Bulldogs put together ‘awesome’ opening day  

PERKINSTON — You can't ask for much more on opening day than what Mississippi Gulf Coast accomplished Saturday at Ken "Curly" Farris Field.

The Bulldogs gave up few runs and scored a bushel in a sweep of Florida Post-Grad. They won the first game 19-2 and the second 12-0.

"Awesome. It's how it needs to be," first-year head coach Zach Allen said. "You put all that time in the fall, and these guys have been talking about winning and doing it right, and they have. They've earned the right to win today. They never played to the score. They played against the game of baseball. Throwing strikes, making plays. That's how we ended up winning two today."

Gulf Coast gave up a leadoff home run in the first game, then only one run over the next 42 outs. Six pitchers combined for a one-hitter in the second game, and the staff gave up only four on the afternoon.

In the opener, starter Eli Waters (So, Petal/Petal) went three innings for the win, striking out four after that one blemish. James Vines (Fr, Clinton, La./Silliman Institute) struck out four in two innings, and Aiden Seymour (So, D'Iberville/D'Iberville) got five K's in two frames.

Trey McDonald (Fr, Moss Point/Faith Academy) pitched two hitless innings to start the parade of pitchers in the second game. The highlight was Walker Seaman (Fr, Grand Bay, Ala./Mobile Christian) nearly throwing an immaculate inning, getting three strikeouts in his one inning on nine strikes and a ball.

"Seeing some of the guys who hadn't touched the mound in a long time and needed the innings, they pounded the zone and we played defense behind them," Allen said. "It was promising to see. We've got a chance in this league is we can pitch like that. When you get up on a team and it's a big lead, it's hard to throw strikes and stay locked in. I thought our guys did that, and it was really good to see."

Dom Jackson (So, Gulf Breeze, Fla./Gulf Breeze), Landon Holliman (So, Hattiesburg/Sumrall) and Kaden Irving (So, Gautier/Gautier) had three-hit days. Jackson had a double and a triple, and Irving had three RBI.

Layton Eder (Fr, Vancleave/Vancleave) went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI in the first game.

The Bulldogs batted .410 for the day, with an OPS of 1.219. They had six doubles and five triples.

"Their first two arms they threw out were pretty good, and we split some gaps," Allen said. "It wasn't just singles; it was good doubles, good baserunning. It was offense all around where you were able to steal some bags and do some things. I think our lineup stretches out pretty good with who you can put in each spot."

Gulf Coast is back in action Thursday when Baton Rouge visits for a single nine-inning game. First pitch is at 3 p.m.

For more information on MGCCC's 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.