POPLARVILLE — The battle of the Wildcats belonged to homestanding Pearl River Community College over the weekend.

PRCC’s Wildcats swept Bishop State’s Wildcats out of Mobile, Ala., taking a nail-biting 1-0 shut out in the first game of the doubleheader before bombing BSCC 8-1 in the nightcap contest to improve to 11-3 overall.

The games marked the first for PRCC on the diamond after a brief five day lay-off, and the Wildcats took advantage of the return.

The visiting Wildcat squad dropped to 4-12.

The first game saw two-hit efforts by both teams with Pearl River taking the shutout victory with a solo run in the bottom of the fifth.

In that frame, Adam Smith of Pascagoula High drew a one-out walk, moved to second on one of Bishop State’s five errors in the game and on to third off a base hit by Darien Brown of Hattiesburg High before scoring when Lamar Anthony of Vicksburg High reached on an error.

Brandon Pennington of Sumrall High (2-0) got the win in going the distance, giving up two hits, striking out five, and walking two, while BSCC starter Donald McLeod (0-2) got the loss. McLeod pitched five frames, gave up two hits, and walked three before Jonathan Brown relieved in the sixth, striking out two.

Kevin Barnett and John McGiboney both singled for Bishop, while Brown and Anthony had base hits for the home-standing Wildcats.

Pearl River committed one error in the contest.

In the nightcap, things were scoreless for the first two-and-a-half innings, but PRCC took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third. BSCC answered with a solo run in the top of the fourth, while The River added three in the bottom of the frame and one in the sixth.

Starter Philip Chandler of Stone County High (3-0) got the mound win in his three-and-two-thirds innings of action, giving up a hit, striking out seven, and walking six, while Trevor Bennett of Hancock County High saw one-and-a-third innings of relief duty, giving up a hit and recording two strikeouts and a walk. Carlos Lott of Pascagoula High pitched an inning, giving up a hit, striking out two, and walking one, LeDarien Lee of Forrest County AHS pitched an inning, walking one, and Justin Demary out of Iowa (La.) High pitched a third of an inning of relief.

Bishop starter Alex Oliver (0-1) got the loss in his two-thirds of an inning of mound duty, giving up a hit, while Steven Williams went an inning, giving up two hits, striking out two, and walking one, Eloy Ramirez pitch two-thirds of an inning, giving up three hits and walking two, and Michael Scanlon pitched two frames, giving up a hit, striking out three, and walking one.

Dylan Manicana led BSCC’s three-hit effort with a pair of singles, while Dylan Gillies doubled and Brown had an RBI.

Pearl River finished with seven hits, led by Nathan Pugh of Starkville High with two base hits (three RBIs), while Anthony, Garren Berry of Petal High (two RBIs), Brown, Tracy Hadley of Pascagoula High, and Derek Martin of Poplarville High all singled.

Again, Bishop State was victimized by five errors, while PRCC played error free.

Pearl River was slated to return to action Wednesday afternoon when MACJC non-division foe East Mississippi traveled to Wildcat Stadium for a 4 p.m. doubleheader. The games were originally slated for Tuesday but postponed due to rain.

Next up Illinois Central visits Sunday, March 9 for a 2 p.m. twin bill.