No. 9 Gulf Coast clinches playoff spot

PERKINSTON — There's no such thing as a bad sweep, and No. 9 Mississippi Gulf Coast picked up two wins Tuesday over Meridian in Ross-Smith Field.

The Lady Bulldogs were an out away from a five-inning win in Game 1 but had to hold on for an 11-10 victory, then won the second 11-3 in five innings.

"These were games we had to win," Gulf Coast coach Kenneth Long said. "We didn't finish that first game like we want to. We had a big lead and let them get back in it, but we won both. We've got to go get two wins Wednesday."

Gulf Coast hopped on a bus about an hour after the sweep to head north for a Wednesday doubleheader against Mississippi Delta which starts at noon. The Lady Bulldogs did so having clinched a playoff spot. They're third heading into their final two regular-season doubleheaders.

The Lady Bulldogs exploded for nine runs in the third inning the opener to take a 10-1, including a pinch-hit grand slam by Avery Sanders (So., Edward Douglas/Thibodaux, La.). They'd tack on another run in the fourth.

The Lady Eagles, however, scored six runs in the fifth, including three with two outs, to stay alive. They pushed across four more in the seventh before Bryley Rodriguez (Fr., Beau Chene/Cankton, La.) was able to end it and pick up her second save.

Camryn Williams (So., White Hall/White Hall, Ark.) went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI, and she finished the day with four hits and two walks in seven plate appearances.

"We were hitting the ball hard," she said. "We knew we needed to piece everything together before the playoffs."

Williams' solo homer launched a nine-run second inning of the second game.

Meridian (22-18, 14-12) stayed alive by scoring three times in the top of the fifth, but a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning ended the game after RBI singles by Kenzie Nichols (Fr., Germantown/Madison) and Briana Shores (Fr., Richland/Richland).

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