April 20, 2008
Despite a lopsided win, GC’s season was disappointing
News Herald (Brad Milner) - About this time last year Mason Meredeth was celebrating alongside his teammates as Gulf Coast clinched a spot in the state baseball tournament. Saturday had a vastly different feel. The mood following an 8-0 run-rule victory over Tallahassee at Bill Frazier Field was subdued. The day turned out to be a reflection of what could have been amid what actually transpired. The Commodores, once full of hope and promise, finished the season 29-22 overall and 7-13 in the Panhandle Conference. The fifth-place finish was nowhere near any of the Commodores expected to be. Meredeth, who ended his GC career with a leadoff home run against Tallahassee, summed up the season. “It was disappointing for all of us,” said Meredeth, who was slowed by a hamstring injury this season. “The most difficult thing to take is that we had a lot of talent, but we just didn’t put it together at the right time.
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April 19, 2008
Kandler wins 100th at GC
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast rallied from a threerun deficit to defeat Tallahassee 6-5 on Friday in a junior college baseball game, which delivered coach Mike Kandler his 100th win with the program. Kandler isn’t one to be caught up in the moment of 100 wins, however. He said the best news of the day was the Commodores (28-22, 6-13 Panhandle Conference) played well and ended a four-game losing streak. “We played hard, our guys executed and they played inspired baseball,” Kandler said. “As far as the number (of wins) go, you coach somewhere long enough you’ll win ‘X’ amount of games, and it’s not a big deal.”
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April 17, 2008
GC falls to PJC
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast’s slide continued on Wednesday, while Chipola clinched a spot in the FCCAA state tournament. Homestanding Pensacola defeated GC 8-6 and Chipola blasted Okaloosa-Walton 11-0 in six innings. The Pirates improved to 39-6 overall and 14-3 in the Panhandle Conference to maintain a 1½-game lead over the Indians (37-11, 13-5) for first place. Chipola can finish no worse than second, as it now has an opportunity to defend its state championship. In Pensacola, GC tied the game with a four-run third inning, and the Commodores also led 6-5 after 4½ innings, but they couldn’t put an end to a four-game losing streak.
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April 16, 2008
Commodores continue to struggle
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Pensacola reinforced the obvious on Tuesday. The top two baseball teams in the Panhandle Conference, Pensacola and Chipola College, are far superior to the other four. Gulf Coast is counted among those four, and the Commodores continued to show signs of a weary team in a 15-4 loss to the visiting Pirates at Bill Frazier Field. Pensacola, ranked No. 1 in the state and the nation, rapped out 17 hits in the game shortened to seven innings by the run rule. The Pirates improved to 38-6 overall, 13-3 in the conference and clinched a berth in the state tournament. The Commodores lost their third game in a row, with two coming against Chipola, and slumped to 27-21, 5-12. “They (the Pirates and Indians) are clearly the best two teams in this league,” GC coach Mike Kandler said. “And it wasn’t by a fluke.
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April 13, 2008
Commodores Fall
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast’s attempt to derail another contender’s season fell short on Friday. Chipola started fast and broke a close game open in the sixth and seventh innings, as the Indians defeated the Commodores 10-5 at Bill Frazier Field. Gulf Coast was fresh off three straight wins over North Florida, which all but knocked the Sentinels out of the state playoff race. Chipola coach Jeff Johnson was well aware of the Commodores’ drive to be a spoiler. “It doesn’t take a long history lesson to know what they did to North Florida,” Johnson said. “You always know that Mike Kandler-coached teams will come out and play hard and try their hardest to beat you.”
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April 12, 2008
Chipola tops Gulf Coast
News Herald (Brad Milner) - A seven-run fifth inning spurred Chipola College to a 10-2 victory over visiting Gulf Coast in a junior college baseball game shortened to eight innings by run rule on Saturday. The Indians improved to 35-11 overall and 11-5 in the Panhandle Conference and remained in second place, 1½ games behind Pensacola. The Commodores dropped to 27-20, 5-11 and were officially eliminated from state tournament contention after their fourth loss to the Indians this season. Mosley product Eddie Cassidy, who had two of the Commodores’ four hits, plated Mario Mitchell and Alan Mason in the top of the fifth to tie the game 2-2. Chipola responded with the seven runs in the bottom half of the frame, chasing losing pitcher Hunter Park (Chipley) after 4 1/3 innings. Park surrendered seven runs, six earned, on 11 hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
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April 10, 2008
GC’s Schulze hammers career record homer
News Herald (Brad Milner) - David Schulze’s two-run homer in the third inning gave him 25 for his GCCC career and broke a tie with Randy Olson and Scott Clemo. Will Smith pitched a six-hitter with 12 strikeouts and Gulf Coast suddenly looked like a formidable team with a 10-1 Panhandle Conference baseball win Wednesday over North Florida. The Commodores, 5-9, 27-18 overall, won their third straight game over the Sentinels in two days with an overpowering performance despite being all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
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April 9, 2008
Commodores top Sentinels
News Herald (Brad Milner) - With the state tournament a distant fantasy, the Gulf Coast baseball team realizes there’s really only one role left to be played. That’s the spoiler, and the Commodores played it well on Tuesday. GC swept visiting North Florida 9-8, 9-8 in a Panhandle Conference doubleheader at Bill Frazier Field. The Sentinels opened the day two games out of second place in the conference. The results dropped North Florida to 28-11, 5-7 and elevated GC to 26-18, 4-9, ending a three-game losing streak. “We haven’t had a twogame winning streak in a while so it’s nice,” GC coach Mike Kandler said. “The biggest thing is I’m proud of the way the team fought hard. “At this point you can throw it in the tank or play hard. Our guys played hard.” GC rallied from a 7-1 deficit in Game 1 behind a five-run seventh inning paced by Drew Benton’s solo home run and David Schulze’s two-run homer. Schulze hit his second homer of the game in the eighth for important insurance.
