Bulldogs walk off Meridian for sweep

PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast closed out a Saturday sweep in the MGCCC Invitational in dramatic fashion, walking off an MACCC rival.

CC Lynn (So., Waynesboro/Wayne County) singled to leave off the seventh, and Jett Harrell (So., Clarksdale/Lee Academy), the next batter, tripled her in for a 3-2 win over Meridian.

The Bulldogs (6-4) beat Lamar State-Port Arthur 11-1 in five innings in the first game of the day. It was the second win of the weekend over the Seahawks.

"I'll take 3-1 every weekend," Gulf Coast coach David Kuhn said. "I'm proud of them. It was good to get two today. That's hard to do."

Harrell picked up her second win of the day, entering in relief in the sixth inning. She plunked the first batter but got the second to roll into an Aleah Beaugez-Shaylynn Hoak-Kamryn LaFosse double play to end the inning.

The previous inning, Jorja Roberson (So., Branyan/East Union) played a carom off the wall perfectly in right center, turning and pegging out the Meridian batter.

"Jorja throwing the runner out to save a double, and the double play in those two innings were big plays in the fifth and six," said Kuhn.

Meridian scored twice playing small ball in the second inning, helped by a Gulf Coast error.

Lynn scored on a double steal in the third, and Irina Sanford (Fr., Lucedale/George County) sprinted 60 feet for the tying run on a wild pitch in the fourth.

Lynn and Roberson had two hits against the Eagles (1-8).

In the opener, Natalie Shaw (So., Olive Branch/Marshall Academy) had two hits, including a double, and three RBI.

"She is really doing well," Kuhn said. "We'll take it."

Lynn and Irina Sanford (Fr., Lucedale/George County) also had two hits, and Sanford had two RBI.

Harrell struck out four in a five-inning three-hitter.

Gulf Coast will play in Coastal Alabama-South's Coyote Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala., next weekend. The Bulldogs play Gulf Coast State at 3:45 p.m. Friday, followed by Chattanooga State. On Saturday, they play Andrew College and Iowa Western.

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