March 28, 2009
Maroon Tide tops St Stanislaus 5-4 in 11 innings
by Carey Meitzler
Bay St Louis--Evan Nichelson singled in Jay Dedeaux with two outs in the top of the 11th inning for a 5-4 lead and Jared Bales
made it stand up by retiring the St Stanislaus Rockachaws in the bottom of the frame to preserve the win. Despite the extra
innings, the game only lasted 2 hours and 35 minutes due to the outstanding pitching performances of Bales and St Stanislaus'
Boomer Scarborough.
Photo by Jill Lee
Garrett Williams drove this pitch to the wall in left field, but the wind kept it in the park.
Picayune loaded the bases in the first, got a runner to third base in the second, and had the first two batters on base in the fourth,
but the Maroon Tide was unable to score any runs against the stingy Scarborough. Meanwhile, the Rockachaws got a run in the
bottom of the first when Scarborough reached on an infield single and was replaced by courtesy runner Jacob Lindgren. Lindren
scored on Tyler Hughes single to right center that gave Stanislaus a 1-0 lead.
In the third, leadoff hitter James Abraham doubled to open the inning and scored on Scarborough's home run to deep left field to
give the Rockachaws a 3-0 advantage.
In the Maroon Tide fourth inning, Garrett Williams drove a pitch to deep left field where Stanislaus' Trey Marino reached up and
caught the ball with his back touching the wall for the third out stranding two Maroon Tide base runners.
Photo by Jill Lee
Jake Riser singles in the fifth inning to score Eric Smith with Picayune's first run.
Picayune would finally break through in the top of the fifth. Eric Smith singled to right field to start the inning. Bryce Ladner's grounder
back to Scarborough appeared to be the start of a 1-6-3 double play, but the short stop dropped the throw from Scarborough to
put runners on first and second with no outs. Jake Riser singled to right field to plate Smith. Jared Bales hit a grounder to the second
baseman that ricocheted off his glove, and as the second baseman went to retrieve the ball, he and Riser collided and Riser was ruled out
by the base umpire. After a heated exchange between the umpire and Picayune Head Coach Cayne Stockstill, Jonathan Hickman
came on as the courtesy runner for Bales. On the ball hit by Bales, Bryce Ladner scored on the play to make the score 3-2.
When action resumed, Hickman stole second and Brandon Jurich walked. Jurich was replaced by pinch runner Ricky Rimkus. With
Hickman on second and Rimkus on first, Hunter Gill singled to right center scoring Hickman to tie the game at 3-3 and sending
Rimkus to third base. Evan Nichelson hit a hard grounder to short and the short stop flipped to second to force out Gill who slide
hard into the second baseman and caused the throw to first to bounce by the first baseman allowing Nichelson to end up on second
base on the play and scoring Rimkus from third base for a 4-3 lead.
The Rockachaws tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when Scarborough led off the inning with a double to left center.
Lindgren came on as the courtesy runner and scored on Lawrence Bourgeois' single to center.
Photo by Jill Lee
Evan Nichelson singles to right center to score Jay Dedeaux with the go ahead run in the 11th.
In the top of the seventh, Riser singled to right to start the inning and Bales reached after being hit by a pitch. But Scarborough
recorded three straight strikeouts using his curve ball on each third strike to work out of the jam. Picayune also got the lead off
man on base in the eight when Braxton Lee beat out an infield single to short. Lee stole second base and moved to third base
when the throw skipped into center field, but once again the Tide was stopped as Scarborough struck out the side stranding Lee
at third base.
Picayune loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but Scarborough again showed his grit as he struck out Lee with a full
count curve ball after Lee had fouled off four fastballs with two strikes. In the tenth, Scarborough got two curve ball strikeouts
and a grounder to keep Picayune from scoring.
Photo by Carey Meitzler
Braxton Lee battles Boomer Scarborough with the bases loaded in the 10th inning.
While Scarborough had to work out of tight spots, Bales was cruising along facing three batters in the seventh, four in the eighth,
and struck out all three batters in the ninth on curve balls. In the 10th, Bales got two strikeouts on curve balls to start the inning,
but Trey Marino reached first base after his third strike got by catcher Jay Dedeaux. Bales then induced a fielder's choice
grounder from Scarborough to force Marino at second base to end the inning.
In the 11th, Dedeaux doubled just inside the right field line with two outs. Hunter Gill was intentionally walked bringing up
Nichelson who singled to right center to score Dedeaux with the go-ahead run for a 5-4 lead.
Bales worked the bottom of the inning getting a ground out to Riser who made a tough play ranging to his left to retire Hughes.
Bourgeois struck out on a Bales' curve ball and the last out was a ground out to Bales.
Bales struck out 14, scattered 9 hits, and amazingly did not walk a batter. Gill, Nichelson, and Riser each had two hits for
Picayune (12-1, 8-0).
Scarborough struck out 17 batters, allowed 13 hits, and walked two batters while two other Tide batters were intentionally
walked by the Stanislaus coaches. Scarborough had four hits including two singles, a double, and his home run.
Picayune will play the Long Beach Bearcats on Tuesday and Friday. The Bearcats, like Picayune, are unbeaten in
Region 8-4A play. Tuesday's game will be in Long Beach and the Friday game will be played in Picayune.
Photos by Jill Lee
Jared Bales delivers a pitch.
Jay Dedeaux looks to the dugout.
Braxton Lee takes his lead off third base.
Hunter Gill (front) and Asst Coach Richard Imhoff talk during a time out.
Head Coach Cayne Stockstill and WRJW's Carey Meitzler after the game.
Photos by Carey Meitzler
Hunter Gill singles to right field.
Jake Riser takes a lead at first base.
Jonathan Hickman (right) steals second base as the throw is on its way to the shortstop.
Jake Riser readies to throw out a runner at first base.