No. 4 Indians humbled in 7-4 loss at Gulf Coast

GULFPORT, Miss. – The Indians saw their season-ling 12-game win streak come to a surprising end in a 7-4 loss to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Friday at Harrison Central High School.

Gulf Coast (16-11, 11-8 MACJC) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first two innings of play.

The Bulldogs took advantage of the much larger slow pitch softball field with a pair of doubles by Madison Wall and Jada White that got over the heads of the outfielders in the bottom of the first. Betty Mingo doubled and scored on a triple to the gap by Bailey Massey, who scored on a sac fly to deep center field by Kristen Sexton in the second.

The Indians (30-7, 21-2 MACJC) made it a one-run contest with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Bailie Springfield (Mantee) singled and scored on a double by Makenzie Piper (Pell City, Ala.). Piper scored on a double to deep centerfield by Madison Carnes (Ecru) to make it a 3-2 game in favor of the Bulldogs.

Gulf Coast answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Mya Hobson walked and scored on a single by Massey after advancing into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Mingo. Sexton reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a two-out triple Wall. Wall scored on a single by Brittany Triplett.

The Bulldogs took a commanding 7-2 lead after White tripled for the Bulldogs' sixth extra base hit and scored on a sacrifice fly by Avery Sanders.

ICC had one final burst of offense to make it a 7-4 contest in the top of the sixth.

Macey Cox (Troy, Tenn.) drew a walk and was replaced on the bases by Lili Moore (Fulton) before Piper drew a one-out walk and was replaced by Hailey Reid (Batesville). Olivia Burns (Grenada) delivered a pinch-hit single to plate Moore and Reid, who beat the throw home in a rundown situation to make it a three-run contest heading into the final frame.

Samantha Conley (Mandeville, La.) started the top of the seventh with a single and advance to second on a deep fly ball to left that would have been out of a regulation size ballpark by Shelby Newsom (Cleveland).

Cox reached on her third walk of the game and was replaced on the bases by Kelci Yates (Yazoo City) to bring up the tying run to the plate with one out. Springfield would reach on a fielder's choice that erased Yates from the bases and put runners on the corners before a groundout to the shortstop snuffed out the Indians' rally.

The Indians managed eight hits and left eight runners in scoring position in the loss. Carnes went 2-for-2 with a walk and a double to lead the way at the plate.

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