WINNSBORO, La. — The Ferriday Ponytails had numerous chances to force a deciding second game Wednesday night in the state tournament finals but just couldn’t get the big hit when they needed it in a 2-0 loss to JPRD.

Ferriday needed to defeat JPRD twice on Wednesday to win the state championship, and had several opportunities to do so, but couldn’t take advantage of them.

Neither team could score in the regularly scheduled seven innings, but JPRD scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to take the victory.

“We had runners on second and third with no outs in the second inning and couldn’t get anyone across,” Ferriday coach Tommy Milligan said. “We had runners on second and third with no outs in the fourth and couldn’t score either.”

Ferriday’s best chance to score was in the bottom of the seventh inning with runners on first and second and one out.

Karlee Woodruff had a base hit to center field, but the JPRD centerfielder was able to gather up the ball and throw out Tory Laird at the plate to keep the game scoreless.

“We were just a passed ball or a dink hit away from winning the game the whole day,” Milligan said. “We had several opportunities, we just didn’t capitalize on them.”

Paige Bryan pitched the first six innings for Ferriday, allowing no runs on two hits.

McKenzie Milligan pitched the seventh and eighth inning, taking the loss for Ferriday.

Milligan and Baylor Smith led Ferriday at the plate with two hits apiece.

Even though the Ferriday Ponytails lost in the state championship game, he was still proud of how far they advanced.

“These 12 girls, they’ve played at the highest level the state of Louisiana offers and they have done an outstanding job,” Milligan said. “A lot of these girls in the Miss-Lou don’t get to experience that. If you’re a mother with a daughter or if you’re a coach and are playing in a purely recreational league, you need to call and check the Ferriday Dixie program out, because these kids have experienced something that not many have gotten to experience.”