Biloxi Deals Maroon Tide First Loss of Season 3-2

by Carey Meitzler

The Biloxi Indians defeated the Picayune Maroon Tide at the Barry

Harper Dodge Invitational Tournament at Pearl River Community

College by a score of 3-2.  The loss drops the Maroon Tide to 3-1

on the season and Biloxi evened its record at 2-2.

The Indians, the home team by virtue of a pre-game coin flip, scored

a run in the bottom of the first.  Ryan Pisarich bounced a single up the

middle with one out and gave way to courtesy runner Michael Ringer. 

Ringer stole second base and scored a base hit to right field by Brent

Hudson for the early 1-0 lead.

Biloxi added two more runs in the third with two outs.  Designated hitter

Chris Hartfield singled to left and stole second base.  Paul Gunn walked

and Jake Leblanc lined a double to the left center field gap plating both

runners for a 3-0 lead.

Picayune scored two runs in the top of the fourth. Heath Stevens walked,

Alex Riser singled, and Scott Parish walked to load the bases with no outs. 

Centerfielder Sean Garrard drilled a double just inside the third base bag

scoring Stevens and Riser to cut the lead to 3-2.  Tyler Lee drew a base

on balls to load the bases again.   Biloxi starter Gary Breeland gave way

to reliever Jake Leblanc.  Donnie Pascal drilled the second pitch into right

centerfield where Biloxi's Chad Howard made a diving catch for the first out. 

Parrish raced home, but was ruled on appeal for leaving third too early on

his tag up.  Ronnie Pascal singled sharply to right to load the bases before

Leblanc induced a grounder from Britton Fortenberry to end the inning.

Picayune got the lead runner on in the top of the seventh as Ronnie Pascal

collected his second hit of the afternoon. Fortenberry moved the runner to

second with a sacrifice bunt, but a strike out and a fly ball would end the

game.

Stevens (1-1) worked six innings, gave up 4 hits, and struck out 8 batters.

Picayune was scheduled to play St Stanislaus later in the day at 5:30pm

at PRCC in their final game of the Barry Harper Dodge Invitational..