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April 5, 2008
GC falls to O-W
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast committed seven errors on the way to a 12-4 loss to Okaloosa-Walton College on Friday at Bill Frazier Field. Starting pitcher Will Smith allowed seven runs in four innings, but only three were earned. He allowed eight hits and struck out five. Mike Morrison had a double and two RBIs, and Eddie Cassidy (Mosley) doubled for Gulf Coast. Gulf Coast fell to 2-8 in the Panhandle Conference and will play Okaloosa-Walton at 1 p.m. today in Niceville.
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March 30, 2008
Pitching woes derail GCCC
News Herald (Brad Milner) - What happens in baseball games is rarely complicated, and Gulf Coast’s 10-7 loss to Tallahassee on Saturday is about as uncomplicated as it gets. Commodores’ starting pitcher Ryan Fraser (8-2) was roughed up for nine hits and seven earned runs in barely more than three innings. “Our starting pitching dug us a hole that we never got out of,” Gulf Coast coach Mike Kandler said. “If you don’t pitch well, you are not going to win very often.” And just a day after a 4-3, 10-inning victory over Tallahassee that prompted optimistic talk from the Commodores’ camp, suddenly the Panhandle Conference playoff math looks incredibly bleak for Gulf Coast (27-13, 2-7). With 11 games remaining in its Panhandle schedule, Gulf Coast can finish no better than 13-7 — and that would require an 11-game winning streak. To reach the state playoffs, the Commodores would have to catch second-place Chipola, which is 7-3 in conference games after a 6-1 loss Saturday to North Florida.
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March 29, 2008
GCCC victory extra special
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast waited nearly two weeks for a win so an extra inning wasn’t going to kill the Commodores. GC’s Panhandle Conference game against Tallahassee leaked into the 10th inning on Friday, and it took Drew Benton’s two-out single to provide a 4-3 victory at Bill Frazier Field. The Commodores ended a five-game losing streak in improving to 27-12, 2-6, with momentum at stake in today’s 1 p.m. CDT rematch against the Eagles (21-16, 4-5). “Hopefully this win gets us going in the right direction,” said GC catcher Jake Sullivan, who had a two-run double in the fifth inning for his only hit of the game. “Hopefully we can get the ball rolling and start winning some more games.”
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March 27, 2008
Looking for a break
News Herald (Brad Milner) - All teams in a serious slump need positives to build upon. For Gulf Coast, a late rally against Pensacola on Wednesday may be what it takes to awaken the Commodores from an early Panhandle Conference slumber. The Pirates held on for a 7-6 victory at Bill Frazier Field, but there was one fundamental difference between this game and the previous four in GC’s five-game losing streak. Gulf Coast played just well enough to lose in those games, Coach Mike Kandler said. On Wednesday, the Commodores played well enough to win.
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March 26, 2008
First-place Pirates drop Commodores to 1-5
News Herald (Brad Milner) - If Gulf Coast wasn’t in must-win territory before Tuesday, it is now. Homestanding Pensacola defeated GC 9-6 in a junior college baseball game. The Commodores dipped to 26-11 and 1-5 in the Panhandle Conference following their fourth straight defeat. The Pirates remained in first place at 31-4, 6-1 and 4½ games ahead of GC in the standings. Today’s 5 p.m. rematch in Panama City carries with it even more urgency than before. “These all are must-wins at this point until we get back into the race,” GC coach Mike Kandler said. “We have to get a win against somebody, but right now we’re not doing things right.
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March 23, 2008
Commodores drop to 1-4 in conference
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Mike Kandler isn’t one to push a panic button. But if his finger was above one right now it would be twitching. The Gulf Coast baseball coach watched as two late rallies were quelled by visiting Chipola College on Saturday, as the Indians defeated the Commodores 5-3 at Bill Frazier Field. Chipola swept the first home-and-home series between the teams and gathered momentum in the process. The Indians improved to 28-8 overall and 4-2 in the Panhandle Conference with their third straight win. GC suffered its third consecutive loss and stands 26-10, and more importantly 1-4 in the conference. “When you look at the big picture we’re in trouble with only a 20-game (conference) schedule,” Kandler said. “We’re playing just good enough to lose right now.”
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March 22, 2008
Chipola downs GCCC
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast baseball coach Mike Kandler characterized Friday’s game against Chipola as a “pretty entertaining junior college game.” The denouement came in the ninth inning, but the script didn’t play out the way he would have liked. Chipola College scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, all of them on one sequence of events, to down visiting Gulf Coast 6-5 in a Panhandle Conference game. The Indians improved to 27-8, 3-2, while GC fell to 26-9, 1-3, with early urgency centered on today’s 1 p.m. rematch at Bill Frazier Field. Dan Jacobs took the loss, coming on in the ninth in relief of starter Will Smith, who gave up three runs, one earned, with eight strikeouts and two walks while scattering five hits over eight innings.
