March 2, 2009

Lady Tide rallies late to beat Purvis 5-4

by Carey Meitzler

Purvis--Picayune rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to earn a thrilling 5-4 win over the Purvis Lady Tornadoes in

non-region action.  The win was the fifth on the season for Picayune which eclipsed last years total of four for the entire season.

Trailing 4-2 in the their last at bat, Picayune got a lead off slap single from Tiffany Devore.  Millie Gill moved Devore to second

base with a sacrifice bunt.  Devore moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Mallorie Mixon's sacrifice fly to center.

With two outs, Hillary Dickens unloaded a monster home run deep over the left field wall to tie the game at 4-4.  Taylor Seals

followed with a single to short right field and moved to second when the ball bounced away from the Purvis second baseman.  

Jessie Frierson helped her own cause lacing a single to center field to score Seals with the go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the seventh, Frierson struck out the first two batters she faced and then watched Brooke Meitzler make a

running catch in the right center gap just short of the wall to end the game.

Purvis scored a run in the second to lead 1-0. Picayune tied the game in the fourth when Dickens singled to left field and was

replaced by pinch runner Natassia Poole.  Poole moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Seals' single to make it 1-1.

The Lady Tornadoes scored a run in the bottom of the fourth on a two out triple that was followed by a Lady Tide throwing

error on a pick-off attempt at third base.  Purvis added two unearned runs with two out in the fifth to lead 4-1.

Picayune got a run in the top of the sixth when Dickens doubled to left center, moved to third on a passed ball, and came home

when Katie Kent's fly ball to left was mishandled by Purvis.

Frierson (4-2) scattered five hits, walked four, and struck out eight in going the distance in the circle.  Dickens and Seals each had

three hits and Brooke Meitzler added two singles for Picayune (5-3).

Photos by John Young

Jordan Pope gets ready to release a pitch in the JV game against Purvis.

Natassia "T" Poole watches her bases-loaded triple in the JV game at Purvis.