MERIDIAN, Miss. — In a season of statements for the Pearl River softball team, the Wildcats made yet another Tuesday by sweeping Meridian on the road. PRCC, which opened the week by receiving votes in the latest NJCAA poll, won Game 1 4-3 and then ran away with Game 2 11-0 in six innings.

The sweep marks No. 7 on the season for coach Christie Meeks and her Wildcats (21-9 overall, 13-5 MACCC).

“That was a big sweep on the road,” Meeks said. “They’re a very scrappy team and it means a lot for us to finish like we did.”

GAME 1
The Wildcats had two baserunners in each of the first two innings but it wasn’t until the fourth that PRCC broke through. Trailing 2-0 in the fourth, Abigail Thexton (Sumrall) and Sydney Runnels (Seminary; South Jones) delivered back-to-back RBI-doubles to tie the game. McKall Holder (Hurley; East Central) struck an RBI-single later in the frame to give PRCC the 3-2 advantage.

Erin Daughtery (Vancleave) came up big in the sixth, delivering a two-out single to score a fourth run to extend PRCC’s lead to 4-2.

Hannah Embry (Vicksburg; Porters Chapel Academy) tossed a complete game for the victory. The freshman standout allowed three runs on nine hits and two walks over seven innings. Embry also struck out 11, tying a career-high.

Holder, Daughtery and Thexton all tied for the team lead with two hits apiece.

“I believe Embry really turned it on in the fourth inning after we scored three and then McKall’s insurance run on Erin’s hit was huge,” Meeks said.

GAME 2
The Wildcats’ 11 runs certainly pops off the boxscore, pitcher Madelyn Burch (Franklinton, La.; Bowling Green) stole the show. The right-hander who got a late start to the season due to injury limited Meridian (7-20, 4-14) to one hit over six shutout innings, striking out four. Burch also did not issue a walk.

“Madelyn was really spinning it tonight,” Meeks said. “Her movement was great.”

The Wildcats didn’t waste any time getting on the scoreboard in Game 2 as Taelor York (Choctaw; Clinton Christian Academy) led off the game with a triple and came around to score on a passed ball.

PRCC put up a three-spot in the second. Runnels scored on a passed ball and then a Promise Shanks (Waynesboro; Wayne County) sacrifice scored Thexton. York came up next and singled through the left side of the infield to score Kambryn Chaisson (Picayune) for a 4-0 lead.

Pearl River plated another run in the fourth on a MCC error and then Runnels came up big in the fifth with a two-run single. Her base knock gave Pearl River a 7-0 lead.

The Wildcats weren’t done there, piling on four more runs in the sixth.

Cassady Bradford (Saucier; West Harrison) started things off with a two-run single and later came around to score on a groundout. Daughtery later came in to score on a second groundout for the 11-0 lead.

Although PRCC scored 11 runs in Game 2, no Wildcats turned in gaudy offensive performances. Holder, Daughtery and Thexton each recorded two hits apiece. No one recorded multiple RBIs or scored more than once.

“In Game 2 our girls jumped on their pitcher,” Meeks said. “I believe we really kept control of the game after that.”

MACCC HONOR
Prior to the doubleheader the MACCC named Kaitlyn Passeau (Lucedale; George County) the Player of the Week. Passeau hit .400 during the Wildcats’ 3-1 week, which included a sweep of Hinds and a split at No. 5 LSU-Eunive. Passeau also recorded two homers, five RBIs, a double and four runs scored during the successful week.

NEXT UP
Pearl River returns to the diamond on Saturday to host Itawamba at noon. The games will be broadcast at PRCCMedia.com.