Bulldogs want to start fast at MGM Park

PERKINSTON – Mississippi Gulf Coast has shown tremendous resiliency in the first few weeks of the baseball season.

The Bulldogs (5-1) have trailed early in five games and come back to win or get back even in all of them. Their only loss came in extra innings to Baton Rouge after erasing a 3-0 seventh-inning deficit.

The flip side of such a good trait is digging holes to begin with. Gulf Coast will try to avoid a similar fate Friday when they play a doubleheader against Mineral Area at MGM Park in Biloxi. First pitch is 4 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at http://mgcccbulldogs.com/MGMtix.

"We've talked about our starting pitching being good for us out of the gate so we're not getting behind," Gulf Coast coach Rodney Batts said. "We've talked to our hitters about getting production early the game so we make our pitchers comfortable on the mound, so the game isn't on the line with every pitch."

Mineral Area, from south of St. Louis, played its first four games at Pearl River two weeks ago. The Cardinals won the first game 20-9, but have lost four since despite scoring an average of five runs a game.

Outside of a four-inning scoreless stint by Irby Dossett against Baton Rouge, the Bulldogs starters have a 5.19 ERA. The team has allowed 22 runs in those 17.1 innings.

"Our starting pitching hasn't been quite as good as they need to be," Batts said. "They're going to be good, but they haven't pitched as well early in the year. They're still trying to get a feel for things."

Michael Shubert leads the Bulldogs with a .429 average, with a team-high four doubles. Marcus Buckley is setting the table at the top of the lineup with a .481 on-base percentage, and Justin Nussbaum leads with seven RBI.

Getting the arms and bats working early is the next step for Gulf Coast in its pre-MACJC schedule.

"We're living on dangerous ground right now playing from behind. I like that we do have a bunch that will fight and come back. I tell them they're living on dangerous ground. Sooner or later, it's gonna come back and bite them in the butt."

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