DUNN – Junior Jaycie Byrd’s 6th-inning triple drove in the tying run then she scored the deciding run on a sacrifice fly as Midway clinched a tie for the Southeastern Athletic Conference softball championship with a 2-1 victory over East Bladen Friday night.
Freshman Karabeth Benton slammed a 1-out double to left-center in the Lady Raider 6th inning. Byrd knocked Benton in with her triple to right-center field, and senior Rylie Williams poled a sacrifice fly that plated Byrd.
Freshman Martha Simmons led off the Lady Eagle 5th inning with a single down the right field line. Two outs later junior Emma Turbeville walloped a double to left-center field that scored Simmons for a 1-0 East lead.
The Lady Eagles stranded 5 runners in the 1st 2 innings and left 8 on base in the game. Junior Karli Priest was hit by a pitch, and junior Laura Davisson smashed a double to right-center field in the 1st inning. However Midway freshman Sarah Autry ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts.
Freshman Mollie Tolar beat out an infield hit, and freshman Gabriella Bray laced a single to left with 1 out in the Lady Eagle 2nd inning. Sophomore Dyiamon Robinson walked to load the bases, but Autry escaped the inning via a strike-out and pop-up.
Davisson pitched a 4-hitter for the Lady Eagles, striking out 2 and walking none. Autry and freshman Jordyn Christopher combined to strike out 10 batters and give up 7 hits, a walk and a hit batter.
Tolar batted 2-for-3 to lead the East Bladen hitters. Simmons finished 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored. Turbeville doubled and drove in a run. Davisson doubled, and Bray singled.
Byrd batted 2-for-3 with the run-scoring triple and scored a run to lead Midway. Benton doubled and scored, and Williams singled and drove in a run.
The Lady Raiders improved to 9-1 in league play and 12-6 overall. East Bladen, now 7-3 in SAC-7 play and 9-7 overall, will travel to Clinton Tuesday night.
East Bladen 000 010 0- 1-7-0
Midway 000 002 x – 2-4-0
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