Monday, February 22, 2010

River trims Wallace-Dothan, then falls to Central Alabama Saturday at L.B. Wallace
Wildcat baseball now 2-9 overall

    ANDALUSIA, Ala. — Pearl River’s Wildcats split a pair of baseball match ups here Saturday at L.B. Wallace Community College, defeating Wallace State-Dothan (Ala.) 3-2 before falling to Central Alabama 1-0.
    PRCC dropped to 2-9 overall with the nightcap loss.
    Against WS-D, the Wildcats went up 2-0 in the top of the second then added a solo run in the third before the Governors scored solo runs in the bottom of the third and fourth.
    River starter Ashley Graeter of Poplarville High (1-2) got the win in his four-and-one-thirds innings on the mound, striking out four and walking four; while Buck Bernard of Petal High relieved in the fifth and went one-and-two-thirds before Josh Hubble of Forrest County AHS arrived in the seventh to get the save. Bernard struck out one and walked two.
    WS-D starter Gabriel Espineira (1-2) got the loss in his four innings of action, while Shawn Reed relieved in the fifth to close it out.
    Jake Hawkins of Sumrall High and Matt Linton of East Central High (one RBI) paced the Wildcats’ four-hit effort with a pair of doubles, while Temple Harvey of Brandon High and B.J. Smith of Sumrall High (one RBI) both had singles.
    The Governors finished with nine hits, led by William Beckwith and Leo Lamarche with two singles each; while Josh Podoris and Drew Woods both doubled. Brad D’Ambrosio, Daniel Fuller, and Miguel Pagan all had base hits.
    PRCC committed two errors in the game to WS-D’s one miscue.
    Against Central Alabama, Kendall Lacey smashed a solo homer in the top of the fifth inning and that was all the Trojans would need.
    CACC starter Cory Hamilton (1-0) got the win after relieving in the third, while starter Rodney Tolbert went two-and-two-third. Chase Dawson got the save when he relieved in the fifth and closed it out.
    Wildcat starter Taylor Martin out of St. Michael’s High in Baton Rouge, La. (0-1), got the win in going the distance, striking out eight and walking three.
    Besides Lacey, Jordan Carroll and Shane Lewis singled for the Trojans, while Harvey singled for the Wildcats’ only hit of the game.
    Both teams played error-free.
    Pearl River returns to action Wednesday with a road trip to Jackson State University in Jackson to face MACJC non-division foe Coahoma in a 1 p.m. twin bill before returning to Wildcat Stadium to kick off a four-game home stand.
    Saturday, Feb. 27, Gulf Coast-Panama City visits, followed by Bevill State (Ala.) Tuesday, March 2; L.B. Wallace (Ala.) Saturday, March 6; and Hibbing (Minn.) Sunday, March 7. All are 2 p.m. doubleheaders.