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March 19, 2008
North Florida rallies past GC
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Visiting Gulf Coast’s precarious lead disappeared completely when North Florida scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to pull out a 5-2 junior college baseball victory on Tuesday. The Commodores (26-8, 1-2 Panhandle Conference) took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the eighth on solo home runs by Michael Holmes and Mason Meredeth. North Florida scored three runs off starter and losing pitcher Hunter Park (2-1) and one off reliever Charlie Lester to seize control of the game. The Sentinels secured their first conference victory in improving to 24-6, 1-2.
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March 16, 2008
Bounce back
News Herald (Brad Milner) - There’s one undeniable fact about Mike Kandler-coached Gulf Coast baseball teams. The Commodores rarely lose back-to-back games, especially in the Panhandle Conference. In his two-plus seasons as head coach they consistently have been resilient following a loss. Kandler expected as much Saturday after GC dropped its conference opener at Okaloosa-Walton on Friday. That attribute was on display when GC defeated visiting O-W 6-3 at Bill Frazier Field. The victory improved the Commodores to 26-7 overall and evened their conference mark to 1-1. O-W fell to 21-9, 1-1.
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March 15, 2008
Eight too much for Gulf Coast
Florida Freedom Newspapers (Randy Dickson ) - Eight was enough for the Okaloosa-Walton baseball team in its Panhandle Conference opener against Gulf Coast on Friday — barely. The Raiders built an 8-0 lead through four innings and then survived a seven-run Commodore seventh to take an 8-7 win in the conference opener for both teams. “At the end of the day you just have to have one more run than they do, which we did today,” OWC coach Keith Griffin said. “We played really well early, but we kind of got shut down at the end because of the things we didn’t do.
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March 13, 2008
Commodores warmed up for conference
News Herald (Brad Milner) - The time has passed for hoping to be ready. The next month will determine whether Gulf Coast advances to a third straight state junior college baseball tournament or ends its season. The Commodores (25-6) open the Panhandle Conference schedule at Okaloosa-Walton 5 p.m. Friday and host the Raiders at 1 p.m. Saturday. It’s the first of 20 conference games, five fewer than last year. The top two teams advance to the FCCAA state tournament in Lakeland May 9-13. The shorter conference season means teams will have to be ready early and avoid prolonged slumps. For GC, which shared the conference title in 2006 and was runnerup in 2007 with a 15-10 mark, it means displaying the same determination that pervaded the first 31 games on the schedule.
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March 13, 2008
GC crushes Lincoln 21-0
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast sophomore David Schulze ripped three home runs and drove in 10 runs as the Commodores blanked Lincoln College (Robinson, Ill.) 21-0 Wednesday night at Bill Frazier Field. Schulze, who has 11 homers on the season, had seven RBIs in the sixth inning with a grand slam and a three-run shot. He also had a two-run homer and an RBI single. Schulze scored four runs. “He was phenomenal. He hit the ball as hard as you can hit it,” said Gulf Coast coach Mike Kandler. “He really put on a show.” The Commodores had 16 hits. Freshman Charlie Lester was 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs, Eddie Cassidy was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, Michael Holmes 2-3 with a double and three RBIs and Mario Mitchell double, Drew Benton and Mike Morrison each had a double.
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March 12, 2008
GC cruises to win over Lewis & Clark
News Herald (Staff Reports) - Charlie Lester stroked a threerun home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to cap a 14-3 run-rule junior college baseball victory for Gulf Coast over Lewis & Clark late Monday at Bill Frazier Field. The Commodores rapped 16 hits and scored three runs in the first and five in the fourth in improving to 24-6. Lester finished 2 for 6 with three runs scored. His home run came with two outs in the eighth. Eddie Cassidy (Mosley) was 3 for 5 with a double, triple and four RBIs, Mario Mitchell 3 for 5 with two doubles, an RBI and three runs, Mike Morrison 3 for 5 with a double, Jake Sullivan 2 for 5 with two RBIs and Michael Holmes added a double and RBI for GC.
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March 11, 2008
These stats don’t lie: GC doing well
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Baseball and softball are games of numbers. And when you look inside the numbers, they tell you it’s been a pretty good start for Gulf Coast’s diamond clubs. You can begin with the most important numbers: won-loss record. GC’s baseball team was 23-6 entering Monday with an eight-game winning streak and victories in 16 of its last 18. GC’s softball team is 19-5 after finishing 4-1 in last weekend’s NFCA Junior College Leadoff Classic. Ten GC baseball players were hitting .300 or better, led by David Schulze’s .361 average and a team-leading eight home runs. Mosley product Eddie Cassidy entered Monday with a .357 average and was second on the team with five homers.
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March 9, 2008
GC’s Smith gets another shutout
News Herald (Staff Reports) - Freshman left-hander Will Smith pitched his second consecutive shutout as Gulf Coast run-ruled John Wood 12-0 Saturday in junior college baseball at Bill Frazier Field. Smith, from Newnan, Ga., dominated the Quincy, Ill., school with a two-hitter. He struck out 15 and walked one, the game shortened to seven innings. “Will was absolutely overpowering,” GC coach Mike Kandler said. “The last two starts he’s thrown about as well as I’ve seen anybody throw in a long time.” Smith improved to 4-3, the Commodores to 23-6. “He’s starting to get in shape and he’s throwing hard,” Kandler continued about his 6-foot-5 starter. “He’s really stepped it up and pitched about as well as he can pitch.”
