Long Beach 9  Picayune 6  

submitted by Kristi Mitchell 

Picayune, playing without the services of three year starting shortstop and lead off batter Courtney Dickens, was

unable to pull off the win and fell to Long Beach 9-6 at Picayune.

Long Beach scored in the top of the first inning after the first two batters both reached on errors followed by a base on

balls to the next batter.   A fielders choice ball forced the lead runner out at home, but a hit and another error allowed one

run to cross the plate before the third out could be made. Picayune went down in order to start their half of the inning and

Long Beach led 1-0 after one inning.

Long Beach tacked on another run and the lead off hit a stand up double, was advanced on a fielders choice
and scored on a wild pitch to lead 2-0..

After a strike out to start the 2nd inning, Breonne Spikes managed to reach base via a walk. She was then doubled

off on a line shot to the short stop by Amanda Stevens.

Picayune managed to escape the top half of the third without allowing a run for Long Beach. They were able
to score 5 runs in their half of the third. With one out,Tara Dunn reaches on a bunt single and steals second . She

advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored also on a wild pitch.  Kristin Fleming and Malissa Fowler both singled

and scored on a fielders choice off the bat of Hope Guidry. Amanda Feeley followed with a base on balls and moved to

second on a hit by Krystal Penton. A wild pitch places the base runners in scoring position and and Breonne Spikes

pushes them across the plate with her single to put the Tide up 5-2.

Long Beach added four more in the fourth as the lead off hitter reached on a single followed by a base on balls.  With

one out, Long Beach got two sharp singles to score the runs. A Lady Tide error allows Long Beac to load the bases.

Long Beach tacked on another run after being issued a walk. They score their final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly

to centerfield for a 6-5 lead.

Picayune down one run finds itself in scoring position as Allison Bynum and Tara Dunn are both beaned. Kristin Fleming

advances the runners but a controversial call at third forced the lead runner out. Tara Dunn was able to score on a wild pitch

to tie the game at 6-6.

The Picayune defense then sent Long Beach down in order in the 5th but were unable to score as Krystal Penton was left

standing on third.

The top of the sixth saw Long Beach score three more runs that would eventually be enough to hold off the Tide. The first

batter reached first on a hit and is advanced to second with an out at first base. The next two hitters reach on base on balls

to load the bags.  A fielder's choice to the pitcher forced a runner at second, but then next batter hit a sharp single to left

to push across two runs .  A mishandled ball thrown to second inched its way into right field to allow the third run to score put

Long Beach up 9-6..

With one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Tara Dunn is again hit by a pitch and is followed with a single from Kristin

Fleming. The runners move up one base on a wild pitch. With runners at 2nd and third Malissa Fowler hits a chopper

down the third base line that resulted in a run down and eventually the tag out of Tara Dunn. A stike out ends the inning

with runners on 1st and 2nd.  The Tide went three up, three down in the bottom of the seventh inning.