SENATOBIA, Miss.—The Pearl River softball team traveled to Senatobia to take on Northwest Monday. The Wildcats won game one of the doubleheader 9-4 but dropped the second game in a pitcher's duel, 2-0.
"Overall, I believe we fought hard for our first conference opener especially being on the road," head coach Christie Meeks said. "We are going to learn from every game and continue to grow."
GAME ONE
Pearl River (11-8 overall; 1-1 MACCC) threatened to start the afternoon by putting runners on the corners with one out, but the Northwest (11-3; 1-1) pitcher turned them away.
The Rangers struck in the bottom of the first by taking advantage of a couple of Wildcat errors plating two runs. Brinson Anne Rogers (Statesboro, Ga.) settled in shortly after by striking out three in a row.
Northwest added another run in the third thanks to a wild pitch increasing the lead to 3-0.
The Wildcats found a run with a two-out rally in the fourth. Jena Pacheco (Vancleave) doubled into left field. Bethany Fewell (Mendenhall) came into run for Pacheco and immediately stole third base. Cassidy Cartwright (Poplarville) promptly lined a triple down the left field line to score Fewell, cutting the deficit to 3-1. The Ranger pitcher ended the rally shortly after.
Pearl River continued to build on the momentum it had found into the fifth inning as Taelor York (Choctaw; Clinton Christian Academy) reached first on a dropped third strike. After York stole second, Hannah Miller (Kokomo; West Marion) drew a walk. Julianah Overstreet (Vancleave) stepped to the plate and drilled a ball over the centerfield wall for a huge three-run home run, giving the Wildcats a 4-3 lead.
The Wildcats started yet another two-out tally in the sixth as Payton Lee (Picayune; Pearl River Central) reached after getting hit by a pitch. Emily Rigney (Waynesboro; Wayne County) followed it up by slapping a ball to third for an infield single. York reached with a walk to load the bases for Miller, who promptly hammered a ball over the centerfield wall blowing things open 8-3 in favor of the Wildcats.
Northwest loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but Rogers worked out of the jam by getting back-to-back flyouts with the lead still 8-3.
The Wildcats grabbed an insurance run in the top of the seventh as Cartwright scored again, this time on an error, swelling the lead to 9-3.
Northwest scored in the bottom of the seventh, but Rogers ended the rally and Pearl River took game one 9-4.
Rogers got the start in game one and continued her impressive season throwing a complete game. She struck out 12.
Miller, Cartwright, Overstreet, and Rigney all had two hits on the afternoon.
Keigan Pearson (Carriere; Pearl River Central), Pacheco, and Lee all collected a hit each.
Miller lead the way with four RBIs and scored two runs. Overstreet was second on the team with three RBIs and scored once.
Fewell, Cartwright, Lee, and Rigney all scored a run.
"Game one hitting was great," Meeks said. "They passed the bat and kept finding ways to get on and extend innings. Our energy was through the roof.
GAME TWO
Hannah Embry (Vicksburg; Porter's Chapel) started game two for the Wildcats and breezed through the first two innings as neither team could find momentum offensively. Northwest finally broke through in the third taking advantage of a Wildcat error to grab a 1-0 lead. Embry was able to limit the damage and work out of the jam.
The Wildcats threatened in the top of the fifth by loading the bases, but the Rangers made a pitching change and induced a flyout to end the threat.
The Rangers added an insurance run after another Wildcat error to increase the lead to 2-0.
Pearl River brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh but was unable to score, dropping game two 2-0.
Embry was solid, pitching six innings and striking out five.
"Pitching was outstanding today," Meeks said. "Brinson and Embry fought hard and threw phenomenally by keeping the hitters off-balance."
Dallyn Nance (Nanih Waiya), Miller, Overstreet, Rigney, and Lee all had a hit on the evening.
UP NEXT
The Wildcats return home on Wednesday for the "Cat Fight" against Jones College. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
TICKETS
Single-game tickets are available now and can be purchased at PRCCAthletics.com/tickets.
TUNE IN
All home Pearl River softball games are livestreamed for free at PRCCMedia.com/gold. Fans who have 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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