History has been made with Pearl River Community College winning its first-ever national title in softball.
The No. 5 Wildcats went out with a bang in their debut NJCAA Division II World Series appearance, completing a perfect run through the bracket and capturing the first championship in program history, defeating No. 9 Des Moines Area 2-1 on Monday.
Pearl River (48-7) had to slug it out late to take down Des Moines Area (60-12). The Bears struck immediately, using two singles and a walk in the top of the first inning to grab an early 1-0 advantage. From there, though, star Wildcat pitcher Ana-Grace Garcia would hold her opponent at bay.
The sophomore retired 13 consecutive Bears and completely shifted the momentum back into Pearl River’s dugout before running into trouble in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded and the Wildcats clinging to hope, Garcia delivered one of the biggest pitches in program history — an off-speed ball that froze a Des Moines Area hitter into an off-balance swing for a critical strikeout.
The pendulum then completely swung in Pearl River’s favor. Following a Kai Goodman single and an Addy Grace Alexander walk, Natalee Eaves had the most consequential swing in Wildcat softball history in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Louisville native roped a ball into the corner of right field, scoring both baserunners and giving Pearl River a lead it would not relinquish.
Garcia promptly slammed the door shut in dominant fashion, logging three straight outs. The right-hander needed just seven pitches in the top of the seventh, forcing two groundouts before striking out the final batter of the game.
Garcia got the win after tossing her third complete game of the postseason tournament, allowing just one run on three hits while fanning 11 batters. Goodman and Eaves recorded Pearl River’s only hits of the afternoon — both extra-base knocks — while Eaves drove in both runs.
The Wildcats closed out an action-packed week by taking down a gauntlet of opponents that included No. 12 Johnson County, No. 4 Rock Valley, No. 1 Kirkwood, No. 2 Murray State, and Des Moines Area to bring the trophy back to Poplarville. In the process, some Pearl River players were recognized for their excellence on the field.
Garcia was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Across four appearances, the right-hander threw 25 1/3 innings and posted a 1.11 ERA with a 0.79 WHIP. Eaves was named the tournament’s top offensive player after batting .438 with nine RBI, two home runs, one triple and one double, while stealing two bases.
Batesville native Shania Fondren earned outstanding defensive player honors after playing flawless defense at third base throughout the tournament. Conehatta native Maeli Ben earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team, finishing the week 6-for-14 at the plate.
