Oct 2, 2007

FCAHS nips Lady Tide 11-10; Lady Tide still in playoffs

by Carey Meitzler

One might say the Picayune Lady Tide lost the battle, but won the war when you consider they

still qualified for the playoffs despite dropping thier last regular season game 11-10 against

homestanding Forrest County Agricultural High (FCAHS) School in Brooklyn.

Picayune scored a run in the top of the first inning when Hillary Dickens' single scored Jessica

Rancifer who singled to start the game. FCAHS slapped three singles and took advantage of

two Lady Tide errors to take a 3-1 lead after one inning.

FCAHS added three more runs in the bottom of the second on three hits and three Lady Tide

errors to lead 6-1. 

The Lady Tide pushed across two runs in the third.  With one out, Brandi Rabion belted a

pitch over the left fielder's head and scored when the relay throw from the outfield was

mishandled.  Amanda Green who reached on an error and Katie Kent singled to center

field to score Green cutting the margin to 6-3.

FCAHS scored two runs in the fourth on three consecutive singles and two fielder's choice

ground balls to build a 8-3 lead.

Picayune came to life to score five runs in the fifth inning.  Amanda Green singled and Hillary

Dickens hit into a fielder's choice that forced out Green at second base.  Brooke Meitzler

came on as a courtesy runner for Dickens and scored when Tiffany Reed laced a triple

down the right field line.  Katie Kent ripped a single to center field to plate Reed.  Taylor

Seals singled and Tiffany Devore came on for her as a pinch runner.  Mallorie Mixon singled

to left center to load the bases.  Natalie Guy's hard grounder to first allowed Kent to score

from third base.  Millie Gill's grounder to short was mishandled by the Aggie shortstop allowing

Devore to score.  Jessica Rancifer singled to load the bases.  Brandi Rabion singled bringing in

Kent to tie the game at 8-8.   FCAHS went down in order in the bottom of the fifth.

Photos by John Young

Tiffany Reed laces a triple to right field that allowed courtesy runner Brooke Meitzler to score as Coach

Mitchell waves her around third base and toward home.

The Lady Tide took the lead with two runs in the top of the sixth.  Hillary Dickens reached on an error

and Brooke Meitzler came on as a courtesy runner.  Tiffany Reed singled to right field.  After a fly out,

Taylor Seals singled to center field driving in Meitzler.  Mallorie Mixon singled to load the bases. 

Natalie Guy singled to centerfield plating Reed for a 10-8 lead.

With two outs and nobody on base, FCAHS scored three runs with three singles and three Lady Tide

errors to re-take the lead 11-10.

In the top of the seventh, Picayune's Rancifer reached on a ball that fell safely between the shortstop and

pitcher.  After a strike out, Green singled with Rancifer advancing to third when the Aggie outfielder bobbled

the ball.  Green moved to second base and injured her left ankle.  Green was replaced by Brooke Ladner.

With first base open, FCAHS elected to intentionally walk Dickens to load the bases with one out.  The

strategy worked as the Lady Tide hit consecutive balls back to the pitcher that resulted in force outs at home

plate to end the game.

Picayune still qualifies for the playoffs as the second seed due to the tie breaker.  T

he Lady Tide will play on Tuesday, October 9th against the winner of Division 8-4A (Moss Point, East Central,

or D'Iberville)