POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The bats were on fire from start to finish for the No. 3 Pearl River baseball team Sunday afternoon as the Wildcats clubbed eight extra-base hits and plated 29 runs in a sweep of Illinois Central. PRCC took game one 20-1 in seven innings and won 9-1 in the nightcap. 

"We played well all day today. I'm proud of the offense for getting off to a good start in both games," Pearl River baseball coach Michael Avalon said. "That's a quality team that is probably out of gas today. They always play a bunch when they come down here. We still had to show up and play well, and we did that. I'm thankful that we came out with two wins."

GAME ONE
Pearl River (18-5 overall) wanted to set the tone early against Illinois Central (4-11), and the Wildcats certainly did that, plating a whopping seven first-inning runs. Bryce Fowler (Madison; Germantown) helped set the tone, bashing a leadoff triple off the top of the center field wall and scoring on a Creek Robertson (Oxford; Madison Central) single. PRCC loaded the bases and scored two runs on back-to-back hit by pitches for Marshall Phillips (Hattiesburg; Sumrall) and Caston Thompson (Jayess; Brookhaven Academy). PRCC's hero from the doubleheader before, Alex Wade (Decatur, Ala.; Madison Academy), was next up to the plate and ripped a two-run single between the first and second baseman. Parker Ryan (Madison; Jackson Academy) delivered the next big blow of the frame, crushing a hanging pitch deep over the right field deck at Dub Herring Park for a two-run home run. The blast was the first of his Wildcat career and made the score 7-0.

Thompson added an eighth Wildcat run in the following frame as he hit a line drive right back up the middle for an RBI.

JT Schnoor (Pascagoula; Resurrection) retired the Cougars quickly in the top of the third — aided by a laser throw from Ryan to catch a runner stealing. The first seven-run frame was so nice that the Wildcats did it twice, plating seven more in the third. Ryan scored the first run, crossing the plate on a balk. Jeff Ince (Brandon; Jackson Prep) and Phillips collected back-to-back RBI singles a few batters later. Katsaboulas wrapped up the inning by going down in the zone and lifting a three-run shot deep over the left field wall, 15-0.

Blaine Knight (Kiln; Hancock) entered the game in relief of Schnoor and picked up two scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth. Konnor Graham (Hammond, La.) worked around a hit and a walk in the sixth to retire the Cougars.

PRCC had another big inning in the bottom of the frame, pushing across five more runs. A pitch hit Ashton Schepens (Long Beach), and Creek Robertson singled to get Schepens to third. Reed McCrillis (Madison; Madison Central) drove Schepens home with a single moments later. Before the frame ended, Caleb Dyess (Carriere; Pearl River Central) picked up an RBI single, and Katsaboulas picked up RBIs four and five on the day with a two-run single.

The Cougars broke the shutout in the top of the seventh, but PRCC closed it out to win by an incredible score of 20-1.

Ince finished a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored, one RBI and one walk. Katsaboulas finished 2-for-5 with five RBIs. Robertson went 2-for-3 with four runs scored, one RBI and one walk. Ryan was the final player with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs.

Schnoor allowed just one hit in his three innings of work, striking out three batters. Knight allowed two hits and one walk in two innings pitched, striking out three. Graham allowed one hit and one walk while striking out one in his lone inning pitched. Dylan Wallace (Columbia) allowed one run on two walks and one hit. He picked up two strikeouts.

GAME TWO
Like he's done all season, JP Robertson (Madison; Germantown) toed the rubber for the Wildcats and dominated throughout his outing. Luckily, PRCC's offense was still hot to go along with his pitching. A pitch hit Fowler in the bottom of the first, and he eventually scored on a passed ball.

Another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second sent the Wildcats back to hit again, allowing them to score twice. The first run scored on an RBI double down that shot down the left field line for Logan Terry (Semmes, Ala.; East Central). The second run scored when PRCC hit into a double play, 3-0.

The Wildcats struck again in the bottom of the third inning, with damage coming with two outs. Alex Wade (Decatur, Ala.; Madison Academy) singled into center field and was driven in when Dyess jumped on a hanging breaking ball and belted a two-run shot over the left field wall, 5-0.

JP Robertson continued to deal on the mound, and Pearl River scored another pair in the fourth off a Hollis Porter (Hurley; East Central) sacrifice fly and an error that the Cougar catcher committed to allow Ince to score, 7-0.

Illinois Central picked up a run in the sixth and one-upped it in the bottom half of the inning with a two-spot, scoring two runs on consecutive doubles by Creek Robertson and Porter, 9-1. 

McCrillis appeared on the mound in the seventh and worked around a leadoff walk to retire the side and end the game.

Creek Robertson, Ince and Dyess all had two-hit games. Dyess and Porter each drove in two runs. 

JP Robertson was electric once again for the Wildcats, going five innings and allowing just one hit and one walk. He struck out six batters. 

"JP was really good again. He's been steady for us all year. Hopefully, he can continue to do that," Avalon said. "I really like his focus when it's his day. You see a difference in him. That's something you try to teach guys. When it's time to go, there has to be a different look in your eye. He's had it every time out this year."

Cameron Fennell (Long Beach) followed, throwing an inning and allowing one run on two hits and a walk. He tacked on two punchouts. McCrillis threw a scoreless inning, striking out two and walking one.

NEXT UP
Pearl River heads to Summit on Wednesday for a doubleheader against Southwest and Missisisppi Delta. The first game will begin at noon, followed by the second at 3 p.m. The games will be livestreamed at Go.SMCCBears.TV

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