PERKINSTON — No. 8 Mississippi Gulf Coast rallied from a disappointing Game 1 loss to earn a split with Coastal Alabama-North with a big Game 2 on Saturday at Ross-Smith Field.

 

The Bulldogs lost 4-1 in the opener, but Abbott Stafford had four RBI and Emaleigh Coates struck out eight and hit a solo home run in a 9-1 win in six innings.

 

“We played better defense and got some timely hitting,” Gulf Coast coach David Kuhn said. “The first game they outhit us and outplayed us, so you have to tip your hat to them. Game 2, we got an amazing performance by Coates and that big inning did it.”

 

Gulf Coast is now 6-5 on the season, while Coastal Alabama falls to 2-10.

 

Coates launched a fastball over the batter’s eye to get a big second inning going in the second game. It was her second homer of the season.

 

“I just see the ball and try to hit the ball,” she said. “I don’t think too much about it.”

 

After the next batter flied out, the Bulldogs put together five straight hits. Breanna Green (So., Saraland, Ala./Saraland) had an RBI single to make it 2-1. Two batters later, Abbott Stafford (So., Glenmora, La./Glenmora) hit a bases-clearing double for a four-run advantage.

 

“We were just really upset we lost the first game,” she said. “I know coming in as a transfer this team is really good. I know we can go really far. We just need to get the bats on the ball.”

 

Stafford drove in another run in the fourth with a single to finish the day with five RBIs. She drove in the lone Gulf Coast run in the first game.

 

In the fifth, Layne Turan (So., Gulfport/West Harrison) drove in Kate Brannan, who had a one-out double. Chloe Litchfield (Fr., Enterprise/Enterprise) singled in another run to make it 8-1.

 

K.K. Agner (So., Horn Lake/Magnolia Heights) called game in the sixth with a solo homer, her fifth in 11 games, that completed the run-rule win.

 

Coates threw a three-hitter for her first win in the circle.

 

Gulf Coast had five hits in the first two innings of the first game but managed only one run after hitting into two double plays. The Bulldogs weren’t able to get anything else going after that.

 

MGCCC plays its next four doubleheaders on the road, starting Thursday at Bishop State. First pitch in Mobile is set for noon.

 

For more information on MGCCC’s 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com