MGCCC sweeps national champs

Mississippi Gulf Coast used two very different approaches to ultimately win two very similar games Sunday against the defending national champions.

The Lady Bulldogs improved to 16-0 by using small ball to beat Chipola College 3-2 in nine innings in the opener, the clubbed two eighth-inning home runs to win the second 5-2 in Marianna, Fla.

"It's just an honor to be on this team," said Deborah Elmore, who had the tiebreaking homer in the second game. "I think we have such heart and a passion to win. We have so much respect for our coaches and we love them so much we'll do anything to win for them."

The Lady Bulldogs play their first home games Tuesday. The team is hoping to get a record crowd to Pack the Park at Perk at Ross-Smith Field for the showdown agaisnt archrival Pearl River. First pitch for the doubleheader is at 3 p.m.

Gulf Coast is ranked sixth in the NJCAA's Division II, while Chipola (20-4), which won the Division I national title last year, is ranked fourth it its division.

The Lady Bulldogs got a leadoff double tied 2-2 in the eighth inning of the second game, but Kaitlin Lee, who was placed at second to start the frame, got thrown out at home.

A groundout made it two outs for Elmore, who turned on a pitch up and in and parked it.

"I mean, Deb smashed it to dead left field," Gulf Coast coach Kenneth Long said. "As soon as she hit it, it was obvious it's out. Then Hannah comes up after her and hits one way out in center field."

It was Elmore's second home run of the game, and Hannah Melendrez made it 5-2 quickly thereafter. It was her second homer of the game and seventh of the season.

"We had security," she said. "It was a stress-lifter. We didn't have all that pressure after she hit the home run. We knew we had it."

Kristen Gardner allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning, but nothing after that. She improved to 5-0 by striking out seven and allowing just three hits, coming off a one-hitter in a tournament the previous weekend.

Long said Gardner changed elevations and hit locations, mixing up her speeds effectively.

"Kristen pitched her best game," Long said. "She pitched really good down in Gulf Shores, but I think today was way more dominant performance. "

In the second game, the winning run came in the second extra inning. Brittany Cooley's sacrifice bunt to start the inning got through the pitcher and first baseman. Lee scored after starting the inning at second.

Chipola threatened in the bottom of the inning, getting a similar bunt through to start the inning. But Lee coaxed a foul pop-out to the catcher and a little pop-up to third sandwiched around a hard groundball right up the middle she stopped and got the batter at first.

Gulf Coast made its four base hits count, including Lexie Mathis' eighth homer of the year. She leads the nation and her two-run shot in the fourth gave Gulf Coast a 2-1 lead.

Lee pitched a five-hitter, striking out seven. She allowed one earned run and improved to 8-0.

"She didn't have her best stuff," Long said, "but she battled and battled and battled."