Gulf Coast places four on All-Region team

PERKINSTON – Mississippi Gulf Coast placed four players on the 15-player 2016 All-Region 23 softball team.

Pitcher Kaitlin Lee, shortstop Lexie Mathis, catcher Brittany Cooley and center fielder Hannah Melendrez earned spots on the squad while helping the Lady Bulldogs to a 45-7 record and the No. 3 ranking in the final NJCAA Division II poll of the season.

Lee, a right-hander from Harrison Central, finished 22-4 with a 0.84 ERA, second-best in the country. She struck out 138 batters and allowed only 94 hits in 167 innings.

Lee threw a perfect game against Southern Union and also batted .369 with 17 doubles while striking out only three times in 168 at bats. She became the first Gulf Coast player to sign a scholarship with an SEC softball program when she inked with Ole Miss.

"She's probably the best pitcher that's been at Gulf Coast," Gulf Coast coach Kenneth Long said. "She's had two phenomenal years for our program."

Mathis, from Baker High in Mobile, Ala., led Gulf Coast with a 17 home runs and 60 RBI while batting .436. She had seven three-hit games and nine games with three or more RBI, including a six-RBI game against Holmes.

"She's one of the better freshmen to ever play here. Those 17 home runs speak volumes about what kind of year she's had. She played really well for us."

Cooley, from George County, batted .387 with four home runs and 25 RBI. She had an 18-game hit streak to start the season and 20 multi-hit games, including five three-hit games.

"Brittany has given us two great years," Long said. "Defensively, behind the plate she improved tremendously, and she worked her tail off to play a good third base."

Melendrez, from Desoto Central, tied with Mathis for the team lead with a .436 batting average. She had 14 home runs and drove in 44 runs, leading the Lady Bulldogs with a .850 slugging percentage. Melendrez finished the season on a 14-game hitting streak and had 16 multi-hit games.

"Hannah really stepped up the last few weeks of the season, which shows what kind of player she is," Long said. "She hit three home runs in a doubleheader at Co-Lin, which is almost unheard of. She had a great finish to her career at Gulf Coast."