From staff reports

PURVIS — It has taken Picayune’s Lady Tide just over two weeks to top the win total from all of last season in fast pitch softball.

The Lady Tide continued their early season success, as Picayune overcame a three run deficit with four straight runs including three runs in the top of the seventh inning to pull out a 5-4 win on the road at Purvis Monday night.

The win moves the Lady Tide to 5-3 on the season, after Picayune won just four games all of last season.

“We’re learning how to win, and this was a big step,” veteran Picayune head coach Kristi Mitchell said.

Hillary Dickens led the way at the plate for Picayune with three hits, including the biggest blow of all as she smashed a solo home run to tie the game up in the top of the seventh. She also had a double and a single.

Purvis went up 4-1 early in the game, before the Lady Tide scored a run in the fourth to cut the deficit and set the stage for the climactic seventh stanza.

Mallorie Mixon’s sacrifice fly scored Tiffany Devore and made it 4-3, and then the Lady Tide won the game with two more runs with two outs as Dickens slapped her round-tripper and then Taylor Seals singled an came around to score on a an RBI-single by Jessie Frierson.

Frierson picked up the win on the hill as well, moving to 4-2 as she struck out eight and scattered five hits.

Seals added three singles at the plate and Brooke Meitzler collected a pair of hits and made a big catch in rightfield in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Picayune now begins division play on Thursday as the Lady Tide travels to Long Beach.