SPIVEY’S CORNER — The Midway Lady Raiders defeated the North Johnston Panthers for a 5-4 victory in game three of the Eastern Regional Final on Wednesday. Senior Mallory Baggett smashed a homer over the wall to give the Lady Raiders an early 2-0 advantage in the second inning. North Johnston responded at their next at-bat by getting a runner to cross the plate on a fielder’s choice.
Midway extended their lead with two more runs at the bottom of the third after their opponents failed to get a force out at home plate and sophomore Kiley Ives brought home a runner with an RBI-single. The Panthers attempted to claw their way back in the fifth inning by cutting the deficit to 4-3 on senior Jessie Gross’ inside-the-park homerun. The Lady Raiders attempted to respond in their half of the inning but went down swinging.
Midway had their sophomore ace Sarah Autry in the center circle and she came in clutch by getting her team out of a bases-loaded situation at the top of the sixth. The bases-loaded situation may have given the Lady Raider faithful a slight heart palpitation but it gave them more reason to put the game away in their next at-bat. Senior Lainey Hughes batted in the decisive fifth run on a RBI-double in the bottom of the sixth. North Johnston would get a constellation run in the top of the seventh but the host held firm.
Midway will meet the defending champions the West Stanly Colts for a three-game series that will start this Friday at Duke University. This is the Lady Raiders’ first appearance in the state championship game since 2010.