POPLARVILLE, Miss. — After hitting the 40-win mark in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history, the No. 6 Pearl River softball team is now set to kick off the Region 23 Tournament.

There are two Region 23 Tournament brackets this season, with each champion earning an automatic spot in the NJCAA Softball Championship May 20-25 in Spartanburg, S.C. The two winners will play for the Gulf District Championship on May 11. 1-seed Copiah-Lincoln hosts 4-seed LSU Eunice, 5-seed Hinds and 8-seed Northeast. 2-seed Jones College hosts 3-seed Pearl River, 6-seed East Central, and 10-seed Northwest.

The Wildcats take on 6-seed East Central Friday at 6 p.m. The winner advances to Saturday at 3 p.m. against the winner of 2-seed Jones and 10-seed Northwest. The loser plays Saturday at 1 p.m. against the loser of the same matchup.0

ABOUT THE WILDCATS
The Wildcats closed the regular season with a 41-10 record and a 21-7 mark in MACCC play. Pearl River has one of the country's best pitching staffs as it begins postseason play. The Wildcats rank seventh in the NJCAA in ERA (2.21), third in strikeouts (400), fourth in WHIP (1.06) and sixth in strikeouts per seven innings (8.26).

Southern Miss signee Natalie Herrington (Petal) is among the nation's best in most categories. She's 11th in ERA (1.55). 10th in strikeouts (180), seventh in WHIP (.95), 11th in innings pitched (157.2) and seventh in wins (19).

Two-way star Lainee Bailey (Walker, La.) holds a 2.80 ERA through 142 1/3 innings pitched. She has struck out 201 batters on the year and has a 1.10 WHIP.

The Wildcat offense has a .340 batting average, a .416 on-base percentage and a .577 slugging percentage through 51 games this season. PRCC has slugged 61 homers, 108 doubles and 18 triples. The Wildcats have stolen 76 bases, getting caught just nine times. PRCC's home run total ranks 13th nationally. 

PRCC's offense has been led by Bailey, who is hitting .434 with 17 homers, 16 doubles and five triples. She has collected 59 RBIs, scored 49 runs and walked 28 times. She needs two more long balls to break the program record of 18. Freshman Peyton Hoffmayer (Ocean Springs) has been another big bat for the Wildcats this season. She is hitting .401 with 12 homers, 11 doubles and two triples. She has driven in 56 runs this season.

ABOUT EAST CENTRAL
The Wildcats and the Warriors split the season series. PRCC lost the opener 6-2 and responded with a six-inning, 8-0 run-rule victory in game two.

Emily Collins leads the way in the circle with a 1.44 ERA through 156 innings pitched. She has struck out 147 batters and walked 59. She is 18-3 on the year with 11 complete games. Janci Aube is ECCC's other starting pitcher. She has thrown 103 innings, pitching her way to a 3.33 ERA. She has walked 77 batters and struck out 97.

Reagan Bryan is the leading Warrior hitter, holding a .380 batting average, a .449 on-base percentage and a .671 slugging percentage. She has driven in 26 runs, hitting 16 doubles and 10 homers. Sophia Romera leads the team in RBIs with 31. She is hitting .312 with 18 doubles, five triples and three homers.

TICKETS
Admission is $12 online or $15 cash-only at the gate. A weekend pass is available for $25. Tickets can be purchased at JCBobcats.com/Tickets. Gates open one hour before the first game each day. 

TUNE IN
All games will be livestreamed at JCBobcats.com/Watch.

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