Tide stings Hornets 7-4 in final game of season
Published 7:00 am Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Trenton Lee catapults the ball to first base to get an out in the first inning of action against Poplarville Monday night. Photo by Taylor Welsh
Tyler Fletcher started on the mound for Picayune, but only threw 15 pitches against Poplarville. Photo by Taylor Welsh
The Poplarville Hornets.
Lead-off batter Canaan Ray started the game with a ground ball to second base on Monday. Photo by Taylor Welsh
Jeremiah Stallings looks to get the green light from Coach Stogner before rounding third to score a run. Photo by Taylor Welsh
Dawson Brown connects on a high pitch during Monday's action. Photo by Taylor Welsh
Camden Ray eyes down a pitch that goes wide of the strike zone. Ray finished with one hit and an RBI. Photo by Taylor Welsh
JuVonta Raymond celebrates after hitting a double on Monday. Photo by Taylor Welsh
Cannan Ray steals second base with ease in the initial innings of Monday's game. Photo by Taylor Welsh
Tyson Holston made a hit against the Maroon Tide Monday. Photo by Taylor Welsh
Freshman Luke Smith tallied four strikeouts and allowed only one run in his three innings on the mound. Photo by Taylor Welsh
Joey Smith swings for a single against Picayune. Photo by Taylor Welsh
JuVonta Raymond takes off to third base late in Monday's action. Photo by Taylor Welsh
Dawson Brown connected on five strikeouts while giving up seven runs. Photo by Taylor Welsh
Blaise Breerwood attempts to connect with the ball during on of his at bats Monday. Photo by Taylor Welsh
PICAYUNE — The Maroon Tide shook off an early deficit against Poplarville after Dylan Ramsay came inches from hitting a 3-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Despite nearly smacking the Kent Kirkland Field sign displayed outside of the park, he managed to bring home the go-ahead run to keep the Tide on a positive stride heading into the playoffs, defeating Poplarville 7-4.
Before coming into Monday’s bout, the Pearl River County foe had its playoff destiny etched in stone, but that didn’t stop the team from putting on a show.
In the second inning, a Hornet base runner found himself in a peculiar situation, stuck between third base and home plate, running back and forth until making the split decision to try and score, which confused the Tide defense and allowed the runner to safely slide head first into home plate to mark the first run of the game.
Then it was Camden Ray who hit an RBI double to the fence in center field before Hornets teammate Brandon Bullock struck a hanging curve ball for an RBI in the Tide’s outfield, tallying a 3-0 lead in the third.
Picayune remained composed as they rallied off of Shaun Anderson’s RBI single to bring the score to a one run difference to finish up the third inning.
In the next inning, Picayune’s Tyler Penton hammered an RBI triple deep into right field for the tying run, 3-3.
Then Tide’s Ramsay hit the fence to take the lead, ending Poplarville’s season with a 7-4 loss.
The Hornet’s Ray, Kyle Tynes, Canaan Ray, Joey Smith, Bullock, Peyton Graham and Tyson Holston each tallied a hit against the Tide.
Picayune’s Elisha Hickman, Anderson, Jacob Brumley, Penton, Ramsay, JuVonta Raymond, Tyler Fletcher and Kade Turnage each had a hit in Monday’s game.
Picayune (12-12 overall, 4-5 district), who finished third in the Region 7-5A District, will travel for the first round of playoffs on Friday against Long Beach (17-9 overall, 6-3 district), who placed second in the Region 8-5A District behind West Harrison. The game will start at 7 p.m.
