by  Carey Meitzler

Picayune-- Freshmen Katie Hebert gave a dominating pitching performance

by striking out 14 batters and was equally as impressive in her plate

appearances with three hits in leading Picayune's Lady Tide past Pearl

River Central 8-1 at the Picayune Lady Tide Softball complex.

PRC's Miranda Blanchett lead off the top of the first with an infield

single deep in the hole between third and short stop.  She stole second

on a strikeout, but was left stranded there as Hebert got another strikeout

and a fly ball to center field to end the inning.

Hebert singled with one out and was replaced by courtesy runner Natalie

Guy.  After a fly out to left field for the second out, Brandi Rabion hit a

grounder to third base and was safe at first as the throw was wide of the

PRC first baseman allowing Guy to score and Rabion moved to second

base on the throw to home attempting to get Guy.

Rabion moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch to

ive Picayune a 2-0 lead.

Photo courtesy of John Young

Brandi Rabion slides in safely at home to give Picayune a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

While Hebert kept PRC in check by striking out the side in the top of the third,

Picayune extended their margin in the bottom of the inning.  Katie Kent led off

with a double and Hebert plated Kent with a bad hop single past short stop. 

Guy came on to run for Hebert and Hillary Dickens singled moving Guy to third. 

Rabion single over the first base bag scoring Guy to make it 4-0.  Tiffany Reed

drove in Dickens and Rabion with a triple to right center for a 6-0 lead.

Photo courtesy of John Young

Katie Hebert with one of her three hits against PRC

Hebert set down PRC in order in the top of the fourth and the Lady Tide

added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth.  Megan Maximo walked to

start the inning and Kent singled to right.  Hebert hit sharply to Blanchett at

short stop who threw to third to force out Maximo.   After a pop fly out to

third base, Rabion's hard grounder got past the second baseman allowing

both Kent and Guy (running for Hebert) to score for a 8-0 lead.

Hebert struck out the side in the fifth, but PRC scored a run in the sixth. 

Blanchett walked and moved to second on a sacrifice by Caitlin Herrin. 

Blanchett stole third base and the next PRC batter struck out.  Blanchett

then purposely got in a rundown between third and home and was able to

score as a throw on a throwing error by Picayune.

Hebert allowed just one hit, Blanchett's infield single in the first, and walked

four batters.

Jessie Frierson took the loss for PRC (4-13, 1-8) giving up 10 hits, strking

out six batters, and walking one.

Picayune (7-12-1, 1-6) will play at home on Monday as Pass Christian

comes calling for varsity only action at 6:00pm.   Picayune was scheduled

to play in Meridian on Saturday, but the tournament was cancelled.