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March 7, 2008
Gulf Coast still battling, winning
News Herald (Staff Reports) - Thursday provided more evidence that Gulf Coast’s baseball team isn’t one to give up easily. That fact was enforced beginning with the Commodores’ starting pitcher, Scott Brothers, who gave all he could through four-plus innings with a sore right elbow. Further proof of Coach Mike Kandler’s assertion that his team is a collection of battlers came when GC rallied from a three-run deficit and held on for a 6-5 win over Danville at Bill Frazier Field. “It just shows that these guys are mentally tough,” Kandler said. “They keep plugging along and they always seem to find a way to pull it out.”
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March 5, 2008
Rain postpones GC baseball game
News Herald (Staff Reports) - Gulf Coast’s junior college baseball game against Danville scheduled for Tuesday at Bill Frazier Field was postponed until 3 p.m. Thursday. Early rain showers caused an adjustment to the GC Spring Baseball Classic schedule, and the GC-Danville contest was one of four games either canceled or rescheduled. Iowa Central and Kankakee played their scheduled doubleheader later Tuesday. A game between Iowa Central’s JV squad and Lincoln Trail was canceled. Today’s Spring Classic schedule features a doubleheader between Danville and Vincennes University starting at 9 a.m. at Frazier Field. On Thursday, Iowa Central and Vincennes play at 9 a.m., Iowa Central’s JV faces Kankakee at noon and GC and Danville finish the day at 3 p.m.
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March 3, 2008
GC’s Smith overpowering
News Herald (Staff Reports) - Gulf Coast baseball coach Mike Kandler on Saturday evening called pitcher Will Smith “one of our hard-luck guys, having pitched really well with little to show for it.” On Sunday afternoon, Smith eschewed luck in favor of a good fastball. Smith tossed a completegame shutout against Vincennes University in the Commodores’ 7-0 victory. He allowed three hits and two walks, and struck out 12, picking up his third victory against three losses. His teammates scored seven runs for him. He only needed the first one. “Will was absolutely dominating today,” Kandler said. “He threw the ball about as well as he can throw it.”
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March 2, 2008
Commodores edge Statesmen
News Herald (Staff Reports) - It would be wise to remember this: Gulf Coast beat Lincoln Trail 8-7 on Saturday at Bill Frazier Field. But the Commodores (19-6) committed six errors and their bullpen imploded in the eighth inning to give away a five-run lead, and needed a two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth inning to win. “Our defense was atrocious and the bullpen was worse,” said Gulf Coast coach Mike Kandler. “At some point, guys are going to have to step up. This is not good enough.”
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March 1, 2008
Commodores prevail
News Herald (Staff Reports) - The Gulf Coast baseball team scored 11 runs against Lincoln Trail on Friday. However, the Commodores (18-6) also committed four errors, one directly leading to the Statesmen’s only run, and had two baserunning blunders that kept more runs off the scoreboard in their 11-1 run-rule victory at Bill Frazier Field. It was enough to give GC coach Mike Kandler more ammunition for his belief the team has far to go to challenge in the Panhandle Conference, when the games are expected to be much closer.
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February 26, 2008
Gulf Coast baseball edges Lake City
News Herald (Staff Reports) - The Gulf Coast baseball team used a three-run third inning to get an early jump on Lake City, then held on for a 5-4 win on Monday at Bill Frazier Field. A pair of doubles and a home run keyed the Commodores’ (17-6) big third inning. Alan Mason led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on Mason Meredeth’s sacrifice fly. Eddie Cassidy (Mosley) doubled to drive in Mason and give the Commodores a 1-0 lead. David Schulze followed Cassidy’s double with a two-run home run, his sixth of the season, to give Gulf Coast the early 3-0 lead. GC managed one run in the fifth and one run in the seventh.
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February 25, 2008
GCCC splits with Darton
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast’s four-game junior college baseball winning streak was snapped by Darton College on Sunday, but the Commodores rebounded to earn a doubleheader split at Bill Frazier Field. Darton of Albany, Ga., scored a run in the top of the seventh for a 3-2 win in Game 1. Both teams scored in extra innings in Game 2, but GC (16-6) was one better in a 4-3 victory. Neither team was overly impressive at the plate, with Darton College recording 14 hits and GC 13 through the two games. Runs also were at a premium. “Nobody hit a lot and both teams pitched really well,” GC coach Mike Kandler said. “It led to two close and well played baseball games.” Jake Sullivan singled in Ryan Faison with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning to help GC salvage the split. Drew Benton (Rutherford) pinch hit and plated Mason Meredeth to tie the game 3-3.
