Indians Sweep Gulf Coast to Close Regular Season

PERKINSTON, Miss. – The Indians closed the regular season the way it has played the last three weeks, with another sweep and another loud offensive showing.

The Indians beat Gulf Coast 14-7 in Game 1 and 15-5 in five innings in Game 2 on Wednesday, giving ICC 10 wins in its last 11 games. That stretch includes wins over the No. 24 and No. 2 teams in the country and a sweep of the No. 4 team.

Game 1: Indians 14, Gulf Coast 7

ICC scored first in the opening inning when Cannon Graham doubled to left to bring home Reid Kent.

Gulf Coast answered with two runs in the bottom of the first and held the lead until the third. Madden Butler put ICC back in front there with a two-run home run to left that made it 3-2.

The Bulldogs tied it in the bottom half, and Tre Gunn answered again in the fourth with a solo home run to left for a 4-3 lead. Gulf Coast came right back with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to move in front 6-4.

Then ICC broke the game open.

The Indians sent 14 to the plate and scored 10 runs in the fifth. Butler opened the inning's scoring with an RBI single. Graham followed with another RBI single. Bryson Jackson drew a bases-loaded walk, Will Caviness was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Gunn drove in a run with a groundout, Jack Cummings added another on a groundout, Daniel Whitfield singled home a run and Kent finished the inning with a three-run home run to left.

That flipped a 6-4 deficit into a 14-6 lead.

Jack Howell earned the win after working six innings. He allowed six runs on six hits, struck out two and walked four.

Game 2: Indians 15, Gulf Coast 5 (5 innings)

Gulf Coast scored first again, taking a 1-0 lead on a solo home run in the first.

ICC answered quickly in the second. Gunn singled home Graham to tie the game. Whitfield was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in another run, and Kent followed with a two-run single that pushed the lead to 4-1.

The Indians added four more in the third. Cummings cleared the bases with a three-run double to left, then Brody Thompson followed with an RBI double to right to make it 8-1.

Gulf Coast scored four runs to cut the lead to 8-5, but ICC answered with another big inning in the fifth.

Kent singled home a run, Butler drew a bases-loaded walk, Jackson drew another bases-loaded walk and Gunn ended it with a grand slam to left.

That gave ICC a 15-5 lead and finished the sweep early.

Gunn drove in five runs in the nightcap.

Andrew Williams got the win after allowing five runs on eight hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked two.