Softball cranks up Wednesday

PERKINSTON — The Mississippi Gulf Coast softball team always has three goals they are targeting.

Win the conference. Win the regional. Get to the national tournament.

"The strength of this team is our depth," Bulldogs coach David Kuhn said. "We've got a lot of it. We've got a lot of kids that can play a lot of different positions. Hopefully, this team's strength will be their depth, depth as a team, on defense and depth as a pitching staff."

Gulf Coast is scheduled to get the season started Wednesday, a day later than originally scheduled because of wet conditions, with a road trip to Evergreen, Ala. The doubleheader against the new Reid State program starts at 1 p.m.

The opener at Ross-Smith Field is Feb. 6 when Coastal Alabama-South visits for a 2 p.m. doubleheader. Tickets for the season are on sale now. Buy a season pass or purchase individual game tickets ahead of time to save money. Chairback seats cost $75, and general admission season passes cost $50. It costs $7 for adults or $5 for youth online for individual games, or $10 and $7 at the gate. Tickets are available at http://mgcccbulldogs.com/tickets. Home games will be streamed at https://mgcccbulldogs.com/watch.

The Bulldogs have several pitchers they'll be counting on this year, led by one they've been anxious to see in the circle for quite some time. Madison Laiche (Fr., Luling, La./John Curtis) is ready to get her collegiate career started after watching from the dugout last year.

"She's back from that knee injury, start throwing the ball hard and moving around," Kuhn said. "Any lefty with that velocity who throws strikes gives you a chance to win. I think she's really close. The more she gets out there and has success, it will help. It's getting closer every day. She's finally starting to touch 60 again."

Olivia Falcon (So., St. Amant, La./St. Amant) went 12-8 with a 2.87 ERA and four shutouts last year. Karley Rouse (So., D'Iberville/D'Iberville) went 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA at Copiah-Lincoln last year. 

Newcomers Brighley Crayon (Fr., Montgomery, La./Montgomery) and Brooklynn Peterson (Fr., Ocean Springs/Ocean Springs) will also get the ball. Abby Lindsey (Fr., Decatur, Ala./Austin) and Caroline Batson (Fr., Wiggins/Stone) are coming back from injuries.

Laiche swung the bat well in the fall and will play some first base, as well as transfer Emma Thomson (So., Sulphur, La./Sulphur). She played at Weatherford College last year, batting .288.

Savannah Wilbanks (So., Southaven/DeSoto Central) will start as the No. 1 option at second base but may also see time at third and behind the plate. She was an All-MACCC Honorable Mention selection as a freshman after batting .325 with three homers and 42 RBI.

"She does an exceptional job running the infield, being a leader out there," said Kuhn. 

Peterson and Layla Barnes (Fr., Gulfport/D'Iberville) can play there, and Brooklyn Mitchell (Fr., Gulfport/St. Patrick) will be the starting shortstop. That's pushed Aleah Beaugez (So., D'Iberville/D'Iberville), who was also an All-MACCC Honorable Mention performer last year, over to third base. She hit .326 with 32 RBI last year.

Annaston Tate (Fr., Waynesboro/Wayne County) figures in the mix on the left side, as does Natalie Jones (Fr., Lucedale/George County) at third.

Kinsey Cochran (Fr., Hurley/East Central) brings loads of speed to center field. Irina Sanford (So., Lucedale/George County), who batted .303 last year, may play there as well as left field. Milly Moran (So., Biloxi/Biloxi) is hoping for an injury-free season to get some action in left.                            

Baleigh Tullos (Fr., Hurley/East Central) and Layla Barnes (Fr., Gulfport/D'Iberville) are options in right field.

The MACCC has three teams in the top 11 of the NJCAA preseason poll, including Jones, Copiah-Lincoln and Pearl River. Region 23 also includes LSU Eunice, which is 12^th.

"We've got some really good depth," Kuhn said. "It's just going to go down to how when we pitch it and timely hitting again."

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