After the opener slipped away, the No. 1 Pearl River softball team responded in game two against No. 14 Itawamba, earning a split in the Top-15 showdown with a 4-1 loss and a 6-3 win.
GAME ONE
Pearl River (26-5 overall; 10-3 MACCC) opened the scoring early against Itawamba (29-8; 11-4). With Addy Grace Alexander (Poplarville) on second base, Anastasia Acree (Mobile, Ala.; Alma Bryant) lined a double into left field to make it 1-0.
Ann Elise Duncan (McComb; Brookhaven Academy) was dominant in the circle early, striking out the side in the first inning. She matched the feat in the third, pushing her strikeout total to seven through three innings.
In the fifth, Pearl River turned to Teegan DeWitt (Pass Christian; Hancock) with two runners aboard. Despite allowing a hit, she escaped the jam with a strikeout and a flyout to end the inning.
Itawamba broke through in the seventh. The Indians tied the game when a runner scored on a close play at the plate during a double-play attempt. Two batters later, ICC delivered a walk-off three-run home run to secure a 4-1 victory.
Duncan worked 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out eight. DeWitt threw two innings, surrendering two runs on two hits and a walk. Ana-Grace Garcia (Baton Rouge, La.; St. Joseph's) recorded one out, allowing two runs on one hit.
Alexander and Acree each collected a hit, while Maeli Ben (Conehatta; Newton County) drew two walks.
GAME TWO
The Wildcats bounced back in game two. Jaycee Holifield (Laurel; Stringer) gave Pearl River an early lead in the second inning with a solo home run to left field, 1-0.
Pearl River added to its lead in the third with two outs. Natalee Eaves (Louisville; Choctaw Central) tripled on a 2-0 pitch and scored when Shania Fondren's (Batesville; South Panola) ground ball was mishandled at second base, 2-0.
Itawamba evened the score with runs in the third and fourth innings, but Pearl River responded immediately. Caroline Woodward (Gulfport) doubled and Fondren walked to put two on. Maeli Ben then drilled a two-run double on the sixth pitch of her at-bat to give PRCC a 4-2 lead.
Garcia retired ICC in order in the fifth, setting up another insurance run. Holifield doubled and later scored on a Farley Harris (Daphne, Ala.) groundout, extending the lead to 5-2.
Itawamba added a run in the sixth, but Pearl River answered in the seventh when Fondren blasted her 20th home run of the season to make it 6-3. Garcia needed just 10 pitches in the bottom half to close out the win.
Garcia tossed a complete game, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and one walk while striking out four.
Holifield went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, doubling twice and homering. Eaves and Ben each recorded two hits, with Ben driving in two runs.
NEXT UP
Pearl River travels to Meridian on Tuesday for a 3/5 p.m. doubleheader. The games will be streamed at MCCEagles.live.
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