No. 20 Bulldogs sweep EMCC

Annaston Tate drove in six runs and Caroline Batson had five hits in No. 20 Mississippi Gulf Coast's MACCC sweep Friday at East Mississippi.

The Bulldogs won the first game 11-3 in six innings before closing out the day's work in Scooba with a 10-3 victory.

"It's always great when you can sweep, but on the road, it's even sweeter," Gulf Coast coach David Kuhn said. "It's been almost two weeks since the last time we swept a doubleheader. It's much needed. The bats came alive, the defense was good and the pitching was solid."

Batson (Fr., Wiggins/Stone) had two hits and drove in three runs in the opener. After the Bulldogs scored three runs in the first with only one hit, Batson's two-run single started a four-run second.

She had an RBI single in the sixth, providing the eight-run cushion that ended the game early.

"Man, she's swinging the bat well," said Kuhn.

Tate (Fr., Waynesboro/Wayne County) had two hits and two RBI in the first game, and Savannah Wilbanks (So., Southaven/DeSoto Central) had two hits. Olivia Falcon (So., St. Amant, La./St. Amant) pitched 3.1 innings and allowed just two hits, and Brighley Crayon (Fr., Montgomery, La./Montgomery) got the win for pitching the final 2.2 innings. She struck out three and allowed one hit for her first collegiate win.

Tate's big day continued in the second game. She had a sacrifice fly in the third inning that made it 2-0, and after Baleigh Tullos (Fr., Hurley/East Central) hit a solo shot in the fifth to tie it at 3, Tate untied it with a three-run triple.

"She's amazing. She's drilling the ball, hammering it," Kuhn said. "That bases-clearing double was huge. In the second game, she threw the first runner of the game out trying to steal."

Batson doubled twice among her three hits, and Abby Lindsey (Fr., Decatur, Ala./Austin) had three hits.

Karley Rouse (So., D'Iberville/D'Iberville) threw a seven-hitter to improve to 9-2. She struck out four without a walk, and only one run was earned.

Gulf Coast plays a non-conference doubleheader Sunday when Lake County visits from north of Chicago. First pitch is set for noon.

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