MGCCC will play final games before MACJC play

PERKINSTON – Mississippi Gulf Coast plays its final two games before MACJC play begins at MGM Park in Biloxi on Saturday, and there is one significant thing still being evaluated.

Bulldogs coach Rodney Batts needs to figure out two more starting pitchers. He gave his staff a simple message Thursday afternoon.

"Other than the two guys who started at Alabama Southern, everybody be ready to start," Batts said. "I don't know which way we're going to go with it. What I do know is we're not going to be as good as we need to be if (Ethan) Necaise and (Dylan Mills-)Derouen aren't in the rotation."

The Bulldogs (8-4) will entertain Baton Rouge (11-15) with the first pitch at 1 p.m. Buy tickets for this and all MGCCC games at the home of the Biloxi Shuckers at http://mgcccbulldogs.com/MGMtix.

Starters Irby Dossett and Chris Crosby have performed well as the other half of the rotation, and there have been good performances in the bullpen. Notably, Brandon Kennedy hasn't allowed a run in 7.2 innings.

The lineup has gelled, too, starting at the top of the order. Freshman second baseman Marcus Buckley had a 10-game hitting streak snapped in the second game at Alabama Southern.

"The leadoff spot has been a solid position for us," Batts said. "Buckley has handled that really, really well. He's done just what I need him to do, be an on-base guy."

Buckley has a .490 on-base percentage. One of the few players on the team better than him reaching base so far has been Slater McCarty.

He has a seven-game hitting streak, helping him to a .575 OBP. He has seven hits in the last three games, including three doubles.

"Slater has really come on and really solidified a lot of things in our lineup," Batts said. "Early in the year, we were platooning guys. He's really taken over right field."

Batts said the Bears can hit, and their .325 team batting average is testament to that.

Gulf Coast swept a doubleheader at Baton Rouge in February, but a lot has probably changed since then.

"It was early in the year for both of us," Batts said. "Hopefully both of us are better. It's going to be a tough two games."

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