Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 POPLARVILLE - After a 10-1 loss in Game 1, the Northwest bats came alive in the nightcap, but late inning heroics allowed Pearl River to notch the sweep against the Rangers in Saturday afternoon's conference opener.

With the losses, Northwest fell to 3-3 on the season and 0-2 in MACCC competition, while Pearl River jumped to 8-3 overall and 2-0 in conference play.

Northwest will host East Mississippi on Tuesday, March 2 in the Rangers' home-opener. Both games will be played at Senatobia Sports Park in a 1/3 P.M. doubleheader.


Game 1 - Pearl River 10, Northwest 1 (5 inn.)

Pearl River took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back, as Northwest fell victim to a five-inning run-rule loss to open conference competition.

An RBI-single from Maddie Brower in the top of the second proved to be the only highlight for the Rangers at the plate, as the Wildcats got back-to-back homers from Kaitlyn Passeau and Cassady Bradford in the third.

Things went from bad to worse in the fourth, as Pearl River drove in three runs off a two-run homer from McKall Holder and a single from Hannah Miller.

Leading 7-1, the Wildcats ended things in the bottom of the fifth with another three-run frame, highlighted by a walkoff two-run double from Taelor York.

Brower accounted for two of the Rangers' three hits on the day, while Pearl River finished with 10 hits, including three from York. Northwest struck out eight times at the plate.

Kaylei Peterson (1-2) started the first 3.2 innings for Northwest and struck out two batters. Mallory Hunt finished off the final 0.1 innings in relief.


Game 2 - Pearl River 19, Northwest 11 (6 inn.)

What started out as a back and forth affair broke open in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Pearl River scored eight runs to break an 11-11 tie.

Pearl River earned 13 of its runs over the final two innings, as the Lady Wildcats trailed Northwest 9-6 entering the fifth, before scoring five runs to take an 11-9 lead.

Saige Koczka's two-run homer in the top of the sixth tied the game at 11 apiece, but Promise Shanks' single made it a 12-11 lead for the Lady Wildcats, followed by a grand slam from Holder.

Northwest started the contest with a 3-0 lead, thanks to Caylee Comer's first collegiate homer in the top of the first. Passeau then responded for Pearl River in the second with her two-run double, cutting the Rangers' lead to one.

Holder put Pearl River ahead 4-3 in the bottom of the second, only for Maddie Brower to tie the game in the third with her second home run of the season.

Trailing 5-4 entering the fourth inning, the Rangers exploded for a five-run frame, sparked by Meredith Owen's double to right center.

Brower would follow with an RBI-single and Helms would drive in two more off a double, making it a 9-5 advantage before the big two-inning rally from the Lady Wildcats.

Northwest hammered out 12 hits in the nightcap and Comer led the team with three RBIs.

Despite picking up the loss, Koczka (1-1) struck out five batters in 5.1 innings of work.