Published: August 22, 2008 09:29 am         

Lady Hornets off to fast start

POPLARVILLE — Poplarville’s Lady Hornets weren’t very kind hosts over the weekend in the annual Pete Jackson slow-pitch softball tournament.

The Lady Hornets waited until the last day of the three day affair to swing into action, but head coach Jonathan Ray’s team then did so in fine fashion as they won three of four games on Saturday.

The tourney served as the season opener for Poplarville, and the Lady Hornets stopped Purvis 10-2, beat Biloxi 7-5 and then stopped perennial state power Petal 5-3 as well before falling in the final game of the event to defending Class 3A State champion Enterprise 6-0.

“We’re not where we want to be yet, but we got off to a pretty good start,” Ray, whose team is the defending division champions, said. “I have all the confidence that we will get better.”

Chelsea Theriot and Erin Cutrer smashed home runs in the tourney for Poplarville, while Kelly Ladner had a big three run triple in the win over Petal.

The Lady Hornets waste no time in getting back on the field after being one of the last teams in South Mississippi to start their season, as Poplarville, now 3-1, travels to Columbia tonight for a game and then will head to Biloxi for a rematch with the Lady Indians on Thursday.

• In other local action, Picayune, which stands 3-2 on the year after splitting four games in the Pete Jackson Tournament, returns to the field as well tonight by hosting that same Biloxi team.

Picayune then hosts Columbia on Thursday before playing in the Biloxi Tournament on Friday and Saturday.