SAUCIER – The East Mississippi Community College men’s golf team improved 22 strokes and two places Tuesday to finish seventh at this week’s spring-opening Gulf Coast Invitational played at Grand Bear Golf Club.

The Lions fired the third-best round of the day with a 13-over-par 301 to finish just five strokes behind sixth-place Jones College with a two-day total of 624 (323-301). Only top-ranked and host Mississippi Gulf Coast (291) along with third-place team finisher Northeast Mississippi (298) of the 14 participating teams scored better as a team than EMCC during Tuesday’s final round.

Individually, all five members of EMCC’s lineup improved from Monday’s opening round. Freshman Pelayo Castillo Alonso, from Spain, led the way for the Lions by carding a 1-under-par 71 Tuesday for a 10-shot improvement to finish in a two-way tie for 16th place with a total score of 152 (81-71). Castillo Alonso’s final round consisted of 13 pars, three birdies and just two bogeys.

Reigning All-MACCC performer Lorenzo Ligabue, from Italy, finished in a four-way tie for 25th place at 156 (80-76) after cutting four shots off his opening-round score. Fellow sophomore Trace Carpenter played two strokes better Tuesday with a 78 to complete the tournament tied with five others at 158 (80-78).

The next-best upgrade for the Lions was freshman Bryce Shivers, who improved eight shots from Monday with a 4-over-par 76 the following day to finish tied for 38th with a 160 (84-76).

EMCC’s lineup card for the conference’s spring opener was rounded out by freshman Lawson Burton with a consistent 163 total (82-81) to tie for 44th place.

Competing as an individual for the Lions, freshman Whitt Welch excelled early by opening the tournament with a 3-over-par 75 that included 13 pars, a birdie and four bogeys. The Leake Academy product finished in a 51st-place tie at 164 (75-89).

Tournament host and No. 1 Mississippi Gulf Coast (285-291—576) claimed a 24-stroke victory over runner-up Meridian (295-305—600) to claim another team title. Third-place Northeast Mississippi (310-298—608) was followed by Enterprise State (310-302—612) and East Central (292-323—615) in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Gulf Coast’s Stanley Campbell (68-75) bested teammate John Mark Mills (75-68) in a playoff for medalist honors after they finished the 36-hole event tied at 1-under 143.

Coach Ashton Maddaloni’s EMCC Lions will be back on the links in conference play, March 3-4, at the East Central-hosted Chris Clark Invitational to be played at Dancing Rabbit Golf Club in Philadelphia.