By CURTIS ROCKWELL

Item Sports Editor

Both Poplarville and Picayune moved one step closer to state playoff berths in prep slow pitch softball action on Tuesday night.

The Lady Hornets and the Lady Tide each grabbed Division wins at home, and both did so in impressive fashion winning by the 10-run mercy rule in five innings.

Poplarville smacked visiting South Jones 15-1 as the Lady Hornets banged out 20 hits.

The Lady Hornets are 11-2 overall and remained in the lead in the league race at 4-0.

“I hope we are hitting our stride at the right time,” Poplarville head coach Jonathan Ray said. “Last year I felt like we may have peaked a little bit early, and that hurt us in the playoffs.”

Janessa Deadeaux paced Poplarville in the win with three hits, including a triple and a double. Kayla Ross smacked a home run in the win, while Rachel Breland had two hits including a triple and Kayla Fendalson added a pair of hits as well. Erin Cutrer had three hits in three trips to the plate for the Lady Hornets.

Allysa Grater was the winning pitcher.

Meanwhile, Picayune was stopping visiting Forrest County AHS 10-0.

Hillary Dickens popped three hits to pace Picayune, while Katie Kent and Brandi Rabion each had a pair of hits in the win and both had a double as well. Mallorie Mixon, Brooke Meitzler and Millie Gill each had a pair of singles for Picayune.

Sarah Dodd was the winning pitcher, as Picayune moved to 13-3 overall and 3-1 in league play.

Both Poplarville and Picayune can wrap up postseason berths in the Class 4A state playoffs with league wins on the road on Thursday, as Picayune travels to South Jones in Ellisville and Poplarville heads to Forrest County AHS in Brooklyn.

The two Pearl River County rivals meet Tuesday night in Picayune, in all likelihood to decide the division championship.