MGCCC baseball to face Pearl River in one-game playoff

Trey Porter (right) celebrates with his teammates after a two-run homer against Hinds May 1.

Derek Davis (8) scores a key run against Hinds in game two May 1.

Winner moves on to MACJC State Playoffs

PERKINSTON---Nothing has come easy for first year head baseball coach Gary Rath and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Bulldogs. WIth that in mind, the Bulldogs had to gut out an 8-7 victory over Hinds in game two of Saturday's regular season finale to gain a split with the Eagles and now face a one-game playoff with archrival Pearl River to decide the #4 seed in the MACJC South Division.

The Bulldogs (28-15, 12-12) travel to Poplarville Monday to face the Wildcats (21-25, 12-12) at 4 p.m. in a nine inning contest. The winner moves on the face MACJC North Division winner Itawamba in a best-of-three playoff series May 7-8 in Fulton.

"The team is focused on the task at hand," Rath said. "We're going to lay it all on the line against Pearl River and hope for the best."

Against Hinds, Gulf Coast dropped game one 7-6 despite a two-run homer by Trey Porter and three hits from Will White including a solo homer and two doubles.

In the thrilling 8-7 nightcap, White had a two-run homer and a double while the Bulldogs scored the game winner in the bottom of the seventh on a passed ball.

The Bulldogs faced a similar one-game sudden death scenario in 2008 against Co-Lin and defeated the Wolves 4-0 to advance to the post-season. In 2010, Pearl River swept Gulf Coast in a doubleheader back on Mar. 24 while the Bulldogs swept the Wildcats at Curly Farris Fied in Perkinston Apr. 17.