POPLARVILLE, Miss. — A two-decade-old, seemingly unbreakable record was shattered Saturday evening, as the No. 4 Pearl River baseball team surpassed the 2004 team’s consecutive victories record by picking up its 28th and 29th in a row. PRCC took down Coahoma 13-2 in game one and snatched game two 12-3. The Wildcats are now 22-0 in MACCC play and have at least a three-game lead on its MACCC foes for first place.
“This streak is just a credit to this group of players. This is probably the most mature team I’ve coached,” head coach Michael Avalon said. “That’s why they have had the success that they have had. They show up with the right mindset and the right focus. They set the tone in the first inning of both games with a 10-spot and a five-spot. They want it, which is special.”
GAME ONE
Coahoma (4-35 overall; 0-22 MACCC) scored the game’s first run, capitalizing on a leadoff walk and a wild pitch to move in front 1-0.
Pearl River (42-5; 22-0) responded in a massive way in the bottom half of the opening frame, batting around to plate an incredible 10 runs. The Wildcats picked up seven hits in the inning — highlighted by an opposite-field three-run blast off the bat of Bryce Fowler (Madison; Germantown), 10-1.
Starter Caleb Dyess (Carriere; Pearl River Central) settled in on the mound in the second and third innings, allowing just one base runner in the two-inning stretch. Fowler made it a two-homer game in the bottom of the third as he turned on a pitch and sent it flying deep over the wall in right field, 11-1. The blast was his 10th of the year — good enough for second on the team.
The Tigers got on the scoresheet for a second time in the sixth, sending a rocket over the wall in left-center field, 11-2. The Wildcats made sure to put the Wildcats right back into run-rule territory in the bottom half of the inning. Jeff Ince (Brandon) was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a pinch-hit double by Trent Wright (Birmingham, Ala.; Oak Mountain). Reed McCrillis (Madison; Madison Central) made it back-to-back pinch-hit doubles to follow, driving in two runs in the process, 13-2.
The Wildcats closed things out in the seventh to secure a run-rule victory.
Dyess threw four innings of one-run baseball, allowing one hit and four walks. He struck out one. Eli Waters (Petal) gave up one hit and one walk in an inning pitched. He struck out two. Blake Gollott (Saucier; D’Iberville) gave up a run on one hit in his lone inning of work. Dylan Wallace (Columbia) threw the final inning, walking one and striking out one.
Fowler led the way at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with four RBIs, three runs, two home runs and one double. Hollis Porter (Hurley; East Central) also went 3-for-4, driving in two runs and scoring one. Caston Thompson (Jayess; Brookhaven Academy) and Parker Ryan (Madison; Jackson Academy) each had two hits.
GAME TWO
It was another big first inning for the Wildcats in game two as they put up a five-spot. Fowler led things off with a single, and Porter was hit by a pitch. Jeff Ince (Brandon; Jackson Prep) sent Fowler home by slicing an RBI double down the left field line and into the corner, 1-0. Marshall Phillips (Hattiesburg; Sumrall) loaded up the bases by drawing a walk to bring up Thompson. The redshirt freshman promptly put a charge into a ball, sending a grand slam flying over the right field wall, 5-0.
Another pair of runs came in during the second frame for PRCC. Porter bashed his team-leading 18th double of the year for an RBI, advancing Creek Robertson (Oxford; Madison Central) in the process. The throw in from the outfield sailed out of play and allowed Robertson to score, 7-0.
A trio of Coahoma runs scored in the top of the third to slice PRCC’s advantage to just four runs, 7-3. The Wildcats were sure to respond as Alex Wade (Decatur, Ala.; Madison Academy) scored when Logan Terry (Semmes, Ala.; East Central) dunked an RBI single into center field, 8-3.
Jonah Katsaboulas (Brandon) picked up his 50th RBI of the year in the fifth, going the opposite way with an outside pitch for a single. The hit parade continued for PRCC in the sixth frame, with the Wildcats doing nearly all of their damage with two outs. A double steal moved two runners into scoring position, which set up a two-run single by Phillips. Keegan Giger (Petal) followed by sending a towering fly ball into left field that caromed off the camped outfielder’s glove, resulting in a run-scoring error, 12-3.
A quick inning on the mound from the Wildcats put the game to rest, securing the sweep.
Thompson finished the game 3-for-3 with four RBIs, a homer and a double.
“This is the best compliment that I can give Caston — He’s got a little bit of (former Wildcat Triston) Hickman in him,” Avalon said. “Hickman did so much for our ball club last year, and that’s what Caston has been doing lately. Hopefully, he continues that because he’s that juggernaut in the designated hitter spot we need.”
Fowler and Ince picked up two hits apiece. Robertson walked twice.
JT Schnoor (Pascagoula; Resurrection) threw four innings, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out seven. Austin Tommasini (Madison; Madison Central) tossed two innings of no-run, no-hit baseball, striking out three. Carson Fair (Southaven) threw the final inning, walking one.
NEXT UP
The Wildcats remain at Dub Herring Park on Wednesday for a critical MACCC matchup against East Central. The doubleheader will get underway at 3 p.m.
TICKETS
Tickets are on sale now at PRCCAthletics.com/Tickets. General admission tickets are $8 per game.
HOW TO WATCH
The Wildcats 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.
Games can also be heard at WRJW 1320-AM, 106.9 FM and WRJWRadio.com.
For the latest on Pearl River Community College athletics, follow us on X (@PRCCAthletics) and Facebook (PRCCAthletics).
