POPLARVILLE, Miss. — Four Pearl River softball players were honored by the MACCC, the league announced Monday.

Freshman pitcher Hannah Embry (Vicksburg; Porters Chapel Academy) and freshman third baseman McKall Holder (Hurley; East Central) were named to the All-MACCC First Team, while freshman shortstop Taelor York (Choctaw; Clinton Christian Academy) and sophomore center fielder Kaitlyn Passeau (Lucedale; George County) were honorable mentions.

 

FIRST-TEAM ALL-MACCC 

Embry was the ace of the pitching staff this season. The freshman right hander was 14-6 in 118 2/3 innings. She finished the year with a 3.18 ERA and 143 strikeouts. Her strikeouts tied for first in the MACCC. She was named MACCC Pitcher of the Week once.

“Hannah had so much growth this year,” coach Christie Meeks said. “She really learned who she was as a pitcher. She learned about her body and how it worked and what she needed to do to make adjustments during games. The biggest thing that I watched her grow in was learning how to pitch to hitters. Not just throw. She grasped onto that towards the end of the season and ran with it. We are so proud of her. She is a gamer. When she came in, she really figured out what exactly it took to win.”

Holder was one of the best offensive weapons for the Wildcats this season. Among qualified players, Holder’s .413 batting average, 44 RBIs, and 57 hits led the team. She finished second on the team in homers and doubles with six and 12, respectively. Holder was named MACCC Player of the Week once.

“McKall had a really large role this year,” Meeks said. “She came in and was our starting third baseman and two-hole hitter. She had great hits in timely situations. She just really flourished for us all season long. We were proud of what she was able to accomplish. She is a silent leader. She led by her actions. We were just really proud of that.“

 

HONORABLE MENTION 

York played a valuable role for the Wildcats, setting the tone at the top of the lineup while playing solid defense at shortstop. She led the team in steals with 10 and runs with 42. Her .383 batting average and 51 hits were both second on the team.

“She has so much natural talent, just God given talent,” Meeks said. “She plays free and loose. When she is on it is a difference in our game. Her speed is fantastic. I really love that kid. We have a great relationship. When she succeeds it feels like the whole team has success. It’s not individual success for her it’s always the team. We’re really proud of what she was able to do.”

Passeau was a force in the middle of the lineup all season, leading the team with 14 doubles, 10 homers and a .721 slugging percentage. Passeau’s .380 batting average and 49 hits were third on the team. She was named MACCC Player of the Week once.

“KP has been a phenomenal kid for us,” Meeks said. “She came in and sat in this office and said, ‘I want to leave a legacy somewhere.’ I believe she has done that. She came in and helped us create a program that is top of the line. She was a threat every time she got up to bat. She got the pitchers best pitches. I think her and McKall being back-to-back helped each other. It’s hard to pitch to two great hitters like that. I really appreciate everything she was able to do for this program. Her leadership, her knowledge of the game, her maturity really brought a lot to our group. She was just all around a leader for us.”