Holmes wins two straight to take MACJC Playoff Series

Matt Ross slides into home and scores a run against Holmes May 2.

Gulf Coast ends season after back-to-back defeats

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College head baseball coach Cooper Farris warned his team not to take Holmes lightly even though his team won game one of their MACJC Playoff Series 9-1 Friday Night.

The Bulldogs didn’t listen, and two losses later, Holmes (27-20) is moving onto the MACJC State Tournament while Gulf Coast ends its season at 32-17.

Head coach Cooper Farris (left) discusses a call with the home plate umpire May 2.

Holmes took game two 9-4 and won the deciding game three 4-2.

“Everyone seemed to think we had this thing wrapped up after one game,” Farris said. “I knew it would be tough on us if we went to a third game.”

In game two, Gulf Coast jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Holmes and seemed to be in control. But the Bulldogs from Goodman scored four in the 5th inning to seize momentum of the game and the series.

“That was huge,” said Gulf Coast catcher Jarrod Cannette. “The intensity level just wasn’t there for us, and they played good baseball.”

In the series finale, Holmes jumped out to a 2-1 lead and pitchers Camren White and Ryne Smith combined to hold Gulf Coast to four hits. Two of those were solo homeruns by Jerron Casey and Matt Bennett.

“Holmes played hard,” Farris added. “They had 23 hits today, and we had 10. We were trying to do too much at the plate instead of getting quality at bats.”

Gulf Coast, the 2009 MACJC South Division Champions, was a win away from hosting next week’s MACJC State Tournament. Instead, the season is over.

“That’s the hardest part,” Cannette said.