Bulldogs settle for split at home

PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast swung big bats in the first game of its MACCC baseball doubleheader against Copiah-Lincoln, but the Bulldogs couldn't keep the momentum going and settled for a split Wednesday.

Gulf Coast won the first game 12-6 but struck out 13 times in a 7-4 loss in the nightcap. The Bulldogs are 17-7 overall, 3-1 MACCC.

Dom Jackson (Fr., Gulf Breeze, Fla./Gulf Breeze) and Ty Mancha (So., Albuquerque, N.M./Mobile Christian) had three-run homers in an eight-run sixth to take a 12-3 lead.

Mancha had two hits and four RBI, and Brandon Cain (So., Mobile, Ala./Baker) had three hits, including a double.

Brody Swindle (So., Fairhope, Ala./Bayside Academy) pitched five innings of six-hit ball for the win. He allowed one earned run. Adrian Byrd (So., Wiggins/Stone) pitched three scoreless innings of relief.

In the second game, Jayden Mark (So., Petal/Petal) hit a two-run homer in the fourth to put the Bulldogs up 2-1.

After Co-Lin scored three times in the fifth, Jackson's second homer of the day tied it back up. His two-run shot was his ninth of the season.

The Wolves (13-13, 1-1) scored three runs in the sixth while only putting one ball in play, and Coby Gollott finished a complete-game gem by striking out 13.

Marc Stephens (So., Orange Beach, Ala./Gulf Shores) had three hits and extended his hit streak to 16.

Gulf Coast will travel to Fulton on Saturday to play Itawamba. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

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