Bulldogs grab two wins in Louisiana

Mississippi Gulf Coast got two wins on Friday, the first day of the Mardi Gras Invitational in Youngsville, La. The Bulldogs beat UA Rich Mountain 3-1 and National Park 19-3 in five innings.

Karley Rouse (So., D'Iberville/D'Iberville) didn't allow an earned run in the first game, throwing a five-hitter. Savannah Wilbanks (So., Southaven/DeSoto Central) had six RBI in the second game, and Annaston Tate (Fr., Waynesboro/Wayne County) had four RBI on a homer and a double.

"We pitched well and played good defense in Game 1," Gulf Coast coach David Kuhn said. "Game 2, man, we played really well all over the place. Everybody played well."

Madison Laiche (Fr., Luling, La./John Curtis) drove in the first run of the day with a sacrifice fly, and Aleah Beaugez (So., D'Iberville/D'Iberville) doubled the lead the same way in the fifth.

After Rich Mountain got a run in the sixth, Caroline Batson (Fr., Wiggins/Stone) delivered a pinch-hit double to add an insurance run. 

"It was a great starting pitching performance," Kuhn said. "Karley showed a lot of composure. She went out there and competed."

In the second game, Wilbanks had a three-run double, and Brooklyn Mitchell (Fr., Gulfport/St. Patrick) had three hits, including a double. Gulf Coast pounded out 13 hits and drew 12 walks, taking advantage of four NPC errors. Every Bulldog batter had a hit or a walk.

Gulf Coast (4-0) plays two more games at the tournament Saturday. The Bulldogs play Kilgore at 12:30 p.m. and Lamar State-Port Arthur at 5:30. 

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