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February 22, 2008
Commodores get Commitments from 9 recruits
GCathletics.com (Steve Merchant) - Coach Mike Kandler announced today that 9 baseball recruits have committed to Gulf Coast for the 2008-09 season. Mike Love, OF (Opelika HS - Opelika, AL); Cameron Graves, 1B/OF (Wakulla HS - Wakulla, FL); Cameron Greathouse OF/LHP (Shaw HS - Columbus, GA); Whitt Dorsey, Catcher (Auburn HS - Auburn, AL); Will Howard, OF (Columbus HS - Columbus, GA); Jeremy Boyte, 3B/OF (Russell County HS - Russell County, AL); Bryce Lane, RHP (Russell County HS - Russell County, AL); Seth Adkins, Catcher (Brookwood HS - Brookwood, GA); Taye Larry, INF/OF (Mosley HS - Lynn Haven, FL).

Cam Greathouse Columbus, GA	Whitt Dorsey Auburn, AL	Mike Love Opelika, AL	Cameron Graves Wakulla, FL	Will Howard Columbus, GA
Jeremy Boyte Russell County, AL	Bryce Lane Russell County, AL	Seth Adkins Brookwood, GA	Taye Larry Lynn Haven, FL

February 22, 2008
Columbus' Will Howard signs with Gulf Coast
COLUMBUS ENQUIRER (Robert Spruck) - Having watched games from the Columbus High dugout since he was playing in Little League, Will Howard has seen the Blue Devils have success. He has also seen many of those who have played for his father, Bobby Howard, sign scholarships and continue their baseball career in college. It was Will Howard's turn Tuesday to secure his college plans, signing a scholarship with Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Fla. "I have been around this team for a while, and I knew that this day was coming," said Howard, who became the third Bi-City baseball player to sign with Gulf Coast. "It feels really good, and now I will be able to focus on my senior year." Howard batted .337 with 22 RBIs and 29 runs scored during his junior season as the starting left fielder. He also had a .414 on-base percentage in 2006. Howard, who is also a starting guard on the basketball team, had to decide which sport to play in college. "It was real hard as I love basketball," he said. "I really enjoy playing both of them. I felt that I had a better chance of playing baseball than basketball in the future, so I made my decision."

February 21, 2008
Familiar formula lifts GC to win
News Herald (Brad Milner) - The Gulf Coast baseball team won for the 15th time this season, beating Wallace-Dothan Community College 13-9 on Wednesday — using largely the same formula as in the previous 14 victories. Solid starting pitching and good hitting. Gulf Coast starter Ryan Fraser, named FCCAA pitcher of the week for last week, raised his record to 4-0, allowing four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. He allowed nine hits and three walks, while striking out three. Meanwhile, his teammates pounded out 14 hits, with six players each having two: David Schulze, Jake Sullivan, Mike Morrison, Drew Benton (Rutherford), Charlie Lester and Devon Hellett (Bay).
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February 20, 2008
Commodores pick up victory on the road
News Herald (Brad Milner) - The hits, and more importantly the runs keep on coming for the Gulf Coast baseball team. GC added 11 hits and eight runs in an 8-2 victory over homestanding Enterprise-Ozark, Ala., in a junior college game on Tuesday. The Commodores built a 3-1 lead after two innings and put the game away with five runs in the third and fourth innings. They improved to 14-5 with their eighth victory in their last 10 games. Gulf Coast has scored at least eight runs in all but one game during the stretch.
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February 18, 2008
Commodores keep on winning
News Herald (Brad Milner) - The Gulf Coast baseball team completed a successful homestand with an 8-0 win over Shelton State on Sunday at Bill Frazier Field — winning five of six games. “Considering it was our sixth game in four days, our guys really played hard,” said Gulf Coast coach Mike Kandler. “I’m extremely pleased with how the six games went.” On Sunday, Kandler turned to a couple of pitchers who haven’t been part of the regular rotation so far this season. Bryam Garcia, returning from injury, pitched the first inning without allowing a hit.
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February 17, 2008
Gulf Coast a hit despite split of games
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast collected 27 hits in two games and had good starting pitching on Saturday — losing to Shelton State 7-6 in 10 innings, and beating Truett-McConnell 9-1 in a game shortened by the run rule at Bill Frazier Field. It was the loss, more than the win, that impressed Gulf Coast coach Mike Kandler. “That first game was a great baseball game — with two good teams battling it out,” he said. “It’s unfortunate we had to lose, but both of those teams will be able to use that game to help them in their conference seasons.”
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February 16, 2008
Park earns first college win
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Hunter Park was teased with the equivalent of three fool’s-gold starts to open his collegiate career. On Friday, he received the real thing. The Gulf Coast left-hander had the team’s second-lowest ERA and was tied for second on the team in strikeouts entering start No. 4. He averaged more than five innings per start over three games but received three no-decisions despite his quality output. The Chipley graduate said he didn’t have his best performance against Truett-McConnell at Bill Frazier Field
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February 15, 2008
Taking advantage
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Shelton State is a good baseball team, honestly. It’s just that Gulf Coast made it look really bad on Thursday. The Commodores capitalized on four errors by the Bucs en route to a 10-0 victory at Bill Frazier Field in a game shortened to seven innings by the run rule. It was Gulf Coast’s third straight win, second by the run rule, and it improved to 10-4. Shelton State suffered its first loss and is 6-1. “They are a really, really good baseball team and it’s obvious we aren’t 10 runs better,” Gulf Coast coach Mike Kandler said. “But they made mistakes and it was our job to capitalize, which we did.” While Shelton State, which advanced to the 2007 Juco World Series, looked out of character, Gulf Coast stuck to a familiar formula. There was timely hitting, including a two-run triple from Mike Morrison, and Gulf Coast again received a solid outing from its starting pitcher. Ryan Fraser improved to 3-0 with 11 strikeouts and four walks while giving up only four hits. His ERA coming into Thursday was 7.43. It’s considerably lower after this performance.
