EMCC Lions drop home softball doubleheader to nationally top-ranked Pearl River
The Lions of East Mississippi Community College dropped 7-3 and 16-2 home decisions to nationally top-ranked Pearl River during Saturday’s MACCC action played at the EMCC Softball Field.
SCOOBA – The Lions of East Mississippi Community College dropped 7-3 and 16-2 home decisions to nationally top-ranked Pearl River during Saturday's MACCC action played at the EMCC Softball Field.
The opening game proved to be a pitchers' duel through the first six innings between EMCC's Savannah Mitchell and PRCC's Teegan DeWitt. Mitchell, a sophomore left-hander from California, kept the Wildcats' potent offense mostly in check by allowing just three runs on only four hits heading into the final frame. Her counterpart in the circle, DeWitt limited the Lions to just two hits and no runs while pitching into the sixth inning before giving way to Ann Elise Duncan.
The game's only offense heading into the seventh inning was provided by the visitors with a run in the opening frame followed by two more scores in the third inning.
The Lions threatened to get on the scoreboard in the sixth inning after loading the bases with one out on a single by Devin Bourgeois sandwiched between walks to pinch hitter Daelyn Earls and Madison Newburn. Duncan responded by getting the final two outs of the inning to hold PRCC's lead to 3-0 heading to the final frame.
After having kept the Wildcats off balance at the plate for the most part through the first six innings, EMCC's Mitchell was reached for five consecutive two-out hits that produced four crucial insurance runs for the visitors in the top of the seventh.
Despite being down 7-0 heading into their final at-bat, the Lions opened the home half of the seventh inning with consecutive singles by RaMiyah Price, Mitchell and Chaley Peterson. After a bases-loaded walk to Olivia Saucier spoiled PRCC's shutout attempt, Newburn's two-out, two-run double made things interesting at 7-3 with two EMCC runners in scoring position. Duncan then sealed the win for the Wildcats by inducing a game-ending infield pop out.
EMCC's Newburn reached base during all four trips to the plate in the opener with a pair of doubles and two bases on balls.
The run-rule nightcap was all Pearl River, as the Wildcats followed a four-run opening frame with a 10-run second inning in which they sent 13 batters to the plate. PRCC's Shania Fondren belted a pair of two-run homers in the inning to extend her conference lead to 17 home runs on the year.
The Lions answered PRCC's two-run fourth inning in the home half of the frame on Mitchell's two-out, two-run homer off Pearl River starting pitcher Ana-Grace Garcia.
Head coach Mackenzie Byrd's EMCC Lions (9-17, 1-9 MACCC) continue their home stand by playing host to Northwest Mississippi on Tuesday (March 24) in a 2 p.m. conference doubleheader on the Scooba campus.