and get the first out of the inning, but trouble was brewing as the next batter stepped up to the plate. He’d knock it out of the park, giving them a three run lead off a two run homer, 5-2.

Midway would finally bring the inning to a close and the Raiders were looking worn down after three scoreless innings and a three run deficit. The would rally in spirit but not in scoring though as they struggled to get a man home. They would put two on the bags early but from here ran into contact problems and would be sent back to the dugout following two pop outs and a strikeout.

Cleveland ran into contact problems as well in the bottom of the fifth as Johnson was able to send in troubling pitches. Wyatt Herring would take over after Cleveland put two on the bags off walks. What most on the Midway side though should have been the final strike to end the inning was called a ball and advanced the batter, to load the bases. He would strikeout the next one to take them off the field.

Coach Justin Carroll was trying to revive his team’s spirits reminding them,

“We’ve been here all tournament, guys,” he said while high fiving them into the dugout. “Let’s go!”

It didn’t go quite the way they had hoped and once again they were sent back empty handed following a hit into a double play and following a quick out at first.

Cleveland started bunting more in the bottom of the sixth and this would equate to two more runs crossing plate, giving them a five run advantage entering the final frame. Midway was looking for some of that magic that had all tournament but it had run out. Despite getting players on the bags, they ran into the same issue they had all game and were unable to get strong enough hits past the infield. They’d manage to add two more runs to final score but the damage had been done. The Cleveland Rams won off a shallow pop fly to end the tournament.

The Raiders now sit at 9-4 following the Johnston County Easter Invitational. They return to league play this coming Tuesday on Apr 9 where they will host the West Bladen Knights (5-7).