By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

GULFPORT — Picayune moved into sole possession of first place in Region 4-6A with an exciting 7-3 win in nine innings over home-standing West Harrison Monday night.
The win moved the Maroon Tide to a perfect 4-0 in the region race, as the second week of league play got underway. Picayune was coming off a three game sweep of Pascagoula last week, with two of those wins coming on the road just like the latest win did. The Maroon Tide stands a solid 10-5 overall.
West Harrison dropped to 1-3 in the region race, and the Hurricanes are 4-11 overall.

“Those guys in the other dugout kept throwing punches and I’m proud of the way our guys battled back and found a way to win,” Picayune head coach Evan Nichelson said. ” We have to get better in a lot of areas but if we can grind like that good things are going to happen.”
With the game knotted up at 3-3 entering the second extra inning, Picayune erupted for a four spot with two outs in the top of the ninth to pull out the win.
Landon Watts had the key blow in the game-winning rally, as he sliced a three-run bases-loaded triple to right field on a full count to put Picayune ahead for good.
Watts then returned to the hill and set the Hurricanes down in order in the bottom of the frame to seal the win. He also picked up the pitching win after he came on in the fifth frame in relief of starter Cooper Moreaux.

“Landon competed his tail off and kept us in the game,” Nichelson added.
After each squad scored a run in the first inning, Hunter Ross gave the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the third.
But, Picayune took the lead in the top of the fifth on an RBI-single by Watts, which came two pitches after Kyler King scored on a passed ball to tie things up.
The Hurricanes, however, drew even in the bottom of the sixth on a run-scoring single by Tyler Glazzier to set up the climactic blow by Watts several frames later.

In addition to earning the win with five frames of four hit work striking out six, Watts enjoyed a huge game at the plate as well for the Maroon Tide posting game-high totals in both hits with three and RBIs with four. Moreaux had a pair of hits and drove in a run as well, while Jamie Lumpkin was responsible for the other Picayune run in the winning effort.
Ross and Reece Parker each had a pair of hits apiece to lead the Hurricanes.
The two teams are slated to meet again Thursday night at Kent Kirkland Field in Picayune before closing out the series on Saturday back at WHHS.