Drew Harrison Dominates as Pearl River Baseball Opens Regional with 4-1 Win Over Hinds

POPLARVILLE, Miss. — A strong showing on the mound and timely hitting lifted Pearl River Community College to a 4-1 victory over Hinds Community College in the opening round of the Poplarville Regional at “The Dub.”

Right-hander Drew Harrison set the tone immediately, proving why he got the start. The Wildcats’ ace came out firing in the top of the first inning, striking out the side and establishing early control that would last throughout the game.

Both teams managed to scratch across a run in the third inning, but the contest remained a tight pitcher’s duel heading into the later frames.

That changed in the bottom of the sixth.

Sophomore outfielder Jackson Hood got things started with a line drive into short left field, reaching base with ease and setting up a scoring opportunity. Gulfport native Ethan Garner stepped in next and delivered one of the biggest hits of the day — a rocket down the right field line that slipped past a diving first baseman and rolled into the corner. Hood turned on the speed, racing all the way from first to home to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead on Garner’s RBI triple.

Garner wasn’t done making an impact. Moments later, he showed sharp instincts on the basepaths, reading a ball in the dirt perfectly and sprinting home to steal another run, extending Pearl River’s advantage to 3-1.

The Wildcats added an insurance run thanks to Nico Williams, who launched a solo home run to left-center field, pushing the lead to 4-1.

That was more than enough support for Harrison, who delivered a dominant performance from start to finish. The right-hander racked up 13 strikeouts, keeping Hinds off balance all game and shutting the door on any comeback hopes.

With the win, Pearl River advances to the next round of the regional tournament, where they will face Jones College on Wednesday evening at 6 p.m.

The Wildcats will look to carry their momentum forward as they continue their postseason run.