POPLARVILLE, Miss. — With history within reach but momentum nowhere to be found, the No. 1 Pearl River baseball team flipped everything in an instant, rallying from 5-0 down to stun No. 2 East Central 6-5 and claim its third consecutive MACCC Championship before completing the sweep in the nightcap. PRCC has now won five of the last six conference titles. The three-peat is the first in the conference since 1994-96.
"Six months ago, this date was circled because I knew we had a special team," head coach Michael Avalon said. "Our fans deserved to see what they saw today in our final conference home game.
"I've had people ask why we dogpile — I want these guys to enjoy it. We've been playing for a championship for three months now. These guys have shown up every day and taken everyone's best punch. This ballpark was special today. Fortunately, we made more plays than they did, and we found ways to win two ballgames."
Avalon pointed to a message his team walks past every day.
"There's a sign when you walk out of our clubhouse — it's 1 Corinthians 9:24, about running for the prize," he said. "Our focus today was really special. The difference was we were playing to win a championship. This has been a tough year and they've battled nonstop."
GAME ONE
Pearl River (41-9 overall; 23-3 MACCC) took a gut punch early. East Central (39-11; 16-8) erupted for five runs in the second inning, using five hits, two home runs and an error to grab a 5-0 lead.
With the game hanging in the balance, the Wildcats turned to Dalton Graham (Conehatta; Newton County) out of the bullpen in the third — and the redshirt freshman delivered.
Graham tossed three clutch innings, scattering four hits to give Pearl River a chance.
"I've had this game circled for two years since I'm from there," Graham said. "I knew if I got my opportunity today, I was going to give it everything I had."
The offense followed.
Coy Clements (Hattiesburg; Oak Grove) plated the first run with a sacrifice fly, but the fifth inning is where everything flipped. Gatlin Pitts (Fairhope, Ala.; Bayside Academy) walked and Jackson Estes (Madison; Germantown) doubled to put two in scoring position. Clements came through again with a two-run single, 5-3. Nico Williams (Gulfport) followed with a double off the wall to make it 5-4, and Kyler King (Picayune) tied the game with a sacrifice fly.
Then came the decisive moment.
With the infield shaded, Jackson Beddoe (Sulphur, La.) shot a ball the other way into right field for the go-ahead RBI, completing the six-run comeback and giving Pearl River a 6-5 lead.
From there, it belonged to Landon Watts (Picayune).
Watts dominated over four innings, inducing ground ball after ground ball and carrying the Wildcats into the ninth. With two outs, he snapped off a breaking ball for strike three, sending the dugout into a championship dogpile.
"Watts is a special player — an absolute warrior," pitching coach Gavin Schmidt said. "He's the guy everyone wants in their bullpen. He's a leader in the clubhouse, a leader in the community, and he competes as hard as anyone. He deserves all of this."
Cal Culpepper (Meridian; Clarkdale) struck out five over two innings. Graham earned the win, and Watts picked up a rare four-inning save.
Estes and Clements each had two hits, with Clements driving in three runs. Pitts walked twice and scored twice.
GAME TWO
Even with the championship clinched, Pearl River wasn't done.
Behind a complete-game effort from Drew Harrison (Madison; Germantown), the Wildcats secured the sweep with a 6-3 victory.
After Harrison opened with a clean first inning, Pitts launched his fourth leadoff home run of the season to give Pearl River a 1-0 lead.
The Wildcats added two more in the third — and history came with it.
With a runner aboard, Clements (Hattiesburg; Oak Grove) crushed a 2-0 pitch over the left-field wall for his 21st home run of the season, breaking Hollis Porter's program record.
"It felt good — like a weight off my shoulders," Clements said. "I've got to give the glory to God. I'm just grateful. Coach Avalon stayed in my ear the whole time, and I'm thankful for him. I hope he knows how thankful I am for him."
Pearl River added two more in the fourth as King (Picayune) and Logan Fontenelle (Biloxi) worked into scoring position before Beddoe (Sulphur, La.) delivered a two-run single.
East Central got a run back in the sixth, but Pearl River answered immediately. Fontenelle doubled into the gap and scored on a Pitts single to extend the lead to 6-1.
Harrison battled through late traffic and finished what he started, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks while striking out nine.
Pitts and Estes each had two hits, with Pitts driving in two runs. Clements added two RBIs, and Landon Hawkins(Sumrall) drew two walks.
NEXT UP
Pearl River heads to Northwest Saturday for a 2/5 p.m. doubleheader against the Rangers. The games will be livestreamed at NWCCRangers.com/watch.
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