April 8, 2008

Picayune loses 7-6 to St Stanislaus (8 innings)

by Carey Meitzler

Bay St Louis--Picayune needed just one out to preserve a win over St Stanislaus, but the Rockachaws rallied for two runs and

kept their hopes of making the playoffs alive with a 7-6 win in eight innings.

Picayune scored two runs in the top of the first.  Bryce Ladner walked and Hunter Gill singled to right. Jared Bales doubled to

the rightfield corner to bring in Ladner and Gill scored one batter later on Brandon Jurich's ground out.  Stanislaus got a run in the

bottom of the inning on Kenny Wilson's RBI single to left field.

All photos by Jill Lee

Jared Bales rounds first base on one of his three doubles.

The Rockachaws scored three runs in the second inning, with two runs scoring on a wild pitch and subsequent throwing error.

Picayune regained the lead in the top of the third.  Gill walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Jurich singled

to score Gill.  T.J. House was hit by a pitch.  Jacob Gandy singled to load the bases.  Garrett Williams singled to center field

scoring Jurich and House giving the Maroon Tide a 5-4 advantage.

Stanislaus tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on James Abraham's solo home run.

Picayune's Ricky Rimkus and Stanislaus' Steven Kariker kept the game scoreless until the eighth inning.  Gill singled to right field

and moved to second when the ball got by the rightfielder.  With first base open, Stanislaus elected to bypass an intentional walk

to Bales and he delivered his third double of the game to deep right centerfield that easily scored Gill for a 6-5 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, Rimkus got the first two outs by inducing ground balls.  The Rockachaws rally began when Kollin

Cannon singled to right field.  Cannon moved to second on a wild pitch.  With first base open, Picayune would forego an

intentional walk to Boomer Scarbrough and he doubled to right centerfield scoring Cannon to tie the game.  Wilson then doubled to

deep right centerfield scoring Scarbrough to give the Rockachaws the 7-6 win.

Rimkus, a sophomore righthander, was the hard luck loser going the distance, scattering 12 hits and striking out three.

Picayune (18-8, 7-4) has already secured a playoff berth, however, the Maroon Tide was hoping to increase their seed in next

week's playoffs and more importantly avoid slipping into the fourth seed, which will have to face East Central in round one.

The Rockachaws, now 6-5 in Region 8-4A play, must finish one game ahead of D'Iberville since the Warriors defeated the

Rockachaws twice in their two matchups.  D'Iberville (5-6) defeated Bay High 3-1 on Tuesday.

Picayune will host St Stanislaus on Friday.