March 28, 2008

Maroon Tide rallies to beat Long Beach 6-3

by Carey Meitzler

Long Beach--The Picayune Maroon Tide found themselves just six outs away from a loss that would have put their playoff hopes

in serious jeopardy.  However, the Maroon Tide responded with a two-run sixth and then four runs in the seventh to take a 6-3

win over Region 8-4A frontrunner Long Beach.

Long Beach scored a run in the first inning on Picayune's T.J. House on Jeremy Hill's two-out single to left that brought in Chip

VonderBruegge who singled to start the inning. 

The Bearcats had runners aboard in the second inning, but House struck out Brice Marks for the second out and catcher Jared

Bales completed the "strike 'em out, throw 'em out" double play throwing out courtesy runner Chase Lunford at third base.  

Long Beach got another run in the third when VonderBruegge walked, stole second base and scored on Bradley Jacobs

ground ball single to left field for a 2-0 lead.

Bearcat junior righthander Tyler Worth kept the Maroon Tide in check until the sixth inning.  After a leadoff double to left center

by Bales, Brandon Jurich was hit on the hand by a Worth pitch and awarded first base.  Worth was lifted for reliever Mikael

Ingram.  House laid down a bunt moving the runners up one base.  Jacob Gandy slapped a two strike pitch from Ingram up

the middle for a single that scored Jake Martinez (courtesy runner for Bales) and Ricky Rimkus (pinch runner for Jurich) to tie

the game at 2-2.

House worked a 1-2-3 inning in retiring Long Beach (10-5, 7-1) in the bottom of the sixth. 

Bryce Ladner lead off the top of the seventh and was hit by a pitch.  Hunter Gill's sacrifice bunt moved Ladner to second base.

With first base open, Bales was issued an intentional walk.  Jurich blooped a single just over the first baseman's head to load the

bases. House hit into a fielder's choice to force in Ladner for a 3-2 lead.  Gandy beat out an infield single to score Martinez.

Garrett Williams, who had three hits on the night, singled to right center to score Reginald Bailey who was running for House.

With the score 5-2, Jonathan Hickman had a pinch hit single just over the third baseman's head to plate Matt Archer who was

inserted as a pinch runner for Gandy.

House surrendered an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh to make the final 6-3.  House, now 5-0, allowing just three hits,

struck out six, and walked two batters.

Picayune (16-6, 5-3) plays at home on Saturday against Hancock with a JV game at 11:00am and Varsity at 1:00pm.