The Midway softball team began their journey in the NCHSAA State 2A Playoffs on Tuesday, hosting Pasquotank to get postseason play started. After shaking off a slow start, the Lady Raiders got things going and stormed away for a 9-0 victory to move on to the second round.

Midway had to stave off an early-game threat from the No. 30 seeded Lady Panthers, who used a pair of singles and a hit by pitch to load up the bases with two outs. Faced with a situation where an out was much needed, pitcher Jordan Christopher sat the final batter down on a strikeout to shut down the threat.

For the Lady Raiders bats, they were cold to start off. Kiley Ives got a 1-out triple in the bottom of the first, sending the ball deep over the head of the Pasquotank center fielder, but she was stranded at third and no scores were earned.

After a scoreless second inning, Midway’s defense seemed to be digging as they really started to limit the Lady Panthers chances. It all paid off in the bottom of the third when the Lady Raiders offense finally broke through. Ella Clark led off with a single into right field and was scored on an errant fielder’s choice that allowed Sarah Autry to reach second. A well-placed bunt by Gwynn then put multiple runners aboard with no outs and Ives delivered another shot into the outfield that scored both Autry and Gwynn to make it 3-0. After Pasquotank picked up a couple of outs, Peyton Herring got Midway back into the score column on another single into right field that turned errant, allowing all runners extra bases and another run to score. McKenzie Williams served up another error for the Lady Panthers, which helped Herring to come across the plate and make it 5-0.

Three up, three down was the result of the Lady Raiders trip into the outfield in the top of the fourth and the pats were quickly put back into their hands.

Ella Clark went right back to work for Midway, line-driving a double into right field. Two batters later, Gwynn doubled over into left field, scoring Clark while putting herself right back into scoring position. Right on cue, Ives put out her third hit of the game on a single into center, scoring Gwynn to make the Midway lead 7-0.

Another three up, three down performance in the top of the fifth put the Lady Raiders offense right back to work. After two consecutive outs to start the inning, Kyleigh Stonerock and Autry drew back-to-back walks. Gwynn then smacked a triple into center field, scoring both runners to hit the game’s final tally of 9-0.

Ives led the hitting with three hits. She was followed by Clark and Gwynn with two hits each and Herring with one hit.

The Lady Raiders are now 16-3 overall and advance to the second round where they will meet No. 14 seed Nash Central. Game time is Friday at 6:30 p.m.