POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The No. 9 Pearl River softball team split with the visiting Northeast Tigers in its regular-season finale on Friday, winning game one 4-0 and dropping game two 6-4. The doubleheader served as sophomore day for the Wildcats.

"I'm very proud of them for fighting until the very end," head coach Christie Meeks said. "We have been pumping and pushing all year long, and they're seeing here at the end of the season that it takes everyone to win and we are all a part of this."

Meeks highlighted the play of the pitching staff postgame. 

"It's a big deal going into the postseason with a pitching staff that plays as one and also have hitters behind them as well," she said. "I'm proud to not only have that but also see them remain consistent all year."

The Wildcats wore purple ribbons in remembrance of the late Lauren Bennett of James Madison. 

"We wore purple ribbons in our hair for the JMU player who passed away," Meeks said. "We just want to bring awareness to that. We want people to see that mental health is important. We want our girls to know that we love them and support them."

Meeks also delivered a message to the Pearl River baseball team who clinched the 2022 MACCC Championship on Friday.

"Huge congratulations to our baseball team for clinching first place, she said. "That's amazing and we're supporting you all the way."

GAME ONE
Pearl River (30-15 overall; 20-8 MACCC) opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning as Payton Lee (Picayune; Pearl River Central) singled and came around to score shortly after on a throwing error. 

Taelor York (Choctaw; Clinton Christian Academy) led off the bottom of the third inning with a walk that was followed by a Hannah Miller (Kokomo; West Marion) single. Both runners were driven in when Lee smashed a ball into the gap, increasing the Wildcat lead 3-0.

Pearl River added on in the fourth courtesy of an Emily Rigney (Waynesboro; Wayne County) ground ball that brought Kalle Hunt (Picayune), giving the Wildcats a 4-0 lead.

Brinson Anne Rogers (Statesboro, Ga.) carried a no-hitter into the seventh, but the Tiger (28-18; 15-13) leadoff batter broke it up with a single. Rogers worked around the hit by retiring the next three batters to secure a 4-0 victor.

Rogers tossed seven innings, allowing no runs on one hit. She struck out 15 batters. Lee led the way offensively tallying two hits and two RBIs. Miller finished with two hits on the afternoon. Dallyn Nance (Nanih Waiya), York, and Jena Pacheco (Vancleave) all finished with a hit each.

"Offensively we hit well in big situations, which is what we've been doing at practice and I'm proud of them for that," Meeks said.

GAME TWO
Northeast took an early 1-0 lead through a double.

The Wildcats equalized in the third through a Pacheco RBI single that brought home Lee.

The Tigers reclaimed the lead 5-1 in the fourth by taking advantage of a few defensive miscues.

Pearl River was able to get a run back in the bottom half of the inning courtesy of an Aunie Rethmeyer (Belle Chasse, La.) single, driving in Janna Peterson (Poplarville).

Northeast grabbed a pivot insurance run in the sixth with a two-out rally.

The Wildcats halved the deficit through an error that allowed Keigan Pearson (Carriere; Pearl River Central) to score setting the score at 6-3. Rethmeyer came around to score moments later on a Rigney single to cut the score to 6-4.

Pearl River managed to get the tying run on base in the seventh but was turned away, falling 6-4 in game two.

Hannah Embry (Vicksburg; Porter's Chapel Academy) got the start in game two and tossed five and 2/3 innings. She allowed two earned runs on eight hits and struck out four.

Madelyn Burch (Franklinton, La; Bowling Green) pitched the final 1 1/3 inning. She allowed no runs and no hits, striking out three. Pacheco led the way in game two, collecting two hits and an RBI. Rethmeyer finished with a hit and an RBI. Julianah Overstreet (Vancleave), Pearson, and Miller all finished with a hit.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats turn their attention to the MACCC tournament on May 4-7. When more details are available, you can find more information at PRCCAthletics.com.

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