Gulf Coast wins 800th game
Mississippi Gulf Coast won its first game in the Chipola Visit Dothan Invitational on Friday, notching the school's 800th win in fast-pitch softball.
The Bulldogs did it in the 1,152nd game in school history, a .694 winning percentage. They run-ruled Wallace-Dothan 11-3 in five innings before dropping a 9-2 decision to Chipola.
"It's just really exciting," said Gulf Coast coach Izzy Werdann, who is in her first season in charge. "I told my dad after the game that it was number 800, and he said, 'The exciting part is you've been a part of more than just three of those wins.' It's definitely something to build on this season. I'm not gonna sit at 800. We've got another 46 games or something like that this season, so we're looking to push way past 800 this season. This is just a step. Hopefully, I'll be around for when we hit 900 and 1,000."
In fact, Werdann, who was a player on two Gulf Coast teams that won 95 games, has added three to her Bulldog total as head coach. She's been a part of more than 12 percent of victories in school history.
"That gives me chills," Werdann said. "It means a lot. Doing it as a player was something special, but getting to lead these kids and getting to represent Gulf Coast again in a completely different way, it's such an honor. I feel very, very humbled. In a way, that's exciting. It's definitely something I planned to build on."
The Bulldogs jumped on Wallace right from the get-go, scoring six in the first inning. Baleigh Tullos (So., Hurley/East Central), Piper Rushing (Fr., D'Iberville/D'Iberville) and Natalie Jones (So., Lucedale/George County) delivered consecutive doubles to score four runs in the outburst.
Rushing finished with three hits, including two doubles, and drove in three. Kailee Lawson (Fr., Hurley/East Central) had two hits, including a triple, and Caroline Batson (So., Wiggins/Stone) also tripled. Lexi Patterson (Fr., Ackerman/Choctaw County) hit a solo homer among her two hits. Brooklynn Peterson (So., Ocean Springs/Ocean Springs) and Kinsey Cochran (So., Hurley/East Central) had two hits.
Gabby Smith (Fr., Perkinston/Harrison Central) went the distance, striking out six with one walk and allowing four hits. She threw 51 strikes in 69 pitches.
In the second game, Natalie Jones (So., Lucedale/George County) had two hits and drove in two runs. Rushing added three hits, and Brooklyn Mitchell (So., Gulfport/St. Patrick) had two.
Gulf Coast is 3-2 this season. The Bulldogs close out their trip to Dothan on Saturday with a 12:30 p.m. game against Central Alabama f,ollowed by a game against Lurleen B. Wallace.
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