POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The National Junior College Athletic Association announced its Division II Softball World Series bracket Tuesday afternoon, and the Pearl River softball team earned the No. 5 seed in the tournament. The appearance marks the first NJCAA World Series berth in program history for the Wildcats.
Pearl River secured its spot in the World Series after claiming Gulf South District B with a dominant showing in the Poplarville Regional. PRCC defeated Northeast 10-2 in six innings, knocked off Jones College 5-2 and then run-ruled Northeast again 12-4 in five innings in the championship game.
The tournament will take place May 19-24 at Tyger River Park in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Pearl River opens play May 20 at 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT) against No. 12 seed Johnson County (Kan.).
ABOUT PEARL RIVER
The Wildcats have been among the nation's best offensively all season, ranking ninth nationally in slugging percentage (.604), 13th in home runs (64), 14th in on-base percentage (.459), 15th in walks (196), 19th in extra-base hits (164) and 25th in batting average (.371).
Freshman Shania Fondren (Batesville; South Panola) has led the charge offensively, batting .413 with a .506 on-base percentage and a staggering 1.101 slugging percentage. Fondren has smashed a program-record 27 home runs — the second-most in the nation — while also setting the PRCC single-season RBI record with 74.
Natalee Eaves (Louisville; Choctaw Central) has also been a key contributor, hitting .441 with 59 RBIs, 13 doubles, eight home runs and 19 stolen bases. Freshman Addy Grace Alexander (Poplarville) has excelled near the top of the lineup, batting .446 with a .537 on-base percentage.
Inside the circle, Pearl River ranks fifth nationally in strikeouts (389) and strikeouts per seven innings (8.49), sixth in ERA (2.20) and sixth in WHIP (1.14).
Ana-Grace Garcia (Baton Route, La.; St. Joseph's) has compiled a 19-2 record with a 2.33 ERA and 153 strikeouts across 141 1/3 innings pitched. Ann Elise Duncan (McComb; Brookhaven Academy) has posted a 13-3 record with a 2.20 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 101 2/3 innings. Teegan DeWitt (Pass Christian; Hancock) has racked up 113 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings.
ABOUT JOHNSON COUNTY
Located in Overland Park, Johnson County enters the tournament with a 37-11 record after winning the Plains District championship.
The Cavaliers boast one of the top offenses in the country, hitting .419 as a team with a .494 on-base percentage and a .687 slugging percentage.
Katie Kolarik leads Johnson County offensively with a .438 batting average, 63 RBIs, 16 home runs and 19 doubles while striking out only four times all season. Kennedy Glassford is hitting .441 with 18 doubles, 12 home runs and 60 RBIs.
In the circle, Johnson County owns a 3.29 ERA through 317 innings pitched with 202 strikeouts against 112 walks. The Cavaliers primarily rely on Kyleigh Whitehurst and Elsa Carrillo. Whitehurst has posted a 3.00 ERA with 110 strikeouts in 170 1/3 innings, while Carrillo carries a 3.64 ERA with 71 strikeouts across 107 2/3 innings.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are $15 per day and tournament passes are $50. Children 12 & under will be admitted for FREE.
TUNE IN
The entire 2026 NJCAA Division II Softball World Series will be streamed live on the NJCAA Network. A day pass costs $12, a tournament pass is available for $35 and an all-access pass costs $100.
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