Lady Wildcats sweep Lady Wolves to remain unbeaten in division play

WESSON Pearl River Lady Wildcats made a bold statement here Thursday, sweeping perennial softball powerhouse Copiah-Lincoln 9-3 and 10-2 in MACJC South Division action to remain unbeaten in division play.PRCC, the reigning state champion, improved to 10-4 overall and 4-0 in league play, while CLCC dropped to 11-9 and 1-3.Head coach Leigh White said the sweep marked a first for the Lady Wildcats since she arrived on campus nine years ago.”This was the first time weve swept them (Co-Lin) at their place since Ive been here,” White said. “Everybody in our league knows theyve got one of the top program in the state, so this was quite an accomplishment for us.”After a scoreless first inning in the opening game, both teams scored solo runs in the second with Co-Lin going up 3-1 in the bottom of the third before Pearl River answered with a five-run barrage in the top of the fourth and three more in the fifth to take the 9-3 victory.Reliever Heather Hester (4-2) of Hancock County High got the win after taking over the mound in the third. She gave up seven hits, struck out six, and walked one; while starter Laura LeJune of Iota (La.) High gave up four hits in the first two frames.CLCC starter Bethany Pinkston (9-3) got the loss in going the distance, giving up 11 hits, striking out seven, and walking one.Janessa Dedeaux (two RBIs) of Poplarville High, Brittney Gary (two RBIs) of Slidell (La.) High, Brandy Rester of Poplarville High, and ETrareo Warren of Meridian High all had doubles and singles to pace the Lady Wildcats 11-hit attack; while Hester had two base hits and Alyssa Graeter of Poplarville High doubled (two RBIs). Tiffany Reed of Picayune High also had an RBI.Tammy Alford led Co-Lin with a double and two singles, while Lakin Lockhart had two singles. Ashley McCaffery doubled and Sarah Anthony, Bobbie Cochran, Carrie Moak, Emily Smith, and Kacey Smith all had base hits.Each team committed two errors in the game.In the nightcap, Pearl River blew it open from the get go with five runs in the top of the first, then padded its lead to 6-0 before Co-Lin scored a solo run in the bottom of the second. The Lady Wildcats answered with four runs in the top of the third, while the Lady Wolves scored a solo run in the third only to see the game end via the eight-run rule after five.Starter Sheila Hall (5-2) of Dutchtown (La.) High got the win in going the distance, giving up six hits, striking out five, and walking one; while CLCC starter Brooke DeLaughter (2-4) go the loss. She also went the distance, giving up 14 hits, striking out two, and walking one.Jordan Adams of DIberville High (three RBIs) and Graeter led PRCC at the plate with both smacking doubles and two singles, while Samantha Spence of George County High had three singles (one RBI), Rester two singles, and Dedeaux, Hester (two RBIs), and Warren had base hits.Ashley Bounds paced Co-Lin with a double and a single, while Cochran, Moak, McCaffery, and Haley Sones all had base hits.Each team committed one error in the game.Pearl River returns to action Wednesday when it travels to Marion Military Institute in Marion, Ala., for a 1 p.m. doubleheader Faulkner State (Ala.) plays host in Bay Minette, Ala., Saturday, March 19,for a 1 p.m. twin bill.