No. 3 Lady Bulldogs open playoffs against EMCC

PERKINSTON – No. 3 Mississippi Gulf Coast just played its first-round opponent last weekend, but coach Kenneth Long doesn't expect the same team to show up at Ross-Smith Field on Friday.

East Mississippi (19-21, 14-14 MACJC) earned the seventh seed in the state playoffs with a pair of wins over Northwest on Monday.

"They were fighting hard to get into the playoffs when they came down last week," Long said. "They desperately needed two wins and they won't be like that this time. They're in, so they're going to relax and play hard. I think we'll see a different team and different game."

Game 1 starts at 6 p.m. The second game is Saturday at 1 p.m., with Game 3, if necessary, following 30 minutes later.

Gulf Coast (41-3, 23-3) swept the Lions 11-2 in five innings and 10-2 in six on Saturday. Those games started a recent power tear, especially by sophomore Hannah Melendrez and freshman Molly Murphy.

Melendrez is a regular starter, but Murphy hasn't been. She's homered in three of her last four games, twice despite entering as a substitute and getting only one at bat.

"I actually spoken to her a couple times about just keep doing what she's doing, working hard and she'll get her opportunities," Long said. "That's the thing as coaches you have to be aware of, that players are peaking at a good time, seeing the ball well, hitting the ball well. "

Gulf Coast has reached the 40-win plateau for the second straight season and third time in school history. That means there's little reason for a change in approach.

"We'll do the same things we've been doing, the things that got us here," Long said. "It's a different scenario because you won't play a doubleheader on Friday night. The lineup might be a little different, but we'll do the same things that got us here."