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February 14, 2008
Pitchers sharp for GC
News Herald (Staff Reports) - Scott Brothers scattered six hits, walked two and struck out three in seven innings to lead Gulf Coast past Marion (Ala.) Military Institute 12-2 on Wednesday at Bill Frazier Field. Curt Trexler (Bay) pitched a perfect eighth, striking out two, in a game shortened to eight innings by a 10-run rule. “Scott was in complete control the whole way, then Trexler came in and did a good job,” said Gulf Coast coach Mike Kandler. “That’s good to see, because it all starts on the mound.”
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February 11, 2008
GC baseball downs Lake City
News Herald (Staff Reports) - The Gulf Coast baseball team rebounded from a loss to St. Johns River on Saturday with a 8-3 win over Lake City on Sunday to wrap up a three-game road trip. The Commodores (8-4) used a solid starting pitching performance from Will Smith and another good day at the plate to secure the win. Smith (2-2) pitched seven innings with eight strikeouts, one walk and three earned runs. Dayne Cutrell threw two shutout innings of relief. Gulf Coast broke open the game in the fourth inning, scoring four runs to take a 5-1 lead. The Commodores gave up a run in the sixth and seventh, but a three-run eighth inning from GC proved too much for Lake City. “We played the best that we have all year on both sides of the ball. Our guys played hard and it was a good team effort,” GC coach Mike Kandler said. Gulf Coast, which had 20 hits on Saturday, added another 16 hits against Lake City.
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February 10, 2008
Late-inning homers down Commodores
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Two home runs at the most inopportune time doomed Gulf Coast’s baseball team on Saturday. Commodore relief pitcher Dan Jacobs surrendered solo homers in each of the ninth and 10th innings as St. Johns River beat visiting Gulf Coast 9-8. GC fell for the second time in three games and is 7-4. The Commodores had 20 hits, but couldn’t bring around any more runs. That wasn’t the most disappointing facet for GC coach Mike Kandler, however. “Eight runs should win you the ballgame,” Kandler said. “We hit the ball well, but our pitching wasn’t nearly as good enough as it had to be to win.” Jacobs and Scott Brothers combined to give up four runs on six hits after starter Hunter Park (Chipley) battled through six innings.
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February 9, 2008
GC gets road victory
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Eddie Cassidy’s home run keyed a seven-run seventh inning for Gulf Coast on Friday, as the Commodores defeated Santa Fe 16-10 in a junior college baseball game. Gulf Coast, which also scored six runs in the third inning, evened its road record at 1-1 and raised its overall mark to 7-3. Cassidy (Mosley) finished 3 for 6, and his three-run home run helped the Commodores turn a 10-9 deficit into a six-run victory. Gulf Coast rapped out 15 hits and received a strong relief appearance from Charlie Lester to hold off Santa Fe (6-3). Lester (2-0) allowed no runs or hits while striking out four and walking one in 3 1/3 innings.
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February 6, 2008
GC falls to Jefferson Davis
News Herald (Staff) - The Jefferson Davis Community College baseball team posted three three-run innings en route to a 10-2 win over visiting Gulf Coast Community College on Tuesday. Gulf Coast, which played its first road game of the season, managed just six hits and had a four-game winning streak snapped. Sophomore catcher Jake Sullivan led the Commodores (6-3) with a single and double in three at-bats. Freshman infielder Ryan Faison was 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Faison leads the Commodores with 12 hits this season. Commodore starter Will Smith (1-2) took the loss. Gulf Coast hosts Enterprise-Ozark today at 3 p.m. at Bill Frazier Field. Rankings: Gulf Coast is ranked ninth in the first FCCAA state baseball poll of the regular season. Defending national champion Chipola (5-2-1) is third after starting the season ranked No. 1. St. Petersburg (6-2) is now ranked first. In softball, Santa Fe (6-0) took over the top spot from defending national champion Chipola (5-1), which is now ranked second. Gulf Coast (2-0) is ranked fourth.
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February 3, 2008
STARTING PITCHING LEADS COMMODORES TO WIN
News Herald (Staff) - It sounds like a broken record, but the Gulf Coast baseball team won a pair of games Saturday behind strong starting pitching — the same as on Friday and pretty much the trend of the season thus far. Gulf Coast (6-2) completed a four-game sweep of a pair of visitors, with a 4-2 win over Gadsden State and a 5-2 win over Andrew College on Saturday at Bill Frazier Field. The Commodores beat the same two teams on Friday. “We are absolutely thrilled,” GC head coach Mike Kandler said of the results. “Our kids showed a lot of mental toughness.”
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February 2, 2008
COMMODORES TAKE TWO WINS
News Herald (Staff) - David Schulze hit a walkoff grand slam to lift Gulf Coast to the second of two victories on Friday at Bill Frazier Field, as the Commodores beat Gadsden State 9-6. In an earlier game, Gulf Coast (4-2) beat Andrew College 13-3 in a game shortened to five innings under the 10-run rule. “It was a good day at the ballpark,” said Gulf Coast head coach Mike Kandler. “We swung the bat a lot better than last night (a shutout loss to Northwest Shoals), which is encouraging.”
