Bulldogs finish sweep of No. 22 Stars with walk-off

PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast's reputation for dramatic finishes added another chapter Saturday night, with Griffin Wells adding his name to the list of heroes.

His seventh-inning RBI single beat No. 22 Lansing 4-3 to wrap up a sweep at Ken "Curly" Farris Field. The Bulldogs are 6-2 in one-run games. They won the first game against the Stars 9-3.

"It's a big bounceback," Gulf Coast coach Zach Allen said. "When you lose two and come back 14 hours later against a good opponent, it's great to win two games."

The Bulldogs (13-7) had lost twice to Nunez on Friday night, finishing up after 10 p.m. They were back on the diamond at Perk at 2 p.m., and the dramatic finish got done after 7 p.m.

Lansing (1-3) had tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Brandon Coakley (Fr, Covington, La./Covington) and Tanner Ladner (So, Pass Christian/Hancock) had back-to-back singles with one out to put the spotlight on Wells (Fr, Pascagoula/Pascagoula).

"I just threw my hands at it and prayed for the best," he said. "I had two good hits in front of me, with Coakley and Ladner getting on. The rest is history."

Gulf Coast scored twice in the first on balks, and Jordan Davis (Fr, Neshoba/Neshoba Central) had an RBI double in the fourth for a 3-0 lead. Gulf Coast was outhit in the second game 10-7, but Stars pitchers walked five Bulldogs and plunked another four. 

"It's frustrating, but we're learning from it," Allen said. "This non-conference slate is all about learning. When you've got a chance to put a team down, do it. We had our chances, but we've got to do a better job, so we don't face their good bullpen arms."

James Vines (Fr, Clinton, La./Silliman Institute) struck out 10 and walked one, in a six-inning start. He left with a 3-1 lead before the last-inning drama.

In the first game, Dom Jackson (So, Gulf Breeze, Fla./Gulf Breeze) provided the big blow with a three-run homer. It was his seventh of the season.

The Bulldogs scored three times in the first inning. Kaden Irving (So, Gautier/Gautier) doubled in a run, and RBI groundouts by Jackson and Colby Wilson (So, Saucier/D'Iberville) followed.

Jackson's tater made it 6-1, and Wells added an RBI single later in the fourth.

After the Stars scored twice, Gulf Coast tacked on two insurance runs on an error and a double play.

Davis, Jacob Palazzo (So, Biloxi/Gulfport), Tanner Ladner (So, Pass Christian/Hancock) and Wells had two hits each. Davis finished the day with four hits.

Aiden Seymour (So, D'Iberville/D'Iberville) scattered eight hits in a seven-inning start for the win. He struck out six and walked two. Tyler West (Fr, Vancleave/Vancleave) closed things out with two innings of hitless relief.

"We pitched it really well," Allen said. "Aiden Seymour gave us seven strong in the first game, and Vines had a really good start. It's what we needed because we were light in the pen."

Gulf Coast travels to Raymond on Tuesday for its last MACCC split tripleheader. The Bulldogs play Mississippi Delta at 3 p.m. and host Hinds in the final game. They'll travel to New Orleans on Friday for another split tripleheader against Triton and host Delgado, their final games before MACCC play starts.

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