POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The No. 5 Pearl River softball team made history Tuesday afternoon, routing Northeast 12-4 to clinch its first-ever NJCAA Division II World Series berth and advance to the Region 23 Championship game.
"That's one of the best teams we've faced all year. They swing the mess out of it," head coach Christie Meeks said. "Keeping them off balance and scoring 12 runs was incredible. I don't think it's really set in yet that we're going to Nationals. It's just emotional. It's awesome — so awesome."
Pearl River (43-6 overall) was dominant at the plate in the Poplarville regional Championship Game against Northeast (41-16). Throughout the five-inning game, nine of the ten batters earned a hit while four earned multi-hit performances.
The Wildcat bats started the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Kai Goodman (New Orleans, La.; John Curtis) and Addy Grace Alexander (Poplarville) led off with singles. They both advanced on a fielder's choice off the bat of Natalee Eaves (Louisville; Choctaw Central). That allowed a single by Shania Fondren (Batesville; South Panola) to give Pearl River a 2-0 advantage.
Pearl River kept the scoring going an inning later when five hits and a bases-loaded walk allowed two more runs to score, doubling the Wildcat advantage to 4-0. Northeast rallied back in the third to score two runs of its own, cutting the lead to 4-2.
Pearl River once again put two runs on the scoreboard when Taylor Foster (Petal) followed a Jaycee Holifield (Laurel; Stringer) hit by pitch with her second home run of the season. Foster's home run cleared the left field deck and put Pearl River up 6-2.
In the fourth, Northeast once again cut it to a two-run lead after a leadoff home run and a pair of singles.
Ahead, 6-4, the Wildcats made it a fifth straight inning, putting a number on the scoreboard. The lone run came on an RBI single by Eaves, which scored Alexander, who reached via triple, from third.
In the fifth inning, Pearl River led off the inning with Anastasia Acree (Mobile, Ala.; Alma Bryant) getting hit by a pitch. After back-to-back-to-back singles, the Wildcats pushed the lead to 8-4. Two batters later, Alexander tallied her fourth hit of the afternoon, scoring two more Wildcats in the process.
Eaves kept the inning going with an RBI double, pushing the Pearl River advantage to 11-4. After Fondren walked, Holifield came to the plate with a chance to end the game with a run-rule victory. Holifield answered the call, scoring Eaves from second with a ball down the left field line that was destined for a double, ending the game 12-4 and sending Pearl River to its first World Series in program history.
Teegan DeWitt (Pass Christian; Hancock) started in the circle for Pearl River, pitching 2 2/3 innings. She allowed four hits and two runs while striking out three. Ana-Grace Garcia (Baton Rouge, La.; St. Joseph's) relieved DeWitt and went 2 1/3 innings, giving up two runs and recording two strikeouts.
At the plate, Alexander, DeWitt, Eaves and Foster each recorded multi-hit performances, combining for nine of Pearl River's 16 hits. Alexander led the way, going 4 for 4 with three RBIs. Foster was also perfect at the plate, finishing 3 for 3.
DeWitt and Eaves added two hits apiece, while Eaves drove in three runs.
For the latest in Pearl River Community College athletics, follow us on Facebook (PRCCAthletics), X (PRCCAthletics) and Instagram (PRCC_Athletics).