Lindsey powers No. 20 Bulldogs’ sweep

PERKINSTON — No. 20 Mississippi Gulf Coast has gotten a big lift since Abby Lindsey entered the starting lineup after rehabbing from an injury, and she really made her presence known Sunday in a sweep of Lake County. 

She homered in both ends of the doubleheader and drove in seven runs as the Bulldogs won 6-0 and 13-5 at Ross-Smith Field. The second game ended after six innings.

"She's a difference maker, a playmaker," Gulf Coast coach David Kuhn said. "It's amazing what a difference one person can make in the lineup. She had a bunch of good at-bats."

Gulf Coast (23-8) also got two strong pitching performances, a three-hitter from Karley Rouse (So., D'Iberville/D'Iberville) in the first game and long relief win by Olivia Falcon (So., St. Amant, La./St. Amant) in the second. Falcon allowed just two hits in 5.2 innings after entering with one out in the first.

Lindsey (Fr., Decatur, Ala./Austin) started her big day with a three-run homer in the first inning of the first game. Savannah Wilbanks (So., Southaven/DeSoto Central) added a solo home run in the fifth, her second of the season.

Lindsey added an RBI groundout in the fifth, and Annaston Tate (Fr., Waynesboro/Wayne County) drove in the final run with a triple.

Rouse struck out three with only one walk. She's now 10-2 after bouncing back from her worst start of the season on Monday.

"She had a very good outing," Kuhn said. "Nothing like getting some timely hitting. We got great pitching, great defense, and a three-run homer. Earl Weaver is smiling down on us after that."

Lake County (2-4) scored four times in the first inning of the second game, precipitating the call to the bullpen for Falcon. Falcon gave up a solo homer in the second, but nothing else.

Lindsey doubled in a run in the first and had a two-run blast in the third to cut the deficit to 5-4.

Wilbanks tied the game with a two-out double in the fourth, followed by an RBI single by Baleigh Tullos (Fr., Hurley/East Central) and an RBI double by Caroline Batson (Fr., Wiggins/Stone) to make it 7-5.

In the sixth, Irina Sanford (So., Lucedale/George County) and Aleah Beaugez (So., D'Iberville/D'Iberville) had RBI singles with two outs before Wilbanks' grounder up the middle eluded the pitcher for the final two runs to end the game.

Falcon allowed two hits over 5.2 innings, striking out seven. She's now 7-1.

"She's doing a great job for us coming out of the bullpen," said Kuhn.

Gulf Coast entertains Meridian on Wednesday in an MACCC doubleheader. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Ross-Smith Field.

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