POPLARVILLE, Miss. — It was an electric showing for the No. 6 Pearl River softball team in its top-10 battle against No. 10 LSU Eunice as the Wildcats battled their way to an impressive sweep, 6-0 and 4-1.
"The girls played really well, and I am so proud of them," head coach Christie Meeks said. "They are really fighting for each other. I'm incredibly proud of our offense for how they played today. LSU Eunice is a fantastic team. They're aggressive and fast with everything that they do. We discussed that before the game, and the girls were ready to play."
GAME ONE
The Wildcats (11-0 overall) were content to go station-to-station in the first inning against LSU Eunice (6-4) as Natalie Toups (Brandon; Clinton Christian Academy), Lainee Bailey (Walker, La.) and Bryn Daughtery (Vancleave) knocked three straight singles to load up the bases. The Bengal pitcher forced a popout to record the second out of the inning, but Anna Kate Rounsaville (Gulfport) was up to the challenge, lacing a two-out, two-run single into right centerfield to put PRCC in front, 2-0.
Wildcat starter Natalie Herrington (Petal) ran into some trouble in the second and third innings, getting two runners aboard in each inning before activating her clutch gene to get out of the jams.
PRCC added an insurance run in the bottom half of the third inning. Toups led off with a walk before moving all the way to third on a double by Bailey. Daughtery stepped to the plate and dinked an RBI single just over the head of the third baseman, 3-0.
Herrington retired the side in order in the fourth, but it wouldn't have happened without the incredible defensive effort of Klair Cuevas (Poplarville; Hancock). The left fielder ranged far to her right and into foul territory before laying out for a big-time diving catch. Herrington proceeded to work around a one-out single in the fifth to keep the Bengals off the scoresheet.
Rounsaville's heroics continued in the fifth. After Bailey worked a leadoff walk and Peyton Hoffmayer (Ocean Springs) ripped a single into left field, Rounsaville stepped to the dish and sent a line drive deep over the left field wall for a 3-run home run, 6-0.
Herrington set the Bengals down in order in the top of the sixth and made quick work of them in the seventh to secure the shutout victory. She scattered six hits and struck out six batters in her complete-game effort.
Rounsaville led the charge, going 2-for-3 with five RBIs. Morgan Lavergne (Baton Rouge, La.; Central), Bailey and Daughtery also had two hits in the contest.
GAME TWO
It was the Bailey show in the second game as the Southeastern Louisiana transfer led the way both in the circle and at the plate. She fired a complete game in the circle, striking out 11 batters and allowing just three hits, one walk and one unearned run. In the batter's box, she went 1-for-3 with three RBIs and one home run.
After the Wildcat offense went quietly in the top of the first inning, they struck for a run in the second. Daughtery was plunked to begin the inning, and her courtesy runner, CharLee Meadows (Piave; Greene County), came around to score on a wild pitch.
Bailey retired all three batters that walked to the plate in the top of the third to effectively send the Wildcat offense and herself right back to hit. Lavergne drew a walk, and Toups was hit to place two runners aboard. Bailey found herself locked in a 1-1 count before unloading on a pitch and sending a moonshot flying over the wall in left centerfield, 4-0.
Bailey's incredible game continued in the fourth inning, bringing her strikeout total to eight by sitting down two of the four batters she faced on strikes. LSU Eunice finally got to Bailey in the fifth inning, but the run was unearned due to a miscue on defense, 4-1.
It looked as if Bailey was going to find herself in some trouble in the sixth frame after a leadoff single. Bailey immediately induced a fielder's choice before etching her 10th strikeout of the night. She then was the recipient of another dazzling play by Cuevas, who sprinted in from her post in left field and dove to make her second web-gem play of the day.
Bailey went right back to work in the top of the seventh inning, sandwiching a strikeout between a flyout and a pop-out to secure the 4-1 victory.
Caitlyn Riche (Walker, La.) was the only other Wildcat with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-3.
NEXT UP
Pearl River remains at Wildcat Stadium on Wednesday for a 4/6 p.m. doubleheader against Lamar State College – Port Arthur.
TICKETS
Tickets are on sale now at PRCCAthletics.com/Tickets. General admission tickets are $8 per game. Season passes can be purchased for $75 for softball or a softball/baseball season pass can be purchased for $100.
HOW TO WATCH
The Wildcats will once again livestream all games 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.
For the latest on Pearl River Community College athletics, follow us on Twitter (@PRCCAthletics) and Facebook (PRCCAthletics).