Friday, March 05, 2010

River sweeps Itawamba in softball doubleheader
River sweeps Itawamba in softball doubleheader

    FULTON — Pearl River’s Lady Wildcats swept Itawamba’s Lady Indians here Thursday, taking 9-4 and 5-4 softball come-from-behind road victories to improve to 9-5 overall.
    ICC, on the other hand, dropped to 4-9.
    In the first game, both teams scored solo runs in the third inning before the host Lady Indians went up 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth. But Pearl River bombarded Itawamba with seven runs in the top of the fifth, then added a solo run in the sixth. ICC scored its final two runs in the bottom of the final frame.
    PRCC starter Katie Barrett of Bay High (3-1) got the win in going the distance, striking out three and walking two; while ICC starter Chelsea Lukens was the loser in her four innings on the mound. Rebecca Rogers relieved in the fifth.
    Jordan Adams of D’Iberville High paced The River’s impressive 18 hits with a solo homer and two singles, while Laurin Locke, Kaci Mitchell (three RBIs), both of Petal High, and Brandy Rester of Poplarville High had three singles a piece. Mykeal Maes of Hancock County High (two RBIs) and Baleigh Volking of Enterprise High had two base hits each, while Barrett doubled and Blakely Faciane of Slidell (La.) High singled.
    Itawamba finished with 11 hits, led by CeCee Austin’s home run and two singles, while Rachel Talley doubled and singled, Cyndall Cleveland and Heather Whitworth had two base hits each, Ann Taylor doubled, and Kimmy Nicholson singled.
    ICC played error free, while PRCC had two defensive miscues.
    In the nightcap game, things were scoreless for the first three-and-a-half innings before the Lady Indians took a one-run lead in the bottom of the fourth, but the Lady Wildcats answered with three in the top of the fifth off a three-run homer by Adams. ICC added a solo run in the bottom of the sixth and two in the seventh, while PRCC scored two in the top of the final inning.
    Lady ’Cat starter Corrine Fraychineaud out of Northshore High in Slidell, La. (4-1), got the win in going the distance, striking out one and walking one; while Lady Indian starter Laura Mitchell got the loss in her six innings of action. Rogers relieved in the seventh.
    Maes led The River’s nine-hit effort with a double and two singles, while Adams homered and singled (three RBIs), Bethany Russell of D’Iberville High had two base hits, and Brittney Gary of Slidell (La.) High (two RBIs) and Rester had singles.
    ICC finished with 13 hits, led by Lara Andrews with two doubles and a single, while Taylor homered and singled, Austin and Talley had two singles each, and Caitlyn Castles, Alaina Marlatt, Nicholson, and Whitworth all had base hits.
    Both teams played error free.
    After playing Northwest Mississippi in a 2 p.m. doubleheader Friday in Senatobia, the Lady Wildcats return to action Wednesday when they open their MACJC South Division schedule at Copiah-Lincoln in Wesson (4 p.m. doubleheader). Division foe East Central then plays host in Decatur Friday, March 12 (1 p.m. doubleheader).
    PRCC’s 2 p.m. twin bill against Hibbing (Minn.) set for Sunday has been cancelled.