Picayune's magical season ends with 6-2 loss in Game 2

Ridgeland--The Picayune Maroon Tide’s magical run to a fast pitch softball state championship ended on Friday when they dropped a 6-2 decision to four time defending state championship Neshoba Central. Picayune was playing in their first ever state final in fast pitch after capturing their first South State title last week in their first venture into that level of play.

Neshoba Central’s sophomore pitcher Aspen Wesley had dominated Game 1 on Thursday with Rockets winning 3-0. In Game 2, Wesley hit a home run in the second inning to put her team up 1-0. The Rockets got two unearned runs in the third after Picayune committed an fielding error that would have ended the inning with no runs scored.

Picayune’s Alyssa Pinero led off the top of the fourth with a double to left centerfield and scored on Megan Dudenhefer’s single to right field to cut the lead to 3-1.

In the bottom of the inning, Neshoba Central got two more runs, both unearned to push the lead to 5-1.

Picayune scored again in the sixth when Pinero single to left with one out and later scored on a single by Poppy McDonald.

Neshoba Central added an earned run in the sixth to close out the scoring.

Wesley recorded 12 strikeouts in getting the win.

Megan Dudenhefer had another solid pitching performance for Picayune scattering six hits while striking out 4 batters.

Picayune finishes the season with a 22-10-1 while Neshoba Central posted a 30-3 mark.