Gulf Coast looking to win again in “make-or break week”

PERKINSTON – Mississippi Gulf Coast baseball coach Rodney Batts pointed to this week as a key for his team.

The Bulldogs faced a Hinds team Wednesday that was at .500 in the MACJC, just like them. The sweep, including a rally from a 5-0 deficit to win Game 2 in extra innings, has them poised for bigger things headed into Friday's game against Coahoma at MGM Park.

"We knew this was going to be a big week for us," Batts said. "If we were to get out of there yesterday 0-2 or 1-1, that wouldn't do us any good. The only thing that would help us would be to sweep."

First pitch for the doubleheader is at 4 p.m. Buy tickets for this and all Gulf Coast games at the home of the Biloxi Shuckers at http://mgcccbulldogs.com/MGMtix.

Coahoma visits the Coast a much-improved team. The Tigers are 3-3 in the MACJC, 10-15-1 overall.

"I think they're going to be a team that you can't give extra outs to offensively," Batts said. "They're going to good in the middle of the order and they like to run."

The Tigers went to Poplarville already and got a split against Pearl River. They had a three-run lead in the seventh inning of Game 2 before losing 5-4 in extra innings.

Gulf Coast moved into fourth in the conference following the Hinds sweep. The Bulldogs are one game behind Jones at the top.

Having played only six of 28 games on the state slate, there's a long way to go. But the path moves to higher ground with each series success.

"I told them week could be a make-or-break week," said Batts.

The rest of the week's goal remains ahead of them.

For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCAthletics on Twitter and BulldogLIVE on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.