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February 1, 2008
GC OFFENSE MISSING IN LOSS
News Herald (Staff) - Gulf Coast put two runners on in the first inning and couldn’t come up with a timely hit. The Commodores put two runners on in the eighth and ran themselves out of an inning. That about summed up their offense in a 4-0 loss to Northwest Shoals on Thursday at Bill Frazier Field. “We just didn’t hit the ball,” said Gulf Coast head coach Mike Kandler. “Part of that was that Shoals’ pitchers made a lot of good pitches, but we didn’t really compete that well at the plate. And in the eighth, we had a baserunning debacle.”
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January 28, 2008
GCCC CLAIMS SERIES
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Head coach Mike Kandler could’ve been happier about the first weekend of baseball for the Gulf Coast Commodores. But not much. Gulf Coast (2-1) split a doubleheader on Sunday against defending Georgia junior college champion Young Harris, winning the three-game series over the team ranked No. 7 nationally in the preseason. The Commodores won Sunday’s first game 5-4, before falling 11-10 in nine innings in the second game. The games were scheduled for seven innings each. “To get two out of three against a team ranked seventh is really good,” Kandler said. “Sure, we would have liked to sweep, but I’m pretty pleased.”
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January 26, 2008
FRESHMEN PAIR PITCH, HIT COMMODORES TO WIN
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Mike Kandler isn’t one to forecast the future. If he were, he’d say the outlook is bright if Gulf Coast plays in late-April like it did on Friday. The Commodores opened their junior college baseball season with a 7-3 victory over Young Harris (Ga.) College at Bill Frazier Field. Kandler was pleased with the performance, including those of freshman pitcher Will Smith and fellow rookie Mike Morrison. The 6-foot-5, left-handed Smith tossed five innings for the win, giving up three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Morrison hit his first career home run, was in on a play that accounted for two other runs, stroked a triple to finish 2 for 4 and scored on a suicide squeeze in the eighth inning.
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January 22, 2008
GC BANKING ON VETERANS
News Herald (Brad Milner) - The cyclical nature of junior college athletics often is weighted toward predominantly good and bad seasons. Count 2008 as a potentially good one for Gulf Coast baseball. The Commodores return 11 players from a 32-18 team that advanced to the state tournament for the second straight year. By comparison, GC had only five returners on the 2007 squad, which finished second in the Panhandle Conference. The upcoming season opens at 3 p.m. on Friday against Young Harris (Ga.) College in the first of 27 home dates in Gulf Coast’s 35-game nonconference schedule. The Panhandle opener is March 14. GC coach Mike Kandler said the 11 sophomores, along with injured veteran Kyle Mitchell, will provide important leadership for what he thinks can be a productive freshman class. “It’s always easier when guys know how the system works and what to expect,” Kandler said. “Those guys will help everyone else and that should be to our benefit.” Here’s a closer look at the 2008 GC baseball team:

Pitching: An expected deep pitching staff remains so, even without two arms. Closer Ben Francis of Mosley decided to enroll early at Florida State University, and fellow Mosley alum Mitchell was lost to shoulder surgery. Right-hander Bryam Garcia (6-1, 2.68 ERA in 2007) was in line to be the returning ace, but he’s still nursing a shoulder injury and will be slowed during the early part of the schedule. Garcia (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) is expected to carry a heavy load during the conference slate. Bay graduate Curt Trexler (6-3, 180), Ryan Fraser (6-3, 200), Dayne Cutrell (6-4, 220) and Dan Jacobs (6-1, 210) also return. The group combined for a 10-13 mark in 2007, led by Jacobs’ four wins. Both Jacobs (45 strikeouts to 18 walks) and Cutrell (21:6) possess solid control. The rest of the staff is made up of freshmen, including left-handers Hunter Park (6-0, 190) of Chipley, Will Smith (6-5, 235) of Newnan, Ga., and Charlie Lester (5-7, 165) of Franklinton, La. Gulf Coast didn’t have a lefty on the roster last season. Righthanders Patrick Bilyk (6-6, 215) and Scott Brothers (6-2, 195) provide depth. Kandler said this is one of his deepest staffs in his three years at the school. “On paper it is, but it’s always hard to say,” Kandler said. “Some years you don’t have the numbers but you have a few guys step in and do well. The thing is the guys still have to go out and perform.”

Hitting/defense: Four of the Commodores’ six leading hitters have moved on, but the majority of the team’s power production returns. The team hit only 31 home runs, but outfielder David Schulze (6-2, 210) had nine of them and Mason Meredeth (5-10, 180) and Rutherford graduate Drew Benton (6-0, 170) combined for eight. Last year’s team played small ball to perfection, with 42 stolen bases and 59 sacrifice flies and sacrifice bunts. However, Kandler believes this year’s team will display better power production. He added that this year’s roster would allow for more of a variety of lineups, giving players much needed rest when nicked up.
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January 17, 2008
COMMODORES TO SCRIMMAGE AUM
The Gulf Coast Commodores will go through a dress rehearsal for their 2008 season with a scrimmage against the University of Auburn at Montgomery. Batting practice will be at 10:00 and the first pitch will be at noon. Bring the entire family as there is no charge to attend Commodore baseball games.

