By Curtis Rockwell/Sports Director

PEARL — Pearl River stretched its win streak to two games here at Trustmark Park Tuesday afternoon.
The Blue Devils rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and stun defending state champ Saltillo 12-11 in game one of the Class 6A state championship series.
PRC now needs just a win in game two Wednesday afternoon to take home its second state title ever, and first since 2017. The last trip to this venue for PRC, almost nine years to the day, was a 7-3 win over Oxford in the rubber match of that match-up that gave the Carriere squad that lone title.

Trailing 11-8 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, JJ Morealle tied the game up with a two-strike, bases-loaded triple to left to make it 11-11. After two intentional walks by Saltillo loaded the sacks back up, PRC clean-up batter Eric Mavor, Jr., delivered the game-winning hit with a single to center that plated Morealle to complete the inexplicable come back win.
“That’s all we talked about in the dugout, was just get it to JJ,” second-year PRC head coach Buddy Turnage said, amidst a jubilant on-field celebration. “And Eric Mavor can flat out hit. He’s our four hole hitter for a reason.”
The last run marked the fifth lead change of the game.
PRC scored seven runs in the third frame, overcoming an early 3-1 deficit to take a seemingly commanding 8-3 lead thanks in large part to a key two-run double by Blake Gill.

But that wasn’t the case. The Tigers scored the next eight runs of the game to grab that aforementioned 11-8 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh. E.J. Rogers had three hits to lead the Tigers offensively.
And, after sending 12 batters to the plate in the third, PRC sent nine more up to the plate in that final decisive stanza to pull out the exciting win.
“I just went out there and I had a plan, just give it to God,’ Morealle said. “I was trying to keep myslef calm, stay focused on the pitch and just punch it up the middle.”

The win was the 30th of the season for PRC, which is now a program record 30-7 overall. Saltillo drops to 28-7.
“Just a phenomenal job by those kids,” Turnage added. “It’s all about what your mind set is in those type of situations. They proved what theirs was right there today. I’m so proud of them.”

Morealle collected three hits, that triple and a double, and a game-high four RBI’s to pace PRC at the plate, while both Gill and Mavor chipped in two hits apiece to the game-winning attack.
On the mound, reliever Ben Duhon, the fourth of four Blue Devil hurlers, picked up the win with just over one inning of work. He came on with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the sixth, and got out of that jam on just three pitches.
“I told Ben to get us out of it and he’d get a win,” Turnage concluded. “And he did.”
Luke Reynolds gave up the game-winning hit to take the loss for the Tigers.
The decision ended a 14-game playoff win streak for Saltillo, who swept George County in the title series last season.