No. 11 Pearl River falls for first time in 2025

Dylan Dunaway - PRCC Sports Information Director

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — The No. 11 Pearl River softball had its first slip-up of the year Friday at the Visit Panama City Beach JUCO Softball Showdown, falling to a pair of NJCAA Division I programs. PRCC dropped the opener 9-4 against No. 11 Gulf Coast State and the nightcap against Dayton State 9-7.

"We're young, and we have to do a better job of getting off the bus and being ready to play," head coach Christie Meeks said. "We have to be ready to compete and find ways to stop putting ourselves in bad situations. Tomorrow is a new day, and we will get after it."

GULF COAST STATE 9, PEARL RIVER 4.

Pearl River (4-2 overall) fell behind early against Gulf Coast State (7-5), cashing in on a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded. The Wildcats countered with a run in the bottom half as Peyton Hoffmayer (Ocean Springs) drove an RBI double into right field, 1-1.

The Commodores added two runs in the second and four more in the third to push ahead 7-1. PRCC got one back in the third inning as Emmaleigh Theriot (Prairieville, La.; St. Amant) drove a single back up the middle, 7-2. GSC responded with a run of its own in the fourth.

Pearl River remained in striking distance in the bottom of the fourth by plating a pair of runs. The first scored on an Alexa Womack (Prairieville, La.; Dutchtown) ground out, and the second scored when Kai Goodman (New Orleans, La.; John Curtis) reached on an error.

The Commodores added one more in the fifth, and the Wildcats couldn't fight back, falling 9-4.

Goodman finished 2-for-3 with two runs and a walk from the leadoff position. Theriot and Hoffmayer each finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Anna Kate Rounsaville (Gulfport) finished 2-for-4 with a run.

Ana-Grace Garcia (Baton Rouge, La.; St. Joseph's) threw 2 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits. She struck out one. Harbour threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing two unearned runs on five hits. She struck out four.

DAYTONA STATE 9, PEARL RIVER 7.

The Wildcats again found themselves in an early hole in game two against Daytona State (8-0), trailing 1-0 after the first inning.

The teams traded runs in the second inning as Caitlyn Riche (Walker, La.) picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly into right field, 1-1. Daytona State responded with an RBI groundout in the bottom half, 2-1.

Pearl River was the recipient of a huge go-ahead hit in the fourth. With Natalee Eaves (Louisville; Choctaw Central) aboard on a single and Carolin Lindsey (Gulfport) and Cailey Pervel (Carriere; Pearl River Central) on base via a hit by pitch, Carsyn Mott (Collinsville; West Lauderdale) ripped into left field for a bases-clearing RBI triple. The hit gave the Wildcats a 4-2 lead.

The Falcons scored a run in the fourth and six more in the sixth to put PRCC in a bad position heading into their final at-bat. The Wildcats showed some fight, scoring a run on a Lindsey groundout, a Harbour double and a Theriot single, but Daytona State closed the door to win 9-7.

Ballard Kraft (Liberty; Amite School Center) tossed five innings, allowing six runs on six hits and four walks. She struck out eight. Gracia allowed three runs on two hits in one inning of work.

Eaves went 3-for-4 with two runs at the plate. She was the only Wildcat with multiple hits.

NEXT UP

The Wildcats return to action tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. against No. 15 Chattanooga State and at 5 p.m. against Andrew College. 

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