Big bats, strong arms, clutch hits sweep ICC

PERKINSTON — A 29-hit onslaught, some big-time pitching, three more long balls and a clutch contribution off the bench was just what the doctor ordered for Mississippi Gulf Coast on Alumni Day at Ken "Curly" Farris Field on Saturday.

The Bulldogs got another strong performance from right-hander Blake King to win the opener 10-6 against Itawamba. Kade Carpenter delivered the last of those 29 hits, a walk-off double in the seventh inning to win 7-6 in Game 2.

"Make no mistake, that's a really solid club over there," Gulf Coast coach Bob Keller said. "They swing the bats and they pitch. They get after it hard. I have to give our guys credit for the way they competed in the box from the first game on. We pitched competitively all day. That's the best full day of baseball we've put together in my short time here."

Gulf Coast (11-13) got its first MACCC sweep of the season to improve to 4-2 in conference play. They beat Itawamba (15-6) which started the day tied for first at 3-1.

Kade Carpenter (So., Vancleave/Vancleave) delivered his heroics in a true two-out rally, after two strikeouts to start the inning, DJ Walker (So., Brandon/Brandon) and Jayden Mark (Fr., Petal/Petal) singled. Carpenter was trying to hit something on a line, and he did, blasting a fastball off the top of the left-field wall.

He got mobbed by second base, and teammates yanked his jersey off in the 40-something-degree weather.

"It was pretty cold," Carpenter said, smiling. "It hurt. It was cold."

Carpenter doubled in a pinch-hit appearance in the first game, and he had come off the bench in the sixth inning.

"It couldn't happen to a better kid," Keller said. "He hasn't gotten off to the best start this year, but he's never pouted. He's been ready to go, and he's delivered a log off the bench."

Ty Mancha (Fr., Albuquerque, N.M./Mobile Christian) went 3-for-4 and DJ Walker (So., Brandon/Brandon) had two hits.

Charlie Keller (Fr., Mobile, Ala./Mobile Christian), who came into the day leading the country with 12 homers, hit his second three-run shot of the day in the first inning. Ty Mancha (Fr., Albuquerque, N.M./Mobile Christian) and Charlie Olsen (Fr., Gulfport/Gulfport) had RBI singles later in the inning.

ICC would claw its way back to tie in the third. Marc Stephens (Fr., Orange Beach, Ala./Gulf Shores) had an RBI single in the bottom of the inning to restore a 6-5 lead.

Itawamba tied it in the sixth before Nate Anderson (So., Poplarville/Poplarville) came in to get the third out. He retired the side in order in the seventh to pick up the win, and he got a save in the opener.

While King (Fr., Petal/Petal) was on his way to pitching into the ninth inning, the Bulldogs erupted for five in the third inning. Keller's line drive rip was a three-run shot.

The Bulldogs led 9-0 after Stephens' two-run homer in the sixth. ICC got four unearned runs in a five-run seventh to make things interesting, but King pitched into the ninth.

"Blake has strung together some good starts for us. That's what we need out of a freshman. He's starting to really mature. He's able to locate his secondary stuff, which makes him a real tough customer."

King allowed just two earned runs in 8.1 innings, striking out eight and allowing nine hits and two walks.

Anderson came in with two on and one out in the ninth and got two quick outs.

Stephens and Sam Mansell (So., Laurel/Northeast Jones) had three hits. Mancha, Mark, Nick Thornton (Fr., Pearl/Brandon) and Sean Smith (So., Pascagoula/Pascagoula) had two hits.

"I just like that we got so many contributions from so many of the guys today," Keller said. "Twenty-nine hits is a big deal, and (Itawamba) brought out some really good arms."

Gulf Coast will play again at Farris Field on Tuesday when Southwest Mississippi visits. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. The games will be streamed at https://mgcccbulldogs.com/watch.

For more information on MGCCC's 11 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.