Plummer's walk-off caps Bulldogs sweep

PERKINSTON — If Mississippi Gulf Coast was going to sweep East Central on Tuesday, the Bulldogs needed Olivia Plummer to solve a pitcher who had vexed her all night.

She'd struck out three straight times, but she came up to the plate with the bases loaded after Jorja Roberson had tied the game at 5 with a two-out single up the middle. Plummer got to 3-1, fouled off two pitches and rolled a ball to the left of the Warrior shortstop.

"I was just praying to goodness I would hit the ball and not get out," the freshman from Gulfport said. "I looked at the shortstop and saw she was flustered, and I said, 'Holy crap, I just did it.'"

Gulf Coast won 6-5 to claim its fourth straight win. The Bulldogs outslugged East Central 11-6 in the opener and are now 27-15 overall, 10-6 in conference.

Kennedy Brown (So., Southaven/Northpoint Christian) saved the first game for her nation-leading fifth of the season. She got the win in Game 2, saying her screwball, curve and change were working.

"This team works hard," she said. "We're a comeback team. That's all we are is a comeback team. We put in the work every day, and you can't ask any more from a team."

K.K. Agner (So., Horn Lake/Magnolia Heights) doubled in a run in the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-2. Laurel Ladner (So., Long Beach/Long Beach), who had made an error the previous inning, got redemption by dumping a two-out, two-run single into right field two batters later.

Jett Harrell (Fr., Clarksdale/Lee Academy) homered, and Roberson and Agner had two hits each.

Kamryn LaFosse (Fr., Lake Charles, La./Sam Houston) had the big swing in the first game with a grand slam to spark a six-run second inning. Gulf Coast led 8-3 and never looked back.

Abby Vance (So., Calhoun City/Calhoun City) narrowly missed a home run and settled for a double, and Plummer also doubled. Harrell had two hits, as did Kate Brannan (So., Enterprise/Enterprise).

"The sweep is huge," Gulf Coast coach David Kuhn said. "It puts us at 10 wins in the conference, and I would think we need 15 to get in the tournament. That's your ultimate goal. Anytime you sweep, it's huge. They're an outstanding club with a great coach."

East Central is 21-16, 6-8.

Gulf Coast's Thursday doubleheader at Coahoma has been moved because of the weather forecast. It is expected to be played the following Thursday in Clarksdale, but final details are still being ironed out.

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