POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The No. 2 Pearl River baseball team split a doubleheader with Copiah-Lincoln Wednesday afternoon at Dub Herring Park. Despite run-ruling game one 15-5 in seven innings, PRCC fell 7-1 in the nightcap. The game two loss was PRCC's first loss against the Wolves since May 2, 2017.
"I felt like we were outcoached in both games today. We won the first game because our talent just took over," head coach Michael Avalon said. "We didn't play well all day, and that's going to happen sometimes. We didn't focus and lock in when game two got here. They (Copiah-Lincoln) moved on and were ready to play. We've just got to learn from today."
GAME ONE
Pearl River (34-6 overall; 14-2 MACCC) stuck it to Copiah-Lincoln (25-18; 9-9) early in game one, scoring two runs in the first and three runs in the second. Jacob Keys (Brandon) opened the scoring by turning on a 1-1 pitch and smacking a solo shot off the videoboard just beyond left-center field, 1-0. PRCC went station-to-station for its next run, loading the bases before Jackson Hood (Madison; Germantown) rocketed a ball into left field for a single, 2-0. In the second, Caston Thompson (Jayess; Brookhaven Academy) had an RBI single, and Jaxon Milam (Phenix City, Ala.; Glenwood Academy) tacked on a two-run single, 5-0.
An error, a wild pitch and a suicide squeeze allowed Copiah-Lincoln to get two runs back in the top of the fourth and cut the deficit to three. The Wildcat offense exploded in the bottom half of the inning with a seven-spot. Keys led off the frame with his second long ball of the game, sending it well beyond the left field wall. Thompson doubled in the fourth, and Topher Jones (Hernando) blasted a two-run homer the opposite way and over the right-center field wall, 8-2. Hood added an RBI on a double, and Nico Williams (Gulfport) plated a run with a sacrifice fly, 10-2. The scoring in the inning was capped with an RBI single from Keegan Giger (Petal) and an RBI double from Keys, 12-2.
The Wolves tried to start a rally in the fifth and sixth innings, scoring three to cut the lead to seven and avoid the run-rule. The Wildcats finished things off in the bottom of the seventh. Two of the first three batters reached base before Hood turned on a full-count pitch and sent a three-run home run out of straightaway center field. The blast pushed the Wildcats ahead 15-5, ending things on the run rule.
Camden Clark (Laurel; West Jones) earned the win with five innings of three-run baseball. All three runs were unearned. He allowed four hits and three walks, striking out 11. Caleb Dyess (Carriere; Pearl River Central) allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in two innings of work. He grabbed three strikeouts.
Keys had an incredible game, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and two homers. He drove in three runs and scored three. Milam was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, and Hood went 3-for-4 with a team-high five RBIs. He had a double and a homer.
GAME TWO
Copiah-Lincoln found some two-out magic in the top of the first, ripping three straight hits to score the opening run, 1-0. The Wildcats had a response in the third, as Giger and Jones each hit doubles in the frame to scratch across a run, 1-1.
The Wildcats fell behind by a run in the fifth inning, and the Wolves put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh, 7-1.
Pearl River picked up a hit in the bottom of the seventh but dropped the contest.
KK Clark (Brandon) was tagged with the loss despite throwing five innings of two-run baseball. He scattered six hits and struck out four. Carson Fair (Southaven) tossed 1 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on two hits and three walks. Max Miller (Vancleave) recorded two outs, giving up one hit.
Giger and Jones each went 2-for-4, with Jones driving in PRCC's lone run. The duo both had a double in the game.
NEXT UP
The Wildcats continue their homestand Saturday with a doubleheader against Coahoma. First pitch at Dub Herring Park is scheduled for 2 p.m.
TUNE IN
All home Pearl River baseball 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.
Games will also be available over the air in Pearl River County by tuning into 1320-AM and 106.9 FM. The radio broadcast is also available at WRJWRadio.com and by downloading the WRJW app.
For the latest on Pearl River Community College athletics, follow us on X (@PRCCAthletics) and Facebook (PRCCAthletics).
