Up and coming
Published 7:01 am Friday, March 14, 2014
Both Picayune and Pearl River Central have had mixed results on the diamond in fast-pitch softball action so far this season.
Picayune stands 2-4-1 overall so far, and the Lady Tide is coming off a pair of losses in Ellisville at the Jones County Junior College Classic on Saturday.
“Even though our record doesn’t indicate a whole lot of success I’m pleased with our effort so far,” veteran Picayune head coach Kristi Mitchell said. “Obviously we can get better, but I think we have played quality Competition. And sometimes you can lose a game and learn as much if not more than you can winning one.”
It’s going to be a busy few days for Picayune, The Lady Tide is set to play four games over the next several days, all on the road. Head coach Kristie Mitchell’s crew will face Theodore (Ala.) High and host East Central today in a doubleheader, and then head to the Pass Christian Tournament on Saturday where they will face Our Lady Academy and Gautier.
The Lady Tide dropped a 12-2 decision to Enterprise to open the event. Elizabeth Taggard took the loss. Lauren Walker had three singles to pace Picayune at the plate.
Enterprise took a 5-0 lead early and never looked back.
Picayune fell in a close decision to Petal 8-7 later in the day. The Lady Panthers led 7-0 in the fourth before a Lady Tide rally closed the gap.
Marissa McDonald and Jennifer Walker both had doubles for Picayune, while Nala Carter drove in two runs. Megan Dudenhefer, Alyssa Scott and Jennifer Walker also drove in runs. McDonald had three hits to pace Picayune at the plate in the losing effort. Dudenhefer took the loss.
Prior to that, Picayune swamped Greene County 13-3. Megan Dudenhefer and Jennifer Walker each had a triple, while Walker added a double as well. Walker had three hits total to pace the 10-hit Picayune attack, while Alyssa Pinero added a pair of hits to the winning effort. Dudenhefer, Jennifer Walker, Lauren Walker and Marissa McDonald all drove in runs for Picayune.
Dudenhefer picked up the win.
• Meanwhile, PRC stands 3-4 on the season.
PRC fell 10-1 to D’Iberville last week. Shelby Lauzon had a pair of hits for the Lady Devils and drove in PRC’s lone run. Taylor Harris took the loss.
The game was tied 1-1 in the fourth, before the Lady Warriors broke open the game with six runs in that frame.
East Central knocked off PRC 6-1 recently. Haile Buras took the loss. Austin Pruitt had a triple for the Lady Devils and also scored the only PRC run, while Autumn McNeely cracked a double for PRC in the loss as well.
The Lady Hornets collected 17 hits in the winning effort off of Harris and Buras.
The PRC girls also split a pair of games with Stone County over the past few days.
The Lady Devils won 8-7, as Harris picked up the win. Karli Fitzgerald paced PRC at the plate with a pair of doubles. Pruitt recorded a triple, and Kayla Stein cracked a double as well in the win. Stein and Lauzon each drove in a pair of runs, while Pruitt and Hannah Rester also collected RBI’s.
The Lady Tomcats then pulled out an 8-7 win over the Lady Devils.
Lauzon had a double and drove in three runs in the loss, while Pruitt, Gabbie Keller and Mallory Peran all drove in runs as well. Lauzon, Peran and Pruitt all had doubles. Rester had three hits in the game and Keller had a pair of hits.
PRC was slated to host Hancock Thursday night and then open district play on the road at Natchez today.
However both of those games have been postponed for various reasons. PRC is slated to return to action Tuesday at Pass Christian.