Ridgeland cashes in on Vicksburg errors|Prep softball

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The Vicksburg Missy Gators are turning into their own worst enemy.

Following a recurring theme this season, Vicksburg committed eight errors — three of them during a decisive seventh-inning rally — that led to five unearned runs and a 6-4 loss to division rival Ridgeland Tuesday night at Bazinsky Park.

“Even in the beginning tonight we had baserunning errors and missed some signs. All the close games we’ve lost have been on us,” Vicksburg coach Amanda Yocum said. “It’s very frustrating. It would be different if we’re doing something different wrong every game. But it seems to be repetitive errors.”

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Although the Missy Gators have been an up-and-down team this season, they’re still in good shape to make the playoffs and even host a first-round series. Tuesday’s loss was their first in the division and they’ve already beaten Pearl, one of the other two teams contending for the division title.

Vicksburg (6-8, 3-1 Division 3-4A) still has one game left against both Ridgeland (4-5, 3-0) and Pearl (2-1 in division play). Ridgeland and Pearl also have two games left against each other. The top two teams in each division will host a first-round series.

“The good thing is, we’re 3-1 in district and the first and second place teams get to host this year. So we’re still in good shape there,” Yocum said.

To make more than a cameo appearance in the postseason, though, the Missy Gators will have to correct mistakes like the ones that led to Tuesday’s meltdown.

Vicksburg overcame an early 3-0 deficit with two runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth. After having just one hit through the first three innings, VHS had seven in the fourth and fifth. Samantha Frith’s two-out, RBI double in the fifth capped the comeback and put the Missy Gators in front 4-3.

Sarah Beth Harbour singled in the tying run in the top of the sixth, though, and Ridgeland took advantage of Vicksburg’s miscues to steal the win in the seventh.

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Contact Ernest Bowker at ebowker@vicksburgpost.com.