Softball Bulldogs throw out first pitch Thursday

PERKINSTON — New Mississippi Gulf Coast softball coach Izzy Werdann has been building toward her first season-opener in charge, and it's just around the corner.

The Bulldogs will play Thursday and Friday in the Mardi Gras Invitational in Youngsville, La. They'll open against defending NJCAA Division I national champion Northwest Florida State at 5 p.m. the first day, the play against Angelina and Baton Rouge on Saturday at noon and 2 p.m. The tournament start was moved up a day because of weather and travel concerns.

"We're gonna have a really fast, really gritty team, a team full of dogs," Werdann said. "We're pretty well put together and starting to hit the ball with a little bit more power. I'm really excited that our power side is coming along, but I think that we're an extremely fast team, and we've learned to look for the tricks on how to run the bases and take advantage of that aspect of the game. We're just going to have the mindset of just go get it done."

The full schedule can be found at https://mgcccbulldogs.com/sports/sball/2025-26/schedule, and season passes are available at http://mgcccbulldogs.com/tickets. Home games will be streamed at https://mgcccbulldogs.com/watch.

Last year's team was 36-19 overall and 15-11 in the rugged MACCC, a sixth-place finish. The Bulldogs will be looking to improve on that with a promising mix of returning players and newcomers.

Baleigh Tullos (So., Hurley/East Central) and Kinsey Cochran (So., Hurley/East Central) are expected to roam left and center field. Tullos drove in 31 runs, third-most on last year's team, and Cochran batted .368. Right field could see Caroline Batson (So., Wiggins/Stone), Kam Jordan (Fr., Brandon/Brandon), Elizabeth Colson (Fr., Biloxi/St. Patrick) or Kevionna Myers (Fr., Bassfield/Jefferson Davis) out there.

Batson is a returning All-MACCC performer, having batted .342 with 23 RBI last year playing in right field. She's also in the mix at first base, which has Kailee Lawson (Fr., Hurley/East Central) as a potential starter.

Layla Barnes (So., Gulfport/D'Iberville) and Brooklynn Peterson (So., Ocean Springs/Ocean Springs), two returners, will battle at second base. Peterson will also contribute in the circle.

Brooklyn Mitchell (So., Gulfport/St. Patrick), the other returning All-MACCC player, will start at shortstop. She hit .344 with 28 RBI. As is often the case, third base and catcher options are intertwined. Natalie Jones (So., Lucedale/George County), Piper Rushing (Fr., D'Iberville/D'Iberville) and Lexi Patterson (Fr., Ackerman/Choctaw County) play third base, with Rushing, Jones, Allee Williamson (Fr., Purvis/Purvis) and transfer Hannah Fenner (Fr., Semmes Ala./Mary G. Montgomery) as potential catchers.

"I like all the options I have for third base," Werdann said. "They're all hitting right now, so it makes it hard to figure that out."

The pitching staff includes Gabby Smith (Fr., Perkinston/Harrison Central), who has seen a recent velocity spike. Breyona Tanner (Fr., Hurley/East Central) is a master at getting weak contact, and Auburn-Montgomery transfer McKenzie Smith (Fr., St. Amant La./Prairieville) has shown improvements in the two weeks of practice she's been at Perk.

Peterson went 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA last year, and Batson figures to make her Bulldogs debut in the circle this season. Kate Grehan (So., Hernando/Magnolia Heights) is another newcomer whom Werdann will test out.

"I think at some point they can all contribute," she said. "That's how I've been feeling when it comes to our scrimmages lately."

Werdann had one word to describe the MACCC: hard. There are five teams in the conference ranked in the NJCAA Division II preseason top 20, with the other Region 23 team also among those 20 teams. Mississippi teams have won three of the last seven national championships, with Region 23 teams taking home nine of the last 14.

"Realistic or not, our goal is to win a national championship," Werdann said. "Everything that we do in terms of growing throughout the season, we're going to try it. It's silly for our goal to be anything less. So, obviously, our goal is to finish in the top of our conference. Our goal is to go to nationals and win a national championship."

For more information on MGCCC's 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.