POPLARVILLE, Miss. — It wasn't easy for the No. 2 Pearl River softball team Saturday afternoon, but the Wildcats grabbed two gritty wins over Mississippi Delta to secure a sweep. Pearl River won game one 9-1 before taking game two 5-1.
"They are a well-coached team," Pearl River coach Christie Meeks said. "He (head coach Tre Hobbs) does a fantastic job over there. They are going to continue to get better. Getting a sweep against anyone in this conference is tough, so I am glad we got it done."
GAME ONE
Natalie Herrington (Petal) started things off beautifully for Pearl River (24-3 overall; 6-0 MACCC) against Mississippi Delta (1-21; 1-5), striking out two of the first three batters she faced to retire the Trojans in order.
Morgan Lavergne (Baton Rouge, La.; Central) did just what a leadoff hitter is supposed to do in the bottom of the first, setting the tone with a leadoff triple. The shortstop put a charge into the ball, burning the right fielder and sending the hit off the wall. She scored shortly after as Natalie Toups (Brandon; Clinton Christian Academy) smacked a sacrifice fly into left field, 1-0.
The Trojans evened things up in the third, scoring when an RBI double dropped just inside fair territory in left field, 1-1. PRCC responded nicely in the bottom of the frame. Lavergne put a great swing on a pitch and sent it flying off the left field wall for a leadoff double. Toups followed with a great display of slap-hitting, lacing a ball along the ground past the second baseman for an RBI single. The center fielder promptly swiped second base and scored on a hard-hit Bryn Daughtery (Vancleave) single, 3-1.
The lead grew to three runs in the bottom of the fourth. CharLee Meadows (Piave; Greene County) punched a ball the opposite way and into right-center field for a double and eventually scored on Lavergne's double off the left field wall. The extra-base hit was Lavergne's third of the game. Two more Wildcat runs were added in the fifth inning. Lainee Bailey (Walker, La.) led off the inning with a single and scored when Anna Kate Rounsaville (Gulfport) sent a 3-1 pitch flying deep over the left field wall for a two-run homer, 6-1.
Pearl River put an end to the game in the sixth inning. Lavergne led off the inning with her fourth hit of the game. Toups followed by reaching on an error, and Daughtery drew a walk to load the bases. The Trojan pitcher held on to a ball a bit too long and threw it wide for a run-scoring wild pitch. Rounsaville provided the final blow, blooping a single into center field for two RBIs, effectively ending the game 9-1.
Herrington threw six innings of one-run softball, allowing just two hits and two walks. She struck out six batters.
Lavergne went 4-for-4 at the plate with three runs, three extra-base hits and one RBI. Rounsaville finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Hoffmayer was the only other Wildcat to have a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-3.
GAME TWO
The Wildcats looked to be off to another fast start in the second game of the doubleheader as, just like in game one, Lavergne led things off with a triple. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, she was thrown out trying to score on a ground ball, and the Wildcats retired shortly afterward.
The Trojans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, capitalizing on a Wildcat error.
In the fourth inning, Pearl River finally went in front, and who else to do it but Lavergne. Alexa Womack (Prairieville, La.; Dutchtown) dropped a perfect bunt single and advanced to third on a Madelyn Bourgoyne (Walker, La.) double. Lavergne then stepped to the box, worked a 2-1 count and then crushed a ball that clipped the top of the wall and went over for a lead-changing three-run homer, 3-1. The long ball helped her hit for the cycle across the doubleheader.
Pearl River added a fourth run in the fifth inning. Rounsaville picked up a single at the start of the frame and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Rounsaville crossed the plate following a Ryleigh Wallace (Petal) groundout.
The Wildcats capped the scoring in the sixth with some help from the Trojans. Lavergne was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Toups. When Lavergne rounded second base, the MDCC first baseman tried to throw behind her and heaved the ball into the outfield for a two-base, run-scoring error, 5-1.
Bailey was in a bit of trouble in the circle in the top of the seventh, giving up two singles and a walk to load up the bases. She decided that she wasn't going to let it bother here and picked up back-to-back strikeouts before inducing a game-ending ground ball.
Lavergne went 2-for-2 with a triple, a home run, three RBIs and a walk, pushing her doubleheader total to 6-for-6 with a walk, a hit by pitch, five runs and four RBIs. Rounsaville finished 2-for-3 with a run scored. Womack went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Bourgoyne finished 2-for-3 with a run and two doubles.
Bailey threw seven innings of one-run softball, giving up four hits and three walks. The run that scored was unearned. She struck out seven batters.
NEXT UP
Pearl River remains at Wildcat Stadium on Tuesday for a 3/5 p.m. doubleheader against Meridian.
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.
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