Freshmen Werdann, Keehn give MGCCC split

PERKINSTON – Runs were at a premium at Ross-Smith Field on Friday afternoon, with only two scored all day.

No. 6 Mississippi Gulf Coast won Game 1 over Itawamba 1-0, but the Lady Indians dropped the Lady Bulldogs 1-0 in the second.

"Scoring one run in two games, that's not very good," Gulf Coast coach Kenneth Long said. "I'm not sure why we're not hitting right now, but they've got two good pitchers. We've got to do a better job of getting runners in."

Gulf Coast (19-2) snapped ICC's 14-game win streak in the opener, but waited until late to do it. Lexie Mathis got plunked leading off the sixth inning, then stole second.

An ICC error put Hannah Melendrez at first, and Alyssa Hardy loaded the bases with a single to right. Hardy was the only Lady Bulldog with two hits in the opener.

Izzy Werdann's sacrifice fly to left proved to be the difference.

"That was a big at bat. We'd been struggling in that game. That was a good job on her part.

The run gave Nora Keehn (4-0) the win after a stellar performance. She allowed just three hits over 6.1 innings, giving way to Kaitlin Lee who got the last two outs for her second save of the season.

Gulf Coast left seven runners on base in the first game, and the Lady Bulldogs struggled in that department in the second, too. They stranded another seven, getting only three hits and three walks.

Lee would be the tough-luck loser in the second game, falling to 9-1. She allowed only three hits, a leadoff double scoring on a bunt pushed past the third baseman.

ICC improved to 16-3.

Gulf Coast hits the road for its next five doubleheaders starting at Hinds. The games are scheduled for Tuesday, but the weather forecast may push them up to Monday.

"We've been playing on the road a lot. That might be good for us right now," said Long, whose team had a 16-game win streak to start their season, all away from home. "I don't have any doubt we're going to get on a roll and sweep some doubleheaders, but right now we're just not getting the key hit."

The Lady Bulldogs return to Perkinston on March 25 to play Meridian.

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