ELLISVILLE, Miss. — If the 6-seed Pearl River softball team was trying to make a statement in its Region 23 Tournament opener, its mission was accomplished.
The Wildcats took the field and blasted 3-seed LSU Eunice, scoring in all but one inning to run-rule the Bengals 10-2 in six innings.
"We've asked our team to win every pitch and to compete. We have to work hard every single pitch," head coach Christie Meeks said. "This is when you want to get hot. Our team put it all together tonight and believe that they can beat anyone."
The Wildcats now advance to Monday's winner's bracket game at 1 p.m. against host and 2-seed Jones College. The game will be livestreamed at JCBobcats.com/watch. Tickets can be purchased for $12 online at JCBobcats.com/tickets or $15 at the gate.
Pearl River (35-15 overall) went quietly to start the day, then fell behind LSU Eunice (40-11) after the bottom of the first inning. The Bengals manufactured a run by turning a leadoff hit-by-pitch into a bloop RBI single. Another run could have been scored if not for a perfect play from Kai Goodman (New Orleans, LA.) The shortstop fielded a hard-hit ball and fired a throw home to cut a run down at the plate. The next batter grounded out to second, and the inning was over with minimal damage, 1-0.
The Wildcats took charge in the top of the second. Maeli Ben (Conehatta; Newton County) narrowly missed a homer but cruised into second with a standup double, placing a pair into scoring position. PRCC went on to get two outs in the frame but didn't let it stop them from scoring runs. Kirsten Williams (Saucier; West Harrison) sent a line drive off the wall in left for a two-out, two-run double. The freshman scored shortly after when Goodman laced a ball along the ground and into center field, 3-1.
Ana-Grace Garcia (Baton Rouge, La.; St. Joseph's) dominated in the circle following her tough first inning, allowing few baserunners the rest of the way and giving her offense a chance to pull away.
Natalee Eaves (Louisville; Choctaw Central) tacked on another run for PRCC in the third, blasting a 1-0 pitch out of the ballpark for her fourth homer of the year. Another long ball padded the lead in the fifth. Usually a slap-hitter, Goodman stepped into the left-handed batter's box and unloaded on the first pitch thrown her way, sending it sailing over the left field wall, 5-1.
It was another long ball that added to the run total in the fourth. Usually a slap-hitter, Goodman stepped into the box and unloaded on the first pitch thrown to her. The ball sailed over the left field wall relatively quickly and had PRCC ahead 5-1. Caitlyn Riche (Walker, La.) missed joining the home run party by a matter of inches in the fifth inning. With two outs, the second baseman ripped a ball off the top of the wall and settled for an RBI double, 6-1.
Peyton Hoffmayer (Ocean Springs) smacked PRCC's third homer of the night in the top of the sixth and became the second player on the team with double-digit home runs in the process. Her two-run shot made the score 8-1. The runs kept coming in the frame as Goodman singled and Anna Kate Rounsaville (Gulfport) tacked on a pinch-hit single. A double steal placed two runners into scoring position, and Eaves roped a two-run single into center field, 10-1.
In the bottom half of the inning, LSU Eunice scored a run and had an opportunity to add another. A ball was ripped toward the hole between third base and shortstop. Goodman's reactions were perfect as she snagged the ball and ended the contest, 10-2.
LEADING THE WAY
Garcia threw six innings of two-run softball, scattering five hits and three walks. The right-hander tallied three strikeouts.
"Ana-Grace has been throwing game two, so I think she had to settle in," Meeks said. "She realized that this was a tournament, and she had to give everything she had on every pitch. She eliminated some of the tough calls and stayed focused."
Goodman was incredible from the top of the order, going 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs, and one home run. Eaves finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Williams and Hoffmayer each had two this and two RBIs. Hoffmayer left the yard once. Ben was 2-for-4 with a double.
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