POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The No. 4 Pearl River Wildcats earned two victories for a sweep over Holmes on Friday. Behind great pitching and a relentless offense, the Wildcats won in game one 10-3 and 11-1 in game two. Lainee Bailey (Walker, La.) and Anna Kate Rounsaville (Gulfport) were standouts.
“I am really proud of our hitters,” head coach Christie Meeks said. “They came out and were on fire in the first game, and they kept pounding. That’s something that we’ve been practicing. We don’t want to let up; we’ve got to finish the games strong. I think that’s what we did today.”
GAME ONE
Natalie Herrington (Petal) picked up a pair of strikeouts in each of the first three innings, opening the game with back-to-back punchouts. In the bottom half of the first, Pearl River (30-5 overall; 12-2 MACCC) scored quickly. Morgan Lavergne (Baton Rouge, La.; Central) began the game with a sharp single through the left side. She then advanced around to third base before a Natalie Toups (Brandon; Clinton Christian Academy) flyout to centerfield scored her. With runners on second and third, Rounsaville doubled, scoring both Wildcat runners. Caroline Lindsey (Gulfport) closed the scoring, bringing in Rounsaville on a sharp single.
With a 4-0 lead over Holmes (17-15; 3-9), Herrington headed back to the circle, producing a quick inning. Things went quietly for both sides until the bottom of the third when Rounsaville launched a solo homer over the left field wall, putting the score to 5-0. The Wildcats threatened to add more, but ultimately wasted an opportunity.
With Herrington tossing the ball well, the Wildcats added two more runs in the fourth and fifth. Rounsaville remained in the action, perfectly placing a ball just inside the right field line, scoring Bailey. Ashlyn Dean (Picayune; Pearl River Central) got a pinch-hit opportunity and sent it to the left center field scoreboard. It landed over the fence for a solo homer.
Trouble mounted in the top of the sixth as the Bulldogs tallied three runs. Bailey came in to pitch and induced a grounder right back at her. With the bases loaded, she threw home, and the catcher, Lindsey, converted the double play by throwing the ball to first.
Winning 7-3, Toups singled to open the bottom of the sixth. Bailey followed that up with a triple, scoring Toups. Daughtery pushed across Bailey with a single of her own. Daughtery later scored on a passed ball. The inning ended with the Wildcats leading 10-3. Bailey picked up two strikeouts in the final frame, closing out the contest 10-3.
Rounsaville went 3-for-3 with a double and a homer. She led the team with four RBIs and picked up a walk. Lindsey was 3-for-4 with three singles and an RBI while stealing a base. Daughtery went 2-for-3 with two singles and an RBI. Dean had the other Wildcat homerun, going 2-for-2.
Herrington threw 5 1/3 innings, striking out eight, scattering two hits and three walks. She was tagged for three unearned runs. Bailey closed the game, tossing 1 2/3 innings, giving up one hit, one walk, and netting two strikeouts.
“Our pitching has been a constant all year long,” Meeks said. “We are really proud of them for that. They have each other’s backs and genuinely want each other to succeed. They talk to each other between innings about what they see, so when it’s their turn to go in, they are ready.”
GAME TWO
The second game of the doubleheader began similarly to the first, efficiently. Lavergne doubled off the right-center field wall. A sacrifice bunt moved her to third, and she scored on a Bailey single very quickly. Rounsaville continued her fine play, doubling into right field. She picked up an RBI as Bailey scored. Peyton Hoffmayer (Ocean Springs) singled, scoring Rounsaville and then crossing home herself when Caitlyn Riche (Walker, La.) knocked a clean double directly into the gap. The ball stuck against the fence as the Wildcats opened a 4-0 lead.
On the mound in the top of the second, Bailey notched three strikeouts, getting all three swinging. As if her fine performance on the day was not enough, Bailey unleashed a two-run moonshot deep over center field in the bottom half. Lavergne scored on the big fly as the Wildcats added to their lead, 6-0. Bailey picked up two more strikeouts in the top of the third.
With two outs, Pearl River added two more runs in the bottom frame. Rounsaville singled, made her way around the bases, and scored on a Meadows line drive single over the second baseman. The Wildcats then executed a delayed steal to bait the Holmes Bulldogs into throwing down to second, which allowed a run to score before the inning ended, 8-0.
Holmes picked up its first run before Pearl River followed with three more. Lavergne began the bottom of the fourth with a double before Toups walked. They both scored on a hard Bailey single up the middle. Pearl River’s final run came on a Riche sacrifice fly that scored Klair Cuevas (Poplarville; Hancock).
Daughtery tossed the final inning as the game went final, with Pearl River leading 11-1 through five innings.
Bailey was 3-for-3 with two singles and a home run. She had the lone homer and led the team with five RBIs. Lavergne went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a base on balls. Lavergne scored three times. She picked up one RBI while scoring twice. Riche was 1-for-2 with a double. She picked up two RBIs and scored one run.
Rounsaville batted 2-for-3 with a single and double.
“She is one of our best contact hitters, and we tell her that,” Meeks said. “We tell her that all of the time. She just has to remember that. She had her head on straight and did what she needed to do.”
Bailey pitched four innings, racking up nine strikeouts and scattering three hits. She gave up one earned run. Daughtery picked up the final inning of game two, giving up two hits but escaping clean.
UP NEXT
The Wildcats return home on Wednesday for a huge 4 p.m. first pitch conference doubleheader against No. 2 Copiah-Lincoln.
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).
PRESS RELEASE WRITTEN BY PEARL RIVER ATHLETICS INTERN, JAXON DUNAWAY.
