COLUMBUS, Ga. — The No. 11 Pearl River softball team closed out the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Saturday, falling to No. 13 Danville Area 5-4 in eight innings, defeating Tallahassee State 9-2 and dropping the finale 12-4 to No. 5 Walters State.

"We have to be better in the circle. We scored a lot of runs this weekend, but we have to do better defending the runs we work so hard to get," head coach Christie Meeks said. "We haven't clicked on all cylinders yet, but I know we will."

NO. 13 DANVILLE AREA 5, NO. 11 PEARL RIVER 4.
Pearl River (9-6 overall) took a 4-0 lead in the second inning of the day against Danville Area. With a runner in scoring position, Caroline Lindsey (Gulfport) sent a ball flying over the wall in straightaway center field for a two-run homer. PRCC rallied with two outs in the inning shortly after as Kai Goodman (New Orleans, La.; John Curtis) sent a two-run double down the left field line to wrap up the inning.

Danville Area didn't quit despite the deficit, rallying to score a run in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the seventh to even the game up at four apiece, sending the game into extra innings. The Jaguars won the game in the eighth inning, taking advantage of a Wildcat error to win 5-4.

Ballard Kraft (Liberty; Amite School Center) threw all eight innings for the Wildcats, allowing four runs and scattering eight hits and one walk. She struck out six.

Carsyn Mott (Collinsville; West Lauderdale) had PRCC's best day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a run scored. Goodman and Lindsey each went 1-for-4 with two RBIs.

NO. 11 PEARL RIVER 9, TALLAHASSEE STATE 2.
The Wildcats responded well from their earlier defeat, thumping Tallahassee State in the middle game of the day. The Wildcats struck first in the top of the first, scoring on a Lindsey RBI single. Two innings later, Goodman swiped home on a double steal, and Anna Kate Rounsaville (Gulfport) plated another with an RBI single, 3-0. 

 Tallahassee State got a run back in the third before PRCC tacked on three in the fourth. Gracey Harbour (Batesville; South Panola) dropped a bunt down that resulted in an error for the first run, then Peyton Hoffmayer (Ocean Springs) bashed a two-run homer to move PRCC ahead 6-1.

One more Tallahassee State run crossed in the sixth, and Pearl River tacked on three in the sixth to win 9-2.

Lizzie Meeks (Ripley; Pine Grove) threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks. She struck out two. Ana-Grace Garcia (Baton Rouge, La.; St. Joseph's) threw 2 2/3 innings. She didn't allow a hit or run and struck out one.

Emmaleigh Theriot (Prairieville, La.; St. Amant) was the lone Wildcat with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. 

WALTERS STATE 12, PEARL RIVER 4.
Pearl River got behind big early against Walters State, as after 2.5 innings, the Wildcats trailed 6-0. A sacrifice fly in the third allowed PRCC to get one back, 6-1.

The Senators scored three runs in the fourth and fifth innings to head into the bottom of the fifth ahead 12-1. Pearl River needed four runs in the bottom of the fifth to avoid the run-rule. The Wildcats scored three runs but couldn't scratch across the fifth to lose 12-4. 

Garcia pitched two innings, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks. She struck out two. Kraft allowed three runs on five hits in one inning of work. Harbour tossed the final two frames, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk.

Hoffmayer finished 2-for-2 in the game. Rounsaville collected a pair of RBIs.

NEXT UP
Pearl River returns to action Wednesday for its first home doubleheader of the year. PRCC takes on Wallace State at 3 p.m. The game will also serve as sophomore day. 

TUNE IN
All home Pearl River baseball games are livestreamed for free at PRCCMedia.com/Gold. Fans with Roku, Amazon Fire or Apple TV devices can also watch the Wildcat broadcasts by downloading the "Pearl River CC" channel from their app stores.

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