River splits at East Central

DECATUR Pearl River Lady Wildcats suffered their first MACJC South Division loss here Tuesday in the first game of a doubleheader against East Central with a 5-1 setback before bouncing back to win 6-5 in the nightcap game. PRCC, the reigning MACJC state champion, are now 13-7 overall and 5-1 in division play; while ECCC is 16-8 and 3-4. In the first game, Lady Warrior starter Taylor Bailey limited the Lady Wildcats to a meager four hits in going the distance. East Central went up 3-0 in the bottom of the third, then added solo runs in the bottom of the fourth and sixth frames; while Pearl River scored its only run in the top of the sixth. Bailey (7-2) struck out seven and walked one in picking up the win, while PRCC starter Sheila Hall (6-4) of Dutchtown (La.) High got the loss. She also went the distance, giving up nine hits, striking out four, and walking one. Janessa Dedeaux and Alyssa Graeter (one RBI), both out of Poplarville High, each doubled for the Lady Wildcats; while Samantha Spence of George County High and ETrareo Warren of Meridian High both had singles. Abbie Joiner paced the Lady Warriors with a double and two singles, while Chelsea Jones smashed two solo home runs, Summer Alexander doubled and singled, and Lauren Nichols and Kelsi Watson both singled. ECCC committed one error in the game to PRCC none. After a scoreless first inning in the nightcap game, The River went up 3-0 in the top of the second before East Central scored its first run in the bottom of the third. The Lady Wildcats solo run made it 4-1 in the top of the fifth, but the Lady Warriors bounced back in the bottom of the frame to tie it up. PRCC two runs in the top of the sixth was enough for the victory, as ECCC managed only one run in the bottom of the inning. Starter Heather Hester (6-4) of Hancock County High got the win in going the distance, giving up 11 hits, striking out four, and walking three; while East Central starter Kasie Buckley (2-5) got the loss. She gave up four hits and struck out two in her three innings on the mound before Bailey relieved in the fourth, giving up seven hits, striking out one, and walking one. Hester led the Lady Wildcats at the plate with a home run and two singles (four RBIs), while Dedeaux had two doubles and a single. Spence cracked two singles, while Brittney Gary of Slidell (La.) High, Brandy Rester of Poplarville High, and Warren (one RBI) all had base hits. Watson paced the Lady Warriors with a double and two singles, while Joiner had three singles. Buckley had two solo homers, Lauren Nicholas two singles, and Brittany Pounders a single. Both teams played error free. The two squads eye a rematch Saturday, April 16, in Poplarville. Pearl River returns to action Thursday with a South Division make up doubleheader at home against Southwest Mississippi (3 p.m. start), when hosts division arch-rival Mississippi Gulf Coast Saturday (12 noon doubleheader).