Picayune’s Dustin Thibodeaux, right, wasn’t successful at tagging out Warren Centrals John Rice Pettway as he safely stole second base in the second inning of play on Tuesday in Picayune. (David PurdyThe Sun-Herald)

[5/5/04]PICAYUNE Just when Warren Central began eyeing a trip to the South State championship series, Picayune High swooped in and spoiled the Vikings’ plans.

The Maroon Tide took advantage of numerous errors to come from behind and beat the Vikings 6-4 on Tuesday in Game 2 of the Class 5A state quarterfinals at Picayune’s Field of Dreams. The win by Picayune forces a deciding Game 3 on Thursday at Viking Field to determine who will advance and face Oak Grove.

“We’ve been in this situation before, and the kids knew what they had to do,” Picayune coach Kent Kirkland said. “There wasn’t any pressure on us.”

Chris Stewart allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits in six innings of work for the Maroon Tide (20-10).

“Chris Stewart pitched a gutsy game against a good-hitting baseball team,” Kirkland said. “He got himself out of some jams.”

With Warren Central (22-10) ahead 4-0 in the third inning, Picayune began a game-tying rally that resulted from Viking miscues.

“We’ve got to make the plays, that’s what it boils down to,” WC coach Randy Broome said. “You’ve got to play defense at this level and at this time of year. When that doesn’t happen, you get beaten any day.”

WC pitcher Zach Balthrop hit Dustin Thibodeaux with a pitch, and Josh Gordon overthrew second base on a routine grounder with one out to put runners on first and third. Balthrop then picked off J.P. Moreaux at first base for the second out of the inning.

But then trouble set in. Thibodeaux scored from third on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 4-1. Heath Stevens then singled and reached third on a passed ball and Hoyt Hughes walked to put runners on the corners again. Broome called on his bullpen and brought in Drew Warnock to end the inning.

“It was just that time,” Broome said. “It was kind of by committee in Game 2, and we’ve got the arms over here. We’re not going to sit around and wait and see.”

Picayune’s Kelly Ray hit a sharp fly to left field, but Otis Stamps dropped the catch, allowing Stevens to score and the runners to advance to second and third. Alex Riser followed with a game-tying single up the middle before Warnock coaxed the final out.

“We made a couple of stupid mistakes, and they capitalized on them,” WC shortstop Mark Different said. “I don’t want to say we gave it to them because they’re a good squad, but a couple plays different here or there and the outcome might be different.”

Much like Game 1, the Vikings jumped out early. Pettway doubled to left field in the second inning, and Vaughn Mims followed with a two-run home run his second of the series.

In the top of the third, Pettway drew a bases-loaded walk, and Mims hit a sacrifice fly to center to give WC an early 4-0 lead before Picayune tied it in the bottom of the frame.

The Tide took the lead for good in the fifth inning off Gordon when Moreaux singled and later scored on a passed ball. Gordon’s pitch hit the dirt and popped up in front of catcher John Rice Pettway, but he had turned around and couldn’t see the ball. Gordon ran up and grabbed it, but couldn’t get the tag on Moreaux in time.

“That scared me a little bit,” Moreaux said. “I started going and the ball just spun and kicked back over the plate. I just closed my eyes. I’m a senior, and I didn’t want this to be my last game. I knew I had to leave it all out there.”

Picayune padded its lead in the sixth with some small ball. Tyler Lee led off with a single, advanced to second on a bunt, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder’s choice to give the Tide a 6-4 lead.

Stevens, the Game 1 starter and projected Game 3 starter, came in to close it out in the seventh. Stevens allowed a one-out walk to Nick Carson, but Allen Carlisle lined out to shortstop and Different struck out to end the game.

“I don’t know if we had our heads in it, if we missed some signs or not,” Broome said. “I don’t know. But we’ve got to play better Thursday night.”