Co-Lin takes MACJC State softball title

Julie Mercer (5) reaches second base before Northwest infielder Haylei Plummer (5) can apply a tag Apr. 25 at the MACJC State Tournament.

Cassie Slaton rips a three-run triple against Northwest Apr. 25 at the MACJC State Tournament.

MGCCC Lady Bulldogs can’t hold off Lady Wolves in championship game

WESSON-Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College had defending MACJC State Champion Co-Lin in a tough spot during Saturday’s state title game. Gulf Coast led Co-Lin 5-1 heading into the bottom of the 5th inning. However, three Lady Bulldog errors and a three run double by Co-Lin’s Daniele Wilson helped the Lady Wolves erupt for a seven running inning and go on to win 8-5 and clinch their second straight MACJC State crown.

“You can’t make errors like that against a good team like Co-Lin,” said Gulf Coast head coach Kenneth Long. “We played hard, but in the end we couldn’t get it done.”

Whitney Welford (2) leaps to catch a fly ball as Tiffany Fuller (25) looks on in the Lady Bulldogs’ loss to Co-Lin in the MACJC State title game Apr. 25.

Gulf Coast (23-10) will now get ready for next weekend’s Region 23 Tournament held in Clinton.

The Lady Bulldogs were behind 1-0 early but scored two in the 4th and three in the 5th to take a 5-1 lead. Brandi Westerfield (10-5) came in to pitch in the bottom of the fifth in relief of starter Brittany Fields. But three errors, two walks, and Wilson’s base-clearing double surged the Lady Wolves into the lead for good. Westerfield gave up five hits and struck out one in two innings while Fields allowed six hits and one run in four innings of work.

Earlier in the day Co-Lin defeated Pearl River 8-2 in their semi-final game while Gulf Coast beat Northwest 9-5. In that semi-final win, Westerfield got the win in relief of Fields. At the plate, Julie Mercer had four hits (five on the day) while Cassie Slaton had three hits including a two-run triple and an RBI single. Tiffany Fuller and Kayla Moran each had two hits in the win over Northwest.