MGCCC softball holds off Northwest 4-3

Lady Bulldogs get Pearl River in semi-finals

FULTON---An RBI single by Sarah Smaltz in the bottom of the 6th inning scored Julie Mercer and pushed Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College past Northwest 4-3 on the opening day of the MACJC State Tournament hosted by Itawamba. The Lady Bulldogs (33-12) will face archrival Pearl River in the semi-finals Friday at 2 p.m. The Lady Wildcats defeated the host Itawamba 4-3 earlier on Thursday. During the regular season, Gulf Coast, ranked No. 15 in the latest NJCAA D-II poll, defeated Pearl River in all four regular season meetings in 2010.

Against Northwest, Gulf Coast took a 3-0 lead but the Lady Rangers tied it up at 3-3 in the top of the 6th inning. Lady Bulldog pitcher Linsey Dickerson (16-5) shut down Northwest in the top of the 7th to earn the victory. Julie Mercer, Lauren Bates, and each had a hit in the game while Kayla Moran had one hit and drove in two.

If the Lady Bulldogs can get by Pearl River they would advance to the championship game of the single-elimination tournament at 5 p.m. Friday.