Two days, three big district wins. The Midway Lady Wave softball team spent Monday and Tuesday proving what most of District 3A already knew: The Lady Waves are the team to beat. After annihilating fellow district mate Grace Christian in a double header Monday, the Girls from the South made short work of district foe Rockwood on Tuesday. The defense was impressive and the offense just plain showed out. Midway scored a total of 65 runs in the three games, while allowing only one base hit and giving up no runs.
Midway used three pitchers against Grace on Monday. Hannah Colyer, Michele Walden, and Taylor Narramore combined for five innings of work, with no pitcher allowing even a single hit. Kati “Alexander the Great” provided a little entertainment, when she went deep to left field for her second out-of-the-park home run on the year. Left fielder Haley Parks proved once again that she could launch a softball, bouncing a monster shot off the left field fence for a stand-up triple. In the two games, every Midway player would cross the plate at least once, with some scoring as many as five times. The Lady Waves dismissed the Lady Rams of Grace Christian 28-0 in the first game and 26-0 in the second.
Tuesday saw the Lady Waves travel to Rockwood to play their biggest district rivals, the Rockwood Lady Tigers. This game had several of the Midway faithful looking a wee bit nervous. For several years the Lady Waves and the Lady Tigers have battled it out for the top spot in District 3A. Many felt the Green Waves were in for a slug-fest. However, the Midway offense got off some early punches that all but ended this fight in the first inning.
Lead-off batter Alex Coffman threw the first punch with a stand-up double to left center. Lacey Davidson juked and jived to earn a walk in her first at-bat. After the next batter popped out, clean-up hitter Kati Alexander threw a haymaker, busting a two-run double to center field that drove in Coffman and Davidson. Later in the inning, with two outs, catcher Paige Moree caught the Tigers with a solid jab, looping a single over first base to score Alexander. The next batter would ground out to third and end the side, with Midway holding a 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Rockwood never landed a blow. Second baseman Michele Walden, short stop Coffman, and third baseman Davidson would all field grounders and sit the Lady Tigers down in order.
In the second inning, the SOR Girls would put a major scare into the Lady Tigers. Krystal Rue, Taylor Narramore and Davidson would all reach base in the inning. Fresh off her homer against Grace, Kati “Alexander the Great” came up to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Alexander went deep to center field, but came up a little short this time. Rockwood breathed a sigh of relief as the center fielder hauled it in. In the bottom of the second, Rockwood would have their lead-off batter reach base on an error. However, she would be thrown out at second on a grounder to Davidson. After a strikeout by pitcher Hannah Colyer, Davidson would take a grounder at third and make the throw to first to end the inning, with the Lady Waves still leading, 3-0.
In the top of the third, the Lady Waves decided they had waited long enough for the Lady Tigers to catch up. Walden started the inning with a single to left field. Moree got another base hit to right field. Haley Parks then hit to load the bases. Rue hit one hard back at the pitcher, who could not handle the ball. Rue would reach first safely and score Walden in the process. Narramore was up next and she drove the ball up the middle for a two-run single to center field. A pop-out and a ground-out to first followed. Colyer and Alexander both singled with two outs. Then, Walden came through with a two-run double to left center. The next batter grounded out at first to end the inning, but the damage had been done. The Lady Waves had added seven more runs to their lead, making the score 10-0. In the bottom of the third, Coffman made a nice play at short and Colyer would strike out two as the Lady Waves retired the side.
Rue cranked a double to left center to start the fourth, but the Green couldn’t get her home. Rockwood came as close as they would get in the fifth, but nice fielding by the Midway infield would end this threat. Midway would add one more run in the fifth and shut the Lady Tigers down in the bottom of the frame. This gave Midway the victory, 11-0.
The three wins this week give the Green an overall record of 7-2 and a District 3A record of 3-0. Waves pitcher Hannah Colyer finished the Rockwood game with five strikeouts, one walk and no runs allowed. Anyone who thinks this Colyer girl is resting on past success would be badly mistaken. Hannah has worked extremely hard throughout the off-season and the work is showing up in her pitching. Her speed has increased, her control is unreal and her movement is just plain scary.
The Lady Wave infield was almost perfect in the win over Rockwood. The rocket arm of Coffman was very impressive. The fielding of Davidson and Walden was sharp. The catching of Moree was greatly improved and shows the freshman is quickly adapting to her role behind the plate. The girls in the outfield have been mostly untested with very few balls finding their way through the infield. However, these girls are earning their pay at the plate. As of last week, Parks and Narramore are both batting around .600 and Rue’s bat has come alive in the last couple of weeks. First baseman Alexander has had the big stick the last several games. Kati seems to be on base after most every at-bat.
The Lady Waves will travel to Oakdale on Friday; 5:00 start.