Mathis homers two more times in MGCCC wins

Mississippi Gulf Coast freshman Lexie Mathis is on a tear. She homered two more times Friday, making it five straight games with a dinger as the Lady Bulldogs won twice at the Chipola Community College Tournament.

Gulf Coast (8-0) won both times in games shortened to five innings by the run rule, 8-0 over Georgia Military and 10-1 over Snead State in Marianna, Fla.

Mathis isn't totally surprised by her hot start.

"I figured I would hit better than in high school just because of the amount of time we spend in the weight room and how well the coaches work with us," said Mathis.

She has six home runs during the streak. The start of the streak helped her win MACJC Player of the Week for the first week of the season.

Mathis got the offense started in the opener against Georgia Military, hitting a three-run home in the top of the first. Gulf Coast coach Kenneth Long said the hardest ball Mathis hit Friday wound up being right at an outfielder later in the day.

"We scored four or five runs in the first innings both games," Gulf Coast coach Kenneth Long said. "That's just devastating to a team. We're gonna see better pitching than we are right now."

Hannah Melendrez's third home run of the season, a two-run shot, made it 7-0 in the third.

Demi Blaker, a transfer from Mississippi State playing her first game returning from injury, had an RBI single. Molly Murphy also had an RBI.

Deborah Elmore hit a triple for Gulf Coast.

Kaitlin Lee (4-0) picked up the win with four innings of one-hit ball.

Nora Keehn (3-0) went the distance in the second game, striking out nine and walking only one.

Melendrez's second home run of the day and third of the season sparked a five-run first against Snead State.

"Melendrez had a good day on defense," Long said. "She made some really nice plays on defense and she hit the ball well. She was another player who hit a couple balls really hard right at an outfielder."

Elmore had two more hits, including a double. Brittany Cooley had two doubles.

"It feels really great," Mathis said. "The girls are outstanding and I think we're starting to mesh very well on the field and in the lineup."

Gulf Coast returns to action Tuesday when the Lady Bulldogs travel to Alabama Southern for a doubleheader.