West Sweeps the East in Gulf Coast Coaches Futures All-Star Game

If the action on the field at Biloxi High School represented the future, the next couple of years will be good for the schools on the western side of the Mississippi Coast as the West squad swept the East in two games in the Gulf Coast Coaches All-Stars Futures Game Tuesday at Biloxi.

WEST 5  EAST 4

Game one remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Biloxi’s Brittany Lang walked D’Iberville’s Dani Craft to put the lead off runner on base, and Craft scored on a single by Harrison Central’s Dani Barton. Picayune’s Millie Gill reached on a throwing error, and Long Beach’s Mel McCoy slapped a double to bring both home, giving the West a 3-0 lead.

The East put together a two out rally in the fifth when St. Martin’s Ashley Hickman’s doubled in her teammate Paige Breal and Lang.  Hickman later scored on an RBI single by Vancleave’s Cherokee Strickland, and she scored on a singly by East Central’s Rachel Rogers to give the East a 4-3 lead.

The West tied the game in the bottom of the inning.  Bay’s Michell Stringer lead off with a triple, but was thrown out at third on a fielder’s choice that allowed Poplarville’s Micah Davis to reach base. Davis scored on an RBI ground out by Harrison Central’s Dani Barton to tie the game at 4-4.

The West scored in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.  Bay’s Meghan Maddox drew a walk and scored on an RBI single by McCoy.

Hickman led the East squad, going 2-4 with 2 RBIs, and McCoy led the West going 3-4 with 3 RBIs.  Lang struck out five in five innings of work.

WEST 5  EAST 2

The West squad jumped to an early lead in game two, and they never looked back in completing the sweep of Tuesday night’s action.

In the second inning, Barton singled and scored on a single by Poplarville’s Rachel Hickman.  Rachel Hickman would come around and score on a sacrifice fly by Stringer to give the West a 2-0 lead.

Stone’s Tessa Dalrymple led off the second with a single and later scored on a passed ball to cut the lead in half, and the squad tied the game in the fourth when Rogers hit a lead off double and scored on an error.

The West scored three times in the fifth to put the game out of reach. Stringer led the inning off with a single, and Our Lady Academy’s Blake Stefano singled right behind her. McCoy scored both with a double that hit the right center field wall in the air, and D’Iberville’s Dani Craft drove in McCoy with a double of her own to give the West a 5-2 lead.

McCoy went 2-4 with 2 RBIs to again lead the West. Lang, Rogers, Dalrymple and St. Martin’s Jamie Desporte all went one for three for the East.  Maddox picked up the game two win.

“It feels pretty good to be able to pick up the win,” said Maddox, who also said playing in the all-star game is an enjoyable experience. “It’s a lot of fun.  You get to play with girls that you are not used to playing with from around the coast.”

Rogers was recognized as the MVP for the East team, and McCoy won the award for the West.

“I’m honored to get it,” said McCoy, who also feels players should have a good time in the exhibition. “You’ve got to have fun.  The other team was a little uptight. We are all friends, and I think the relaxed atmosphere helped me out a lot.”