Pearl River’s bats come alive in sweep of Meridian
POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The Pearl River Lady Wildcats' bats were scorching Wednesday as they swept Meridian 10-0 and 14-1 — both run ruled contests in five innings.
The Lady Wildcats (14-12 overall, 4-6 MACJC) used quality at-bats along with timely hitting to claim the doubleheader.
"It started in practice Monday," PRCC coach Leigh White said. "You could really tell that they were locked in and focusing on what we need to do to get better. We have been telling them that we have to play as a team and play for each other and practice locked in and it will carry over.
"We have a good group of kids."
Elizabeth Taggard (Picayune) was on fire all throughout the day, connecting on four hits, three home runs and 10 RBIs.
"We've been trying as a team to play for each other because this team is really close so I'm just trying to get in there and do my part," she said. "In practice this week I worked on the little things and the little things showed up in the game."
Game 1: PRCC 10 MCC 0 (5 inn.)
The Lady Wildcats struck first against the Lady Eagles (12-12, 5-7) and did not look back.
Meridian self inflicted the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning with a bases-loaded walk to score Brooke Fagan (Kiln; Hancock).
Alyssa Pinero (Picayune) followed that up with a two-run double to give the Lady Wildcats 3-0 lead.
Jada Walker (Lizanna; West Harrison) then hit a sacrifice fly to score Pinero and extend the PRCC lead to 4-0.
Hannah Rasberry (Lucedale; George County) got the Lady Wildcats back on the board in the bottom of the second inning with an RBI double to score Fagan.
Taggard followed that up with an exclamation point, hitting a two-run homer to extend the Lady Wildcat lead to 7-0.
Taggard kept the momentum going for the Lady Wildcats in the bottom of the fourth inning by hitting another two-run bomb to make it a 9-0.
Elizabeth Taggard drove in 10 runs Tuesday as the Lady Wildcats swept Meridian 10-0 and 14-1.
Walker plated the last run of the game for the Lady Wildcats hitting an RBI single to extend the PRCC lead to 10-0.
Meridian couldn't plate a run in the top of the fifth inning, giving the Lady Wildcats a run-rule victory.
Taggard, Pinero, Walker and Rasberry all tied for the team lead in hits with two each while Taggard led the team in RBIs with four. Pinero also had two doubles.
"Our hitting was contagious today. We adjusted real well when and they listened real well," White said.
Rylee Swilley (Kiln; Hancock) started the game for PRCC, pitching four innings while allowing two hits, one walk and striking out three.
"Rylee did a really good job," White said. "The thing with her is we haven't been putting up the run support with her but today we did.
"That's something we can build on as a team."
Dallas Blaker (Bay St. Louis; Our Lady Academy) closed out the game in the circle to clinch the victory.
Game 2: PRCC 1 MCC 1 (5 inn.)
Meridian struck first in the second game, scoring on a groundout in the top of the first.
The Lady Wildcats immediately answered back with a solo shot from Fagan to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. The laser home run over the left field wall was Fagan's first collegiate homer.
BreAnna Corkern (Watson, La.; Live Oak) got PRCC back on the board with a two-run single to give the Lady Wildcats a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
The bottom of the fourth is where the Lady Wildcats bats really caught fire.
Fagan got the scoring started with an RBI double to make it 4-1 and Taggard followed it up by smashing a grand slam into PRCC's hitting facility for her third round tripper of the day and an 8-1 advantage.
A two-run triple from Pinero extended PRCC's lead to 10-1.
Jenna Comeaux (Lafayette, La.; Comeaux) and Fagan tacked on runs via sacrifice flies to make it 12-1.
Taggard coincidentally drove in the last two runs of the day for the Lady Wildcats with a two-run double to give PRCC a 14-1 lead.
Meridian once again failed to score enough runs to cut the lead to nine and were subsequently run ruled for the second time on the day.
Fagan and Turner led the team in hits with three apiece while Taggard led the team in RBIs with six.
"Elizabeth had a really good day, I'm proud of her," White said, trying to contain her excitement. "She didn't get in there and try to over swing, she stayed with her swing and just got in there and hit."
Turner also added two doubles.
Grace Stringer (Moselle; South Jones) got the start for the Lady Wildcats, pitching four innings and allowing three hits and one run while striking out three.
"Grace settled in and our pitchers know we can hit and come back and beat teams," White said. "She settled down and got some things done."
Krista Robles (Destrehan, La.) finished out the game for PRCC in the circle.
UP NEXT
The Lady Wildcats return to the diamond on Saturday for a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Coahoma. Both games will be live streamed at PRCCAthletics.com.
Anyone who has a Roku or Amazon Fire device can also watch Pearl River athletics by downloading the "Pearl River CC" channel.
For the latest on Pearl River Community College athletics, follow us on Twitter (@PRCCAthletics) and Facebook (PRCCAthletics).
