Wildcats split with Wolves

POPLARVILLE Pearl River Wildcats split with Copiah-Lincoln in MACJC South Division doubleheader baseball action here Tuesday, bombing the visiting Wolfpack 10-0 in five innings via the 10-run rule before falling 8-2 in the nightcap game.

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PRCC is now 20-10 overall and 7-5 in division play following the split, while CLCC is 16-14 and 5-7.

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In the first game, Pearl River went up 2-0 in the bottom of the first when lead off batter Jordan Williams out of Christian County High in Hopkinsville, Ky., reached on an error and James Abraham, a Southeastern Louisiana transfer who prepped at St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis, followed with a single to right field. Matthew Magee of Petal High then walked to load the bases and B.J. Smith of Sumrall High sacrificed Williams home. Grae Orman of Clinton High then reached on a fielder choice, pushing in a second run, before Chase Lewallen of Sumrall High struck out to end the inning.

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Co-Lin left runners at first and second in the top of the second. With one out, Bud Britt reached on an error and Edmund Cheatham followed with a single, but Bryce Guess hit into a double play to squash the threat.

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In the bottom of the frame, designated hitter Derek Sanders of Simpson Academy reached after being belted by a pitch and Aaron Lee of Pearl River Central High cracked a bloop single to center field. After Chase Toussaint of Petal High struck out, Williams walked to load the bases, setting the stage for Abraham RBI sacrifice to right.

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Magee then walked to reload the corners and Smith followed with a two-run single to center to make it 5-0 before Ormon grounded out to short to end the inning.

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After a scoreless third, the Wolfpack left runners stranded at first and second off two-out singles by Zac Ferguson and Britt, while Williams drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the frame and scored off Abraham triple to right field. Abraham was left stranded after Co-Lin starter Ryan Kennedy struck out Magee and Smith to end the inning.

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In the top of the fifth, Jesse Shows crushed a two-out triple to right field before Seth Avants popped to short for the final out.

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In the bottom of the frame, Ormon and Lewallen led off with singles before Sanders was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Lee followed with a two-run single to make it 8-0, which prompted the mound exit of Kennedy for T.J. Floyd. After Toussaint flew out to left field, Williams reached on an error, scoring the game-ending two runs before being tagged out in a rundown.

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Starter Taylor Byrd (4-2) of Petal High got the win in going the five-inning distance, giving up four hits and striking out four; while Kennedy (4-2) got the loss. He pitched four innings, giving up six hits, striking out six, walking four, and hitting two batters; while Floyd faced two batters.

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Shows tripled for Copiah-Lincoln, while Britt, Ferguson, and Willie Buckley all singled.

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Abraham paced The River eight-hit effort with a triple and a single (two RBIs), while Lee had two base hits (two RBIs) and Lewallen, Ormon (one RBI), and Smith (three RBIs) all singled. Williams had two RBIs.

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Each team committed one error in the game.

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In the nightcap game, the first two innings were scoreless, but Co-Lin went up 2-0 in the top of the third. Conner Oakes led off with an up-the-middle single, stole second, moved to third on a ground out, and Ferguson drew a base on balls an out later. A balk on Wildcat starter Mike Peters of East Marion High pushed Oakes home, while a second balk moved Ferguson to third. Kolby Byrd then singled in Ferguson to make it 2-0. Britt followed with a base hit before Guess popped to short for the final out.

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Pearl River answered with a solo run in the bottom of the inning when Toussaint led off with a walk, Williams singled, and Abraham reached on an error to load the bases. Magee sacrifice to left scored Williams before CLCC starter Raymond Winter retired two straight to end the inning.

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After a scoreless fourth, the Wolfpack padded its lead in the top of the fifth. Cheatham led off with a single before Peters retired two straight, the last a strike out of Byrd. Beau Underwood out of St. Patrick High in Biloxi relieved Peters at that point and immediately walked Britt before Guess smacked an RBI single to left center to make it 3-1. Britt scored from third on a wild pitch before Underwood Kd Brett Rushing for the final out.

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In the bottom of the inning, Williams drew a one-out walk and Abraham doubled to left, which saw Winter relinquish the mound to Tyler Copeland with runners at second and third. He retired two straight to end the inning.

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After Underwood gave up a lead off single to Steven Capistran in the sixth, Hunter Curtis of Petal High arrived in relief. Curtis immediately gave up a line drive single to Oakes before hitting Dehendret Colllins with a pitch to load the bases. Cheatham then pushed in two runs when he reached on an error. An out later, Byrd walked and Britt was belted by a pitch to load the bases, which marked the departure of Curtis for Josh Hubbell of Forrest County AHS. Guess ground out pushed in Co-Lin eighth run before Rushing grounded to the mound for the final out.

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The Wildcats went three up, three down in the bottom of the frame, as did the Wolves in the top of the seventh, but The River managed a solo run in the bottom of the inning.

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Lee led off with a single to right center field and Williams singled to left center a strike out later. Abraham then drew a walk to load the bases and Magee ensuing sacrifice scored Lee to make it 8-2 before Smith struck out to end the game.

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Winter (4-2) got the win in his five innings on the mound, giving up four hits and striking out four; while Copeland gave up to hits.

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Peters (1-1) was the losing pitcher in his four-and-two-thirds innings on the mound. He gave up four hits, struck out six, and walked two; while Underwood gave up a hit, struck out one, and walked one in his one-third inning of relief. Curtis also pitched one-third of an inning, giving up two hits and hitting two batters; while Hubbell struck out one in his one-and-a-third innings of relief.

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Oakes paced Co-Lin seven-hit effort with two singles, while Britt (one RBI), Byrd (one RBI), Capistran, Cheatham (two RBIs), and Guess (two RBIs) all had base hits.

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PRCC finished with seven hits, led by Williams two singles; while Abraham doubled and Lee, Ormon, and Sanders all singled. Magee had two RBIs.

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The Wildcats committed two errors in the game to the Wolfpack one.

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The River and Co-Lin eye a division rematch Saturday, April 30, in Wesson to wrap up the 2011 regular season (1 p.m. doubleheader).

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Pearl River hosts Pensacola (Fla.) and LSU-Eunice (La.) Saturday at 12 noon and 6 p.m., respectively, while PJC and LSU-E will play a 7-inning contest at 3 p.m. The Wildcats resume South Division play Wednesday, April 13, when they host Jones County in a 4 p.m. twin bill.

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Each community college president is asked to bring two (2) wrapped door prizes, minimum value of $50 each. We will have a station set up at the conference for you to drop off the door prizes.

Each community college is asked to provide name tags for their Board members, administration, and staff attending the conference.