Bulldogs sweep on Sophomore Day

PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast made Sophomore Day a successful one Saturday, sweeping Baton Rouge at Ross-Smith Field.

The Bulldogs won 6-1 in the opener and 14-6 in six innings to close things out.

"We played great," Gulf Coast coach Izzy Werdann said. "We came out ready to swing it and put up a lot of runs."

The Bulldogs improved to 25-20 with the sweep heading into their final two doubleheaders of the MACCC regular season.

Leadoff hitter Natalie Jones (So., Lucedale/George County) had three hits in the opener, and Lexi Patterson (Fr., Ackerman/Choctaw County) had two. Kinsey Cochran (So., Hurley/East Central) tripled, and Caroline Batson (So., Wiggins/Stone) had a double.

Breyona Tanner (Fr., Hurley/East Central) threw a six-hitter to pick up the win.

The Bulldogs led 8-1 after four innings in the second game, but gave up five in the top of the fifth. They answered immediately with three in the fifth and three in the sixth to end it. Brooklyn Mitchell (So., Gulfport/St. Patrick) doubled into the gap to score the final runs.

Jones had three more hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Patterson had two hits, including a two-run home run. Baleigh Tullos (So., Hurley/East Central) and Piper Rushing (Fr., D'Iberville/D'Iberville) also doubled.

Batson allowed four hits and a run in four innings of work for the win.

Baton Rouge is 16-32.

Gulf Coast said thanks to a group of nine sophomores during ceremonies before the doubleheader: Baleigh Tullos (So., Hurley/East Central), Brooklynn Peterson (So., Ocean Springs/Ocean Springs), Layla Barnes (So., Gulfport/D'Iberville), Kate Grehan (So., Hernando/Magnolia Heights), Caroline Batson (So., Wiggins/Stone), Brooklyn Mitchell (So., Gulfport/St. Patrick), Kinsey Cochran (So., Hurley/East Central), Natalie Jones (So., Lucedale/George County) and Erin Cahill (Fr., Shoreham, NY/Shoreham-Wading River).

"This group is my first group of sophomores as head coach, and they mean a lot to us," Werdann said. "I'm thankful that they chose me in their process, that they chose us at MGCCC, and then that they chose me to be their head coach for their sophomore year. I'm just thankful that they played for us."

Gulf Coast travels to Meridian on Tuesday for its last regular-season road trip. First pitch is set for 2 p.m., and the games will be streamed at https://mcceagles.live/green-channel/.

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