The much anticipated rematch between Midway ace pitcher Hannah Colyer and Oliver Springs hurler Kim Hall finally happened Monday night in beautiful Midway, TN. The Lady Waves had traveled to Oliver Springs last month for a regular season game. The SOR girls won handily, but Hall did not pitch in that contest. After the home season game in the series was rained out, Oliver Springs declined to make it up, preferring to allow Hall extra time to recover from a shoulder injury that had plagued her. The Lady Bobcats unexpectedly dropped two games to Coalfield last week to finish second in District 4A. The Lady Waves had successfully defended their District 3A crown, defeating Rockwood in the tournament final. Most people expected this game to happen later in the week, as a rematch of last year’s Region Championship classic. However, the fact that this contest was a region opener did not lessen the expectations of softball fans from both communities. It was a packed house at Midway, as Colyer and Hall faced off for the first time since last May.
Midway’s Colyer seemed on top of her game all night. She would record nine strikeouts, while allowing only four hits and no walks. Oliver Springs’ Hall fanned ten Lady Wave batters, but gave up nine hits and a walk. Colyer scooped up several grounders and assisted crucial put-outs. This game was touted as a pitcher’s duel. However, the big difference in the contest was the strong hitting of the Lady Waves. The Midway girls combined for nine hits and scored seven runs, while the Lady Bobcats could muster only one run from their four hits. The Lady Wave defense looked extremely sharp for most of the night. Two late-game errors did occur, but Midway had a sizable lead by that point. Alex Coffman looked… well, like Alex Coffman. At the plate, she went 3-4 for with two singles, a triple, and three runs scored. Colyer help her own cause by going 3-4 with two runs scored. Senior Lacey Davidson had a triple and two RBI’s.
The game started with Colyer notching two strikeouts and causing a ground-out back to herself. In the bottom of the first inning, the Girls from the South put two runs on the board. After that, they never looked back. Midway’s Coffman would start the Green off on the right foot with a hard shot up the middle. After a Midway strikeout, Colyer would knock the ball to left to score Coffman. Michele Walden would then reach on a error by the Oliver Springs third baseman, and Colyer’s courtesy runner, Ainsley Presswood, scored on the play.
In the top of the second Midway’s freshman right fielder, Taylor Narramore, would make a nice play on a line-drive shot. A pop-up to Colyer and a strikeout would end the Bobcats’ turn at bat. Midway could not get anything going in the bottom.
In the third frame, Oliver Springs would send three hitters to the plate and Colyer would mow them all down. In the bottom of the third, “The Coffman Show” began all over again when she busted a long blast to the outfield. The speedy shortstop would then round the bases in a blur to stretch a double into a triple. Davidson would pick up the RBI with a single. Colyer reached on another error by the Oliver Springs third baseman. With bases loaded and two outs, Walden could not get out of the way of a hard line drive hit by catcher Haley Parks. That would be the third out.
In the fourth, the Lady Bobcats would get their first base hit. With one out, an Oliver Springs batter would get a big hit to right for a double. Midway would get out of the inning, though. After a long fly to Narramore and a pop-up to Davidson, the Lady Waves escaped the inning without a scratch.
The fifth inning brought more of the same. Two more strikeouts by Colyer and a ground out to second baseman Walden got the Waves out of the frame. In the bottom, Colyer would bust another single. With two outs, Walden came up big with a double to score Presswood. Paige Moree then reached on a dropped third strike. Parks then cranked a hard hit to bring in Walden.
Oliver Springs’ lead-off batter would base hit to start the sixth inning. After a fielder’s choice at first, the next batter knocked in a runner, but was thrown out at third on a heads-up play by Coffman and Davidson. This play showcased Coffman’s amazing arm. It also featured an excellent tag by Davidson. Midway would add another run in the sixth, as Coffman got the base hit and Davidson drove her in.
The Bobcats would come back for more in the top of the seventh, putting a runner on base. However, Kati Alexander erased that quickly. She made a great defensive play, snagging a line drive for one out and catching the runner off first for the double play. One out later, the Lady Waves were headed to the dugout and looking forward to another appearance in the Region Championship game.
Midway will be at home on Wednesday. The Lady Waves will host the Coalfield Lady Jackets, and the Region 2A Championship will be on the line. Game time is 5:00 PM.