Bulldogs can’t salvage split

PERKINSTON — No. 19 Mississippi Gulf Coast almost stole a split from No. 1 East Central, but a seventh-inning rally fell short Tuesday at Ken "Curly" Farris Field.

The Bulldogs lost 19-3 and 4-3 to fall to 17-10 overall, 2-4 in the MACCC. East Central is 27-5, 4-2.

Gulf Coast trailed 4-2 heading to the final inning of the nightcap despite holding the Warriors to two hits. Erimel Rosado (So., Dorado, Puerto Rico/Centennial) cranked a one-out, bases-loaded single off the glove of a leaping first basemen, who managed to keep the ball from going into the corner.

The Bulldogs couldn't get anything else across, finishing with eight hits. Brady Saxton (Fr., Brandon/Northwest Rankin) had a solo home run in the sixth to get the Bulldogs within two. Rosado had an RBI single in the first.

Riley Hall (Fr., Mobile, Ala./Faith Academy) struck out six, but gave up a pair of home runs. Anthony Tanner (Fr., Hurley/East Central) had a double, and Brandon Coakley (So., Covington, La./Covington) also had two hits.

East Central scored in every innings of the first game. The Bulldogs got a solo home run from Garrett Gardner (Fr., Madison/Madison-Ridgeland Academy), and Coakley had an RBI double. Asher Henley (So., Vancleave/Vancleave) also doubled.

Gulf Coast hosts Coahoma on Saturday. First pitch at Perk is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the games will be streamed at https://mgcccbulldogs.com/watch.

For more information on MGCCC's 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.