Bulldogs split at No. 6 ECCC, clinch postseason spot

Mississippi Gulf Coast clinched a spot in the baseball postseason for the first time in three years Thursday by beating No. 6 East Central in the first game of a doubleheader.

The Bulldogs were down to their last strike when Jordan Davis (Fr, Neshoba/Neshoba Central) delivered a two-run double to finish a three-run ninth in a 4-3 win.

"You go on the road against a top-10 team and keep competing," Gulf Coast coach Zach Allen said. "We had a bunch of hits in the first game and just couldn't get the big hit. Then you get in the ninth and get single, single, single, big double. You don't stop. This team won't quit fighting. That's what it's all about."

Griffin Wells (Fr, Pascagoula/Pascagoula) threw a three-hitter in the nightcap, but got topped by a no-hitter as the Warriors won 1-0 to salvage a split. 

The Bulldogs (33-17, 15-9 MACCC) will be in the postseason for the first time since 2022. They're tied for fourth with Northeast Mississippi, and their magic number finish top-six and avoid a play-in game for the Region 23 Tournament is two.

They host Holmes for Sophomore Day on Saturday. The doubleheader, which will be the last games at Ken "Curly" Farris Field this season, starts at 2 p.m.

Gulf Coast trailed 3-1 headed to the ninth and started the inning off with singles by Dom Jackson (So, Gulf Breeze, Fla./Gulf Breeze), Keondre Fields (So, Nesbit/Magnolia Heights) and Landon Holliman (So, Hattiesburg/Sumrall). Naji Cain (Fr, Columbia/Columbia) drove in a run with a groundout.

After a strikeout, Davis got his third hit of the game with a two-strike double to right-center.

"He got plugged into the leadoff spot about a month, month-and-a-half ago, and he just took off with it," Allen said. "He gives you a tough at-bat every single time. He doesn't strike out much, and when he gets his opportunity with a pitch down the middle, he's pretty clutch for us."

James Vines (Fr, Clinton, La./Silliman Institute), who the Bulldogs planned to start the second game, came in and allowed a single in the bottom of the inning but picked up the save.

Brayden Scott (So, Pascagoula/Pascagoula) earned the win with 3.1 innings of scoreless relief. He struck out three. Eli Waters got the start and allowed one run in five innings, striking out six.

Holliman had three hits, and Jackson and Colby Wilson (So, Saucier/D'Iberville) had two each. Wilson also doubled.

With Vines closing out the first game, Allen and pitching coach Chase Stewart turned to Wells. He struck out seven and allowed only two hits. One was a second-inning home run.

"That's a tough loss for him to take, but he really threw well," Allen said. "He made maybe one mistake and got a fastball up they got to, but their kid pitched his tail off and Griffin gave us a chance to win. They have a good lineup. He's really come along late for us and given us another starter options, which is huge for us."

Chris Billingsley struck out eight and walked three while blanking the Bulldogs.

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