No. 8 Bulldogs sweep Delta

PERKINSTON — No. 8 Mississippi Gulf Coast hadn't had a complete game in its first seven games of 2022. The Bulldogs left their first two games of the season at Ross-Smith Field with two.

Madisyn Cobbs (Fr., Oxford/Lafayette) threw a five-hitter in a 3-1 win in the opener against Mississippi Delta, and Abby Vance (So., Calhoun City/Calhoun City) threw a three-hitter in an 8-0 win in the second game, which ended after six innings. It was a non-conference doubleheader.

"I thought we pitched well and played great defense," Gulf Coast coach David Kuhn said. "We just found a way to win that first game. I'm really pleased with the pitching and defense."

Bulldog bats came alive in the second game to the tune of four home runs, with Vance getting the first one. Her two-run shot gave her all the runs she needed.

Kristian Jones (So., Southaven/DeSoto Central) had a solo shot in the third. The Bulldogs made it 4-0 with some aggressive baserunning in the fourth before Abbott Stafford (So., Glenmora, La./Glenmora) hit a solo homer in the fifth followed by a two-run shot by Emaleigh Coates (So., Lucedale/George County).

"You can't defend walks or home runs," Kuhn said.

Coates had an RBI fielder's choice in the first inning of game one, and the Bulldogs scored the other on a double steal. Darcy Novak (So., Hurley/East Central) drove in an insurance run in the sixth to make it 3-1.

Gulf Coast (5-4) is back at home Saturday when Coastal Alabama-North visits. First pitch at Perk is set for 1 p.m.

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