POPLARVILLE – Pearl River Community College continued its red-hot start to the 2018 baseball season with a doubleheader sweep over Coastal Alabama-East.
The Wildcats banged out 10 hits in support of superb pitching in a 7-0 win in the opener, then used a big third-inning outburst to complete the sweep with a 9-4 triumph Tuesday at Dub Herring Park, increasing their winning streak to four games.
Sophomore Simon Landry (Ponchatoula, La.) had three RBIs to back a one-hit effort on the mound from freshman Miles Smith (Laurel), and sophomore Derek Eberly (Blountstown, Fla.) was 5 of 7, with two doubles, scoring five runs in the two games.
PRCC (7-1) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the opener after two were out in the bottom of the third inning. Eberly drew a walk, stole second and scored on a single by redshirt sophomore Bryson Medious (Columbia).
Eberly also scored a run in the fifth, when he singled, took second on a sharp grounder to shortstop and came home on a double down the left-field line by Landry.
The Wildcats added two more runs in the sixth as freshman Shemar Page (Raleigh) drove in a run, followed by an RBI single by Eberly. Freshman Noah Barron (Hoover, Ala.) stroked a two-out solo home run in the seventh, and Landry drove in two runs in the eighth with a single.
That was more than enough help for Smith, who pitched seven innings, allowing just one hit. He struck out five and walked one for his first career victory.
Redshirt freshman Derek Usry (Lake) pitched the eighth and redshirt sophomore Drake Nightengale (Sumrall) came on the ninth to wrap it up.
Eberly led off the bottom of the first in the nightcap with a double, took third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly by Landry.
The War Hawks touched up sophomore starter Colby White (Foxworth) for a run in the second and one in the third, but the Wildcats made White’s day easier by scoring six runs in the bottom of the third on five hits and two errors.
Freshman Reis Trager (Moss Point) got the rally started with a leadoff single, and took third on a hit-and-run double by Eberly. He scored when Medious reached on an error, and Landry also reached on an error to load the bases.
Freshman Wiley Cleland (Columbia) walked to drive in the go-ahead run, Barron drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and the Wildcats got run-scoring singles from Page, redshirt freshman Matt Taylor (Raleigh) and Trager.
PRCC made it 8-2 in the fourth when Landry led off with a single, went to third on a double by Barron and scored on a sacrifice fly by Page.
The War Hawks got a couple of runs back with two out in the top of the fifth off freshman reliever Cameron Havard (Columbia), but Havard was able to get a strikeout to end the inning. Freshman Austin Elliot (Alexander City, Ala.) pitched the final 1 2/3 innings.
The Wildcats got an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore Kevin Carter (Gulfport) reached on a walk, stole second, went to third on a bunt single by Eberly and scored on a sacrifice fly by Medious.
White (1-0) struck out seven batters in four innings, giving up two runs on five hits and he did not walk a batter. In 16 innings Tuesday, Wildcat pitchers recorded 16 strikeouts and walked just three.
Pearl River will return to action at noon Sunday for a doubleheader against Illinois Central. That game will be livestreamed on prccmedia.com. The Wildcats will take to the road next Tuesday to play Coastal Alabama-South at Bay Minette, Ala.
