The Vicksburg Missy Gators snapped their hitting funk and their losing streak Thursday, all in the span of about four innings.

Vicksburg took advantage of a stunning defensive meltdown by Gentry to overcome a nine-run deficit, and beat the Lady Rams 10-9 in eight innings at Halls Ferry Park. Gentry committed eight errors in the game, including seven from the fifth inning on, to lend the Missy Gators a hand in stopping their seven-game losing streak.

Vicksburg also got enough timely hits to finally break out of an offensive slide that started after a season-opening win over Clinton in which they scored more than 20 runs, and bottomed out in an 11-0 loss to Warren Central on Tuesday.

Kelli Brewer drove in three runs for Vicksburg (2-7, 1-1 Division 3-4A), and Blake DeRossette was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

“We needed something to kick off our batting, and this was it,” Vicksburg coach Michelle Fisackerly said. “We’ve had a hard time with hitting. Anyone who’s seen us knows that. They woke up today.”

For 4 1/2 innings Thursday, the Missy Gators seemed destined for another lopsided loss. Gentry’s Leneisha Jennie smashed a three-run homer over the left field fence to put the Lady Rams ahead 9-0 in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the inning, however, the Lady Rams commited five errors — by five different players — to let VHS back in the game.

The errors, along with a two-run single by Brewer and an RBI single by DeRossette, pulled VHS to within 9-6.

The score stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh, when two more Gentry errors started the inning. Claire Ray doubled to center to bring in another run, and an RBI groundout by Brewer and a sacrifice fly by Lea Davies tied it at 9-9.

Gentry pitcher Andrea Dorsey then walked three of the four batters who came to the plate in the bottom of the eighth, the last being Tira Erwin with the bases loaded, to bring in the winning run.

“It was the same mental mistakes that we make all the time,” Gentry coach Michael Rance said. “We hit the ball this game and had a 9-0 lead, and in one inning it just fell.”