Bulldogs make quick work of play-in game

ELLISVILLE — Mississippi Gulf Coast needed about 70 minutes Saturday to punch its ticket into the four-team NJCAA Region 23 Softball Tournament.

The seventh-seed Bulldogs run-ruled 10^th-seeded East Mississippi 8-0 to advance into the double-elimination. Karley Rouse (So., D'Iberville/D'Iberville) gave up a hit to the first batter she faced but not another after, and Abby Lindsey (Fr., Decatur, Ala./Austin) punctuated a 12-hit outburst with a three-run homer and hit a game-ending RBI single.

"It's a long stretch, especially with double elimination," Rouse said. "So to get in there and get out and save ourselves some time, that's huge for us."

Gulf Coast (35-17) will face second-seeded Jones in the first game Sunday. It starts at 3 p.m. in Ellisville.

Lindsey's home run in the fourth broke open a 3-0 game. It was her fourth of the season, but her first since March 19.

"Like a breath of fresh air," she said. "I'd kinda been in a drought. I think Meridian was my last one. It was rewarding. I was happy and my teammates were happy, too."

She drove in her fourth run of the day in the six, with what would have been another extra-base hit had the run rule not been invoked.

Brooklyn Mitchell (Fr., Gulfport/St. Patrick) had three hits and two runs. She also an incredible play at shortstop in the first, going deep in the hole and making a leaping Derek Jeter throw to get the batter at first.

Savannah Wilbanks (So., Southaven/DeSoto Central) and Natalie Jones (Fr., Lucedale/George County) had two-out RBI singles in the third.

"That was huge because without that, we don't score those two runs and it's a whole different ball game," Gulf Coast coach David Kuhn said. "Abby Lindsey comes through, kicks the door down twice, and Carly threw great."

Rouse struck out four and walked two, needing only 57 pitches to improve to 16-6.

East Mississippi ends its season 24-19.

NJCAA Region 23 Softball Championship

May 3-6

Ellisville

Play-in Game

Saturday

No. 7 Gulf Coast 8, No. 10 East Mississippi 0

Sunday

Game 1: No. 7 Gulf Coast vs. No 2. Jones, 3 p.m.

Game 2: No. 3 LSU Eunice vs. No. 6 Pearl River, 6 p.m.

Monday

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 4 p.m.

Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 7 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 2 p.m.

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, 5 p.m. (if necessary)

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