Central Lady Cats Unable to Keep Up with No. 16 Waco Midway

SAN ANGELO, TX-- The Central Lady Cats were unable to keep up with the 16th-ranked Midway Pantherettes in an 11-1 loss Tuesday night at home. 

“I think this is the toughest team we’ve played all year. Top to bottom. Pitching, fielding, and hitting they are the the best we’ve played all year,” said Central Softball Head Coach David Millsap. “We went seven innings against them, which has never happened in Central history. I'm not a believer in moral victories, but that was a moral victory.”

Midway was dominant throughout the contest putting points up easily, while Central struggled to get runners across home plate.

Ashton McMillan got into a jam in the first inning after allowing baserunners on first and third with two outs left, but got out of it after a fake throw-down to the second base led to an out at home plate. 

Central was unable to respond in the bottom half of the first with all three Lady Cat batters retired in order. 

A sacrifice fly by Caitlyn Dobbs brought in Faith Fernandez and a wild pitch by McMillan brought in another run to put Midway up 2-0. A triple by Caroline Rowatt brought in Karyn Trochim making it 3-0 Midway. 

After loading the bases McMillan finally managed to get Central out of another sticky situation after striking out Jenna Rowatt for the third out in the top of the second inning.  

Sydnie Gilbert led things off in the bottom half of the second with a triple, but was stranded after three Lady Cats struck out in a row.

Although McMillan managed to get out of the third inning with no runs earned, Central was shut down once again and unable to score any runs in the inning.

Midway did not let up and poured it on in the fourth inning scoring four runs to make it 7-0. Central was unable to get anything going in the bottom half of the inning with all three batters retired in order once again.

Bailey Fulps came in the 5th in relief for McMillan who allowed eight hits and earned a loss for the game. Midway tacked on two more runs in the fifth while Central finally earned a run after McMillan crossed the plate on an error to make it a 9-1 game.

It was a scoreless sixth inning for both teams, but Midway responded once again in the top of the seventh with two more runs while Central could not respond. The Pantherettes would end up taking the game by a final score of 11-1.

Sydnie Gilbert led the team offensively by going 2-for-3 at the plate. Asthon McMillan and Emily Sanchez each went 1-for-3 for the Lady Cats.

The Lady Cats (8-5-2) will look to rebound in an away game against district opponent Shoemaker Killeen this Friday at 6 p.m.