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Bulldogs open 2025 with a road sweep
Mississippi Gulf Coast got the 2025 softball season started on the right foot Wednesday, sweeping Reid State on the road.
The Bulldogs won the first game 3-1 and the second 10-0 in five innings against the new NJCAA program in Evergreen, Ala.
"It's always great when you can win to start the season," Gulf Coast coach David Kuhn said. "It's tough to win on the road, so to get a sweep on the road with two complete game victories is great. It was nice to get everybody in and for everybody to contribute."
Karley Rouse (So., D'Iberville/D'Iberville) scattered five hits and struck out six in the first game. Madison Laiche (Fr., Luling, La./John Curtis) got a shutout in her collegiate debut by striking out three in a two-hitter.
In the opener, Emma Thomson (So., Sulphur, La./Sulphur) drove in the first run with a one-out sacrifice fly in the second inning. She plated Aleah Beaugez (So., D'Iberville/D'Iberville), who had a leadoff double.
Baleigh Tullos (Fr., Hurley/East Central) doubled the lead with a two-out, two-base hit in the fourth, and Irina Sanford (So., Lucedale/George County) singled in Kinsey Cochran (Fr., Hurley/East Central) in the fifth. Cochran led off that inning with a double.
Catcher Annaston Tate (Fr., Waynesboro/Wayne County) threw out all three Lions baserunners trying to steal bases.
Beaugez made the most of her two at-bats in the second game, getting two hits, including another double, and driving in four. Tate also had two hits.
Gulf Coast scored four times in the first frame and never looked back.
"Karley and Madison both threw really well," Kuhn said. "We got a couple of timely hits in Game 1, and in Game 2 we opened up the bats a little more."
He was able to play every healthy position player, and the two pitchers who didn't get to throw will see action this weekend in the Mardi Gras Invitational. Gulf Coast will play UA Rich Mountain at 1 p.m. on Friday and National Park at 6. On Sunday, the Bulldogs close out play in Youngsville, La., with a 12:30 p.m. game against Kilgore and a 5:30 game against Lamar State-Port Arthur.
For more information on MGCCC's 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.