POPLARVILLE, Miss. — Runs were not at a premium for the Pearl River softball team Thursday evening as the Wildcats scored a remarkable 28 runs across a doubleheader against John Melvin. PRCC took game one 12-4 before claiming game two 16-4.

"We started off a little slow over the first three innings," Pearl River coach Christie Meeks said. "After that, we exploded and got some fire under us. This team is playing extremely tough all the way around. They're really playing as a team."

GAME ONE
Bella Crawley (Ocean Springs) received the start in the circle for the Wildcats and worked around a one-out double to retire the side. Pearl River (11-3 overall) got a leadoff baserunner after Morgan Lavergne (Baton Rouge, La.; Central) walked but the side was retired shortly after.

The Wildcats finally gave Crawley some run support in the bottom of the second inning. Marisa West (Citronelle, Ala.; LeRoy) was the first to step to the plate in the inning and launched the fifth pitch of her at-bat over the centerfield wall for a 1-0 lead. Smart baserunning helped the next run come in. Destiney Gary (Greenwell Springs, La.; Central) lined a ball into left field and advanced all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt by CharLee Meadows (Piave; Greene County). Lavergne brought her home, lacing an RBI single right back up the middle for a 2-0 advantage.

In the top of the fourth, the Millers loaded the bases with two outs, but Crawley induced a ground ball that Lavergne fielded cleanly and tossed over to Jena Pacheco (Vancleave) for the final out of the inning.

PRCC added three more runs in the bottom half of the inning, going ahead 5-0. Cassidy Cartwright (Poplarville) looped a ball into left field that dropped just in front of the John Melvin left fielder who had trouble fielding the ball, allowing Cartwright to take second. Bryn Daughtery (Vancleave) then laced a ball down the line for an RBI single. After a fielder's choice off the bat of West, Gary went the other way for a single and RBI. Meadows capped the scoring with a hard-hit single down the left field line.

The Millers cut the deficit to just one run in the fifth, 5-4, using an RBI single, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and two bases-loaded walks to get it done. 

Pearl River wasted no time building out a lead again, using six straight hits to stretch its lead to 10-4. Dallyn Nance (Nanih Waiya) led things off with a double before Julianah Overstreet (Vancleave) hit a ball just out of the reach of the Miller shortstop for an RBI single. Overstreet, who advanced to second on the throw, scored after Cartwright knocked a ball into right field. Daughtery picked up an RBI single which was followed by an RBI double from Pacheco. West chased the John Melvin starter out of the game with a double off the left field wall. The Wildcats ended the game with a run-rule three batters later after an RBI groundout from Meadows as well as Gary scoring on a passed ball, handing PRCC a 12-4 victory.

Crawley pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and five walks. She struck out four batters. Natalie Herrington (Petal) threw 1/3 of an inning.

Cartwright, Daughtery, Pacheco, West and Gary all had a two-hit game. West, Daughtery and Meadows all collected two RBIs.

GAME TWO
Mya Young (Paxton, Fla.) worked around a leadoff single by John Melvin to retire the side with three straight groundouts. 

Lavergne doubled to centerfield and advanced to third base after Natalie Toups (Brandon; Clinton Christian Academy) placed a bunt perfectly for a single. An error by the Millers off the bat of Daughtery allowed one run to come in. Another error soon after gave the Wildcats two more runs and a 3-0 lead. West kept it rolling by doubling into left field and Ashlyn Dean (Picayune; Pearl River Central) followed suit by demolishing the first homer of her Pearl River career. The two-run blast made the score 5-0.

Six runs crossed the plate for Pearl River in the third inning, extending the Wildcat lead to 11-0. Daughtery and West started the inning off with a single and a walk, respectively. Klair Cuevas (Poplarville; Hancock) reached base after being hit by a pitch. Ryleigh Wallace (Petal) made the most of a pinch-hitter opportunity, lacing a two-run single into center field. Lavergne cleared the bases four pitches later, driving a two-run triple down the right field line. Toups added on with a sacrifice fly and Daughtery picked up an RBI single before the inning ended to cap the big frame.

The Millers plated three runs in the top of the fourth, cutting the deficit to 11-3. PRCC came right back with a five-spot in the bottom half. A Dean walk, Cuevas double and Wallace hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. Lavergne promptly unloaded them with a three-run double into left field. Kallie Hunt (Picayune) kept it rolling by smashing an RBI double over the head of the John Melvin centerfielder. Daughtery plated the final run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.

JMU added one more run in the top of the fifth before Lizzie Weems (Bay St. Louis; Bay) slammed the door to put an end to the contest, 16-4.

Young pitched three innings, allowing two hits and striking out one batter. Weems tossed two innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and one walk. She struck out three batters.

Lavergne went 3-for-4 with five RBIs in the game. Overstreet, Hunt, Daughtery and Cuevas all collected two hits in the game.

NEXT UP
The Wildcats go on the road Tuesday for a doubleheader against Pensacola State. The games are set to get underway at 3 p.m. The games will be livestreamed at PirateNetwork.live.

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