Cain, Tanner power No. 25 Bulldogs to win

PERKINSTON — No. 25 Mississippi Gulf Coast hit six home runs Monday in a 15-5 comeback victory over Reid State at Ken "Curly" Farris Field in a game shortened to seven innings by the run rule.

Naji Cain (So., Columbia/Columbia) and Anthony Tanner (Fr., Hurley/East Central) hit two each as the Bulldogs erased a 5-3 deficit with a seven-run sixth. Cain hadn't taken a swing since Feb. 5 and was playing in only his fifth game.

"He's been waiting his time, and he's done a great job being a good teammate," Gulf Coast coach Zach Allen said. "He got his opportunity and got two really good swings off. He had another really good bunt, too. He got us going. He's played really good baseball."

The Bulldogs improved to 9-2 overall a day ahead of a busy Tuesday. They'll host Southwest Mississippi and Holmes in an MACCC tripleheader. They play Southwest at 11, then wait for Holmes and the Bears to play before closing out a long day against Holmes.

Tanner, who leads the team with four home runs, got his first in the first inning. He also homered in the seventh to help close things out early, ending the day with four RBI.

Erimel Rosado (So., Dorado, Puerto Rico/Centennial) hit a home run in the sixth to start the rally, and Collin Smith (Fr., McComb/Parklane Academy) delivered a two-run pinch-hit homer for a 6-5 lead. Jordan Davis (So., Neshoba/Neshoba Central) scored from second on a sacrifice bunt, and Tanner's sac fly made it 8-5. Rosado's second at-bat of the inning was a two-run single.

Rosado also had four RBI, and Cain finished with three.

Kaleb Dillon (Fr., Petal/Petal) pitched two innings of one-run relief for the win, striking out three. Ty Herrington (Fr., Meridian/Lamar School) struck out eight in his five-inning start.

"We needed that," Allen said. "We've kicked around a little bit in the last two, so coming out and having that offensive explosion late was good. We got a good start from Ty Harrington. We needed that."

Reid State is 5-5.

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