POPLARVILLE, Miss. — No. 3 Pearl River softball's dominance on the mound continues, allowing only three hits, defeating Mississippi Delta 8-0 in both games of the doubleheader.
"It's good to be back home," head coach Christie Meeks said. "I saw a different lock-in today, which is what we talked about yesterday. Now we get to go through and finish out the rest of our season."
GAME ONE
Pearl River (32-6 overall; 16-4 MACCC) got off to a fast start in game one of its doubleheader against Mississippi Delta (11-31; 3-19). After a walk and a single, Maeli Ben (Conehatta; Newton County) drove a ball through the left side, splitting the shortstop and third baseman to score two runs. Ben advanced to second on the throw and came around to score in the next at-bat on a single by Anastasia Acree (Mobile, Ala.; Alma Bryant).
With a 3-0 lead, the Wildcats added another run in the second inning. Taylor Foster (Petal) led off with a double and later scored on a single by Addy Grace Alexander (Poplarville).
After being held scoreless in the third, Pearl River extended its lead in the fourth. Pinch runner Erin Meadows (Leakesville; Greene County) scored on a wild pitch, and two batters later, Natalee Eaves (Louisville; Choctaw Central) drove in Kai Goodman (New Orleans; John Curtis), who had walked earlier in the inning, with a ground ball.
Leading 6-0 in the sixth, the Wildcats opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Carsyn Mott (Collinsville; West Lauderdale), pinch-hitting, drew a walk to load the bases for Eaves, who delivered an infield single to score the seventh run. Shania Fondren (Batesville; South Panola) followed with a walk-off hit down the left-field line that rolled to the wall for a double, securing the run-rule victory.
Pearl River won 8-0, finishing with 11 hits. Alexander and Ben each had two hits, while Foster led the team with three.
In the circle, Ann Elise Duncan (McComb; Brrokhaven Academy) set a career high with 14 strikeouts. She allowed just two hits and did not surrender a run or issue a walk.
GAME TWO
Teegan DeWitt (Pass Christian; Hancock) got the start in the circle for Pearl River in game two, following Duncan. She was equally dominant, allowing just one hit over five innings. DeWitt struck out seven, walked one, and did not allow a run.
DeWitt kept Mississippi Delta off the scoreboard while Pearl River struck first. Second baseman Jaycee Holifield (Laurel; Stringer) hit a solo home run, her 11th of the season, to give the Wildcats an early lead.
Pearl River added to its advantage in the third inning when Goodman scored on a single by Alexander. After a Mississippi Delta error, the Wildcats pushed across another run to make it 3-0. They added one more in the next at-bat as Fondren drove in Eaves with a sacrifice fly.
The Wildcats' fifth and sixth runs came on Holifield's second home run of the game, a two-run shot that set up a potential run-rule finish.
Eaves sealed the victory, delivering a line drive off the scoreboard for a walk-off two-run home run that gave Pearl River an 8-0 win.
Three Wildcats recorded multiple hits. Alexander had two singles, Eaves finished with a home run and a single, and Holifield led the way with two home runs.
NEXT UP
Pearl River stays home to take on Hinds Wednesday at 3/5 p.m.
TICKETS
Season and single-game tickets are on sale now at PRCCAthletics.com/Tickets.
TUNE IN
All home Pearl River softball games are livestreamed for free at PRCCMedia.com/Gold. Fans with Roku, Amazon Fire or Apple TV devices can also watch the Wildcat broadcasts by downloading the "Pearl River CC" channel from their app stores.
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