River by Hinds in division openers

RAYMOND Pearl River Lady Wildcats crushed a combined 22 hits here Thursday, but fell to the Hinds Lady Eagles 8-6 and 2-1 in both team MACJC South Division softball openers.To make matters worse, PRCC loaded the bases six times in the first, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings and out-hit HCC 12-5 in the nightcap game, but managed only one run.The Lady Cats dropped to 4-9 overall and 0-2 in division play, while Hinds improved to 9-7 and 2-0.In the first game, The River went up 3-0 in the top of the first, but Hinds solo run in the bottom of the frame, three in the second, and two in the third gave the hosts a comfortable 6-3 lead after three.Pearl River scored a solo run in the top of the fourth only to see HCC answer with one in the bottom of the fifth. The Lady Wildcats made it 7-6 with a pair of runs in the sixth, but the Lady Eagles sealed the win with their last score in the bottom of the inning.PRCC went four up, three down in the top of the seventh to end the game.Starter Danielle Smith (4-3) got the win in going the distance, giving up 10 hits, striking out six, walking two, and hitting two batters; while starter Brittany LeBlanc (2-4) out of North Vermillion High in Lafayette, La., got the loss in her two innings on the mound. LeBlanc gave up five hits and walked three before Neely McCrary of Petal High relieved in the third, giving up four hits and walking two.McCrary paced the Lady Wildcats 10-hit attack with a home run and two singles, while Whitney Waits of Oak Grove High had three singles, Heather Hester of Hancock County High tripled, and Morghan Cuevas of Purvis High, Amanda Emerson of Sumrall High, and ETrareo Warren of Meridian High all had base hits.Hinds finished with eight hits, led by Dominique Corona with a double and two singles; while Elizabeth Heigle had two base hits, and Shanteria Bryant, Megan Eaves, Allison Hariel, and Whitney Patterson all singled.Each team committed an error in the contest.In the second game, Pearl River went up 1-0 in the top of the first inning, while Hinds scored its game-winning two in the bottom of the fifth.Starter Eaves (3-0) got the win in going the distance, giving up 12 hits, striking out three, and walking one; while starter Hester (2-1) got the loss. She also went the distance, giving up five hits, striking out two, and walking three.McCrary led PRCC 12-hit effort with a double and two singles, while Hester and Waits had three singles each. Cuevas, Emerson, and Alyssa Graeter of Poplarville High all had base hits.The Lady Eagles finished with five hits, led by Olivia Tripp double, while Corona, Dlayne Griffith, and Mallory Hall all had base hits.Hinds committed two errors in the game to Pearl River none.PRCC and HCC eye MACJC South Division rematches Friday, March 30, when The River plays host in Lady Wildcat Stadium in Poplarville in a 3 p.m. doubleheader.Pearl River returns to action with back-to-back South Division home dates with East Central visiting Tuesday for a 4 p.m. doubleheader and Southwest Mississippi visiting Friday, March 9, for a 3 p.m. twin bill.