ELLISVILLE — And then there were three…but only two can go.

The Pearl River Community College softball team kept its season alive late Thursday night, knocking off Mississippi Gulf Coast 12-3 in an elimination game here at the Region 23 Tournament on the campus of Jones Junior College.

The Lady Wildcats face the home team today at 11 a.m., for the seventh time this season, with not only a trip to Sunday’s championship game on the line but a berth in the upcoming NJCAA National Tournament up for grabs as well.

Jones, ranked second in the nation, has beaten PRCC six times this season.

Against Mississippi Gulf Coast, Poplarville’s Rachel Hickman (21-10) got the win in going the five-inning distance, giving up five hits and striking out one, while starter Paige Breal (3-4) got the loss in her two-and-two-thirds innings of work. She gave up eight hits and walked five.

Courtney Warr paced the Lady Wildcats’ 10-hit attack with four singles (two RBIs), while Rachel Hickman homered and doubled (three RBIs), Kaci Lantrip homered and singled (three RBIs), and Allie Flint, Emily Jackson, and Kelsea Lewis (three RBIs) all had base hits. Ashley Boutwell had an RBI.

LSU-Eunice, the top ranked team in the nation, awaits the PRCC-JCC winner in the Region 23 title game. The Lady Bengals, 57-2 on the year, have won the last three region titles.