Baseball Bulldogs banking on even better 2023

PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast starts an exciting 2023 baseball season Friday with the best stadium in the state adding the best surface, plus an improved roster in coach Bob Keller's second season in charge.

The Bulldogs will be more potent on offense and with a greater array of pitchers to count on than a 2022 squad that battled and earned a spot in the NJCAA Region 23 playoffs.

"I think this club has a lot more offensive power and versatility," Keller said. "I think we can score runs in a variety of ways, whether it's through power or pressure on the bases and speed. We have a lot more arms this year, I think will be deeper out of the bullpen. We have some options to match up against opponent's lineups and just have more depth overall. I feel really good about both sides of the ball."

Gulf Coast opens the season at home with a doubleheader against Nunez from Chalmette, La. First pitch is set for 2 p.m., and season passes are on sale at http://mgcccbulldogs.com/tickets. Chairbacks are $75, and general admission passes are $50.

All home games will be streamed at https://mgcccbulldogs.com/watch.

FieldTurf DoublePlay artificial surface was installed at Ken "Curly" Farris Field, and MGCCC President Dr. Mary S. Graham will be on hand to throw out the first pitch on the new surface before Friday's game. 

Dylan Fontan (So., Biloxi/St Patrick) and Brody Swindle (Fr., Fairhope, Ala./Bayside Academy) will get the first two starts of the season. Fontan sat out last year because of injury, but he pitched in the MACCC at Jones as a freshman. Swindle has also shown the ability to control the strike zone in the fall and early spring.

"I like guys who can be able to manage a game early," Keller said. "I think we've got some guys in the pen that get stronger as the game goes, will see some good quality stuff."

Adam May (So., Magee/Magee), who went 2-4 last year, and Noah Nicholson (So., Vancleave/Vancleave), who went 1-3, will be in the mix. Newcomers Adrian Byrd (Fr., Wiggins/Stone), Hayden O'Dell (Fr., Mobile, Ala./St Paul's Episcopal), Cade Mattison (So., Hattiesburg/Lamar Christian) and Blake King (Fr., Petal/Petal) will be given the chance to earn innings. Jacob Snell (So., Gulfport/Gulfport), who shined in summer ball, is an important arm in the bullpen.

In the outfield, Kade Carpenter (So., Vancleave/Vancleave) will roam center field. He led the team last year with a .336 average with 26 RBI. Sean Smith (So., Pascagoula/Pascagoula) had 10 home runs and 43 RBI last year, both of which led the Bulldogs. His .333 average was second just smidge behind Carpenter.

Thomas Hollingsworth (So., Madison/Germantown) started behind the plate in 37 games last year, but he'll have more help back there this year. Jayden Mark (Fr., Petal/Petal) and Ty Mancha (Fr., Albuquerque, N.M./Mobile Christian) will give Hollingsworth a break back there, and will see time as corner infielders, too.

Marc Stephens (Fr., Orange Beach, Ala./Gulf Shores) at shortstop and Will Clemens (Fr., Pascagoula/Resurrection) at second base are the starting anchors up the middle. Sam Mansell (So., Laurel/Northeast Jones), Blake Roberts (Fr., Petal/Petal) and Kannon Varnado (Fr., Gulfport/Harrison Central) will also battle for playing time in those spots.

DJ Walker (So., Brandon/Brandon) and Jeremiah Newman (Fr., Biloxi/D'Iberville) are at first base, and Charlie Keller (Fr., Mobile, Ala./Mobile Christian) and Amiri Williams (Fr., Long Beach/Long Beach) are at third. Keller was Alabama Class 4A Hitter of the Year.

Pearl River, the defending national champions, will be tough again. Meridian, Northwest Mississippi and Jones are all expected to be near the top of the MACCC standings.

"Every year you go in and coach toward the state championship," Keller said. "With the team this year, we've been we're trying to raise the bar, the excellence of everything we do on a day-to-day basis. And certainly, we've gotten enough support from the top of the new facilities and so many other improvements."

Zach Allen returns as an assistant coach, and he's joined by Andy McCall and Robert Pickett. Keller talks about developing a mindset that leads to winning.

"It starts at the top with me, goes all the way down to everyone, including our managers, our assistant coaches, our players," he said. "We're asking them to raise the bar off the field, on the field and in everything that we do. We want to put in the work daily, and that produces a winning culture. Winning is fun and that's what we're all here to do, is to win."

For more information on MGCCC's 11 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.