WESSON — On an extremely windy Tuesday afternoon, the Co-LinLady Wolves split a South Division softball doubleheader with theNo. 3-ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast Lady Bulldogs.

Gulf Coast rallied to take the opener 4-1 and Co-Lin came backto win the finale 4-2.

Co-Lin (17-6) travels to East Central Thursday for adoubleheader. The first game begins at 1 p.m.

Gulf Coast 4, Co-Lin 1

Following four scoreless innings, Co-Lin posted its only run fora 1-0 lead. First baseman Rebecca Rousseau walked. Amber Bowman wasinserted as a pinch runner and stole second base. Right-fielderDevon Welch singled to left. Catcher Missy Paulina drove in Bowmanon a fielder’s choice.

With one out in the top of the seventh, Co-Lin pitcher BeccaBailey (4-2) walked the next two batters. Gulf Coast tripled andhomered on consecutive pitches to take the lead and the win.

Collecting Co-Lin’s only other hit was Candace Avants.

Winning pitcher Danielle Ryan, last year’s NJCAA ERA leader,allowed 2 hits, struck out 6 batters and walked 1.

Bailey struck out 14 batters in the loss.

“Becca tossed a great game,” said Co-Lin head coach Allen Kent.”She just made a couple of mistakes and they took advantage of it.She allowed just 4 hits.

“She gave us a chance to win,” continued Kent. “We had them beatfor 19 outs. They just didn’t quit. We felt good about taking themto the wire.”

Co-Lin 4, Gulf Coast 2

In the second inning, Co-Lin catcher Becca Boone singled andstole second base. With 2 outs, desigingated player Bailey ripped asingle to left field to score Boone.

The bottom of the fourth saw the Lady Wolves collect two morerun and push their lead to 3-0. Boone singled for the second timeand centerfielder Emily Langley reached first on a fielder’schoice. Bailey drilled a double to right center, scoring Langleywho was stealing on the pitch.

Brittany Watts moved Bailey to third on an fielder’s choice.Rousseau hit a bloop RBI single to right for the 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Co-Lin scored its final run for a4-0 advantage. Kayla Crochet doubled to left. Welch singled to leftfield to score Crochet.

Gulf Coast cut the deficit to 4-2 before Co-Lin made the finalout. The Lady Bulldogs scored on a walk, a single, a sacrifice anda double.

Crochet (3-1) posted the win and ended the game on a greatdefensive play off of a swinging bunt.

“Kayla stepped up big,” stated Kent. “She took charge out thereand took away their momentum. We got some timely hits and playedsolid defensively.’

Bailey led the Lady Wolves with a double, a single, 2 RBI and arun scored. Boone singled twice and scored. Rousseau singled twice.Meleah Brown singled.

“I was very proud of the way we bounced back after thedisappointing loss,” said Kent. “These girls didn’t lay down andquit. Gulf Coast didn’t lose a division game all season last year,so this was a positive day for us.”