Only one softball team in the state has a chance to return to its second straight state championship, and they call Spivey’s Corner home.

One win is all that Midway needs to hang another regional championship banner. Two big innings at the plate, and a masterful performance from Sarah Autry guided the Raiders to a dominant 11-0 win in five innings against Martin County.

Autry breezed through the Martin order in her five shutout innings. The righty allowed only two hits and struck out 10.

In the second inning, the Raiders dropped six runs to build up a lead that they would not relinquish.

Mollie Bass singled with one out, and Jordyn Christopher followed with a four pitch walk. Peyton Herring rocked a single to center that plated Bass’ courtesy runner Ella Clark and gave Midway a 1-0 advantage.

Christopher would slide in safely on a wild pitch, and two batters later, Kiley Ives would empty the bases with a three-run double off the wall in center. Kyleigh Stonerock would score her on a sacrifice fly to close out the inning.

The score inflated the 7-0 in the third after Herring singled home Clark once again.

A walk, error, and fielder’s choice loaded the bases to start the Midway half of the fourth. The Raiders took advantage instantly.

Eva McLamb crushed a line drive to short that deflected off the glove of a leaping Martin County fielder. The ball slowly rolled into to left allowing Tamia Gwynn cross. The throw back into the infield was errant, and Ives scampered home on the back end of the play.

Stonerock and McLamb closed out the scoring on a ground out to the pitcher. Peyton Lane threw over to first to get McKenzie Williams, but the two runners would sneak in on a throwing error back to the plate to make it an 11-0 game.

Autry sealed the deal with two strikeouts in the fifth.

Few teams in the state have navigated through the postseason with the level of dominance that Midway has. The Raiders are outscoring their opponents 42-3 through the opening five games of the playoffs. Game two of the series moves to Martin County on Thursday.

Source: highschoolot.com