2008 Schedule
2008 Roster

January 17, 2008
PERFECT GAME SHOWCASE SET
Rosters and the event schedule for the Perfect Game Panhandle State Showcase at Frazier Field on Saturday, January 19. Registration will start at 8:00 am and the event will start at 9:00 am. For more information please call coach Merchant at 769-1551 ext 2813.

Showcase Information

December 19, 2007
COMMODORES OPENING DAY CHANGED
Head Baseball Coach Mike Kandler announced today that the Commodores will open it's 2008 season on Friday, January 25th. They will open up against Young Harris in a three game set. Friday's opener will be at 3:00 pm. Saturday and Sunday's games will start at 12:00 noon. There is no cost to attend Commodore games, so bring the entire family out.

2008 Spring Baseball Schedule

November 16, 2007
COMMDORES VISIT LYNN HAVEN ELEMENTARY
GCAthletics.com (Steve Merchant ) - Gulf Coast Women's Basketball, Men's Basketball, and Men's Baseball players recently visited Lynn Haven Elementary School. The athlete's fielded questions from the students from "what is it like to be a college athlete?", to "what country are you from?", to "what is your day like?". The Commodores that participated were from left to right, Norris Harvey (Assistant Basketball Coach), Byron Walker (MBB), Brad Reese (MBB), Jeleesa Williams (WBB), Daryl McGhee (MBB), Ben Vega (MBB), Arian Maliqi (MBB), Dmitry Pirshin (MBB), Curt Trexler (Baseball), Jonathan Murner (MBB), David Schulze (Baseball), and Ben Francis (Baseball).

November 16, 2007
BASEBALL PLAYERS SIGN NATIONAL LETTERS OF INTENT
GCAthletics.com (Steve Merchant ) - Four Gulf Coast Commnity College Baseball Players signed National Letters of Intent with Division 1 schools yesterday at the Billy Harrison Field House. From left to right, Ben Francis (Florida State), Ryan Fraser (Memphis), Dan Jacobs (Univ of West FL), and Bryam Garcia (Florida International).

November 14, 2007
GC ATHLETES TAKE NEXT STEP
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - Ben Francis had an outing to forget April 2. Francis, then a freshman pitcher for the Gulf Coast baseball team, came on in relief against North Florida and hit three straight batters. The Commodores lost the game during the worst night of his young career. Francis overcame that miserable showing, became one of the best closers in the Panhandle Conference, and was a major factor in Gulf Coast’s second straight appearance in the state baseball playoffs. As a result, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound right-hander out of Mosley is expected to sign a national letter of intent to attend and play baseball for Florida State University on Thursday in Gulf Coast’s Wellness Building. He will join three teammates — Bryam Garcia, Dan Jacobs and Ryan Fraser — and one Gulf Coast softball player, Amanda Byers, in taking advantage of the NCAA’s early signing period. Thursday seems a long way from that day in April for Francis, who incurred the wrath of his coach, Mike Kandler. He remembers the experience well, especially Kandler’s reaction after he walked off the field. “I used that as inspiration to get things going, and it really opened my eyes,” Francis said. “He (Kandler) knows our expectations and what our potential can be and that’s why he gets on us sometimes to keep us on our game. “It also helps you see what’s going on. If you aren’t able to learn from your mistakes and make a change you aren’t going to be able to play on that level.” Kandler was proud of his pitcher, who will be counted on for more strong outings next season. “The thing with Ben was that stuff-wise he was always really good,” Kandler said. “It was really a confidence issue for him. “He got off to a good start and then he struggled. Since he overcame that little hiccup at that point in the season he’s been lights out.” Francis’ dream is playing professional baseball. The option will be there if he is selected in next year’s Major League Baseball Draft. He could take a similar path as former Mosley athlete Cody Johnson, who signed with FSU out of high school but spurned college for a lucrative professional contract. Francis is aware that he likely won’t be taken as highly as Johnson, who went in the first round to Atlanta. But that doesn’t mean the lure of the pros won’t be as strong. Even if he doesn’t sign a pro contract, he knows that he will have the opportunity to play for FSU, which advanced to the regional round last season. “FSU has always been the program I’ve watched,” Francis said. “I have intentions to play at FSU, and we’ll see what happens.” A look at the other GCCC baseball and softball standouts expected to sign on Thursday. Garcia, RHP signing with Florida International University: Garcia, 5-10, 180, was second on the team with six wins. He started strong, but was plagued by a labrum injury through much of the second half of the season. He finished 6-1 with a 2.86 ERA, 53 strikeouts and 21 walks in 18 appearances, seven of those starts. FIU, located in Miami, was 26-29 overall and 12-17 in the Sun Belt Conference in 2007. “When healthy, Bryam is one of the best pitchers in the conference,” Kandler said. “The doctors say he’ll be 100 percent next spring so we’re expecting good things.” Dan Jacobs, RHP signing with the University of West Florida: Jacobs, a 6-1, 210-pound Pensacola native, returns home to join the Argonauts. Jacobs was 4-6 with a 4.67 ERA, 45 strikeouts and 18 walks in 69 1/3 innings. The Argos won their first Gulf Coast Conference title last season and played in the Division II regional tournament. “Dan will be able to go back home and play, which is always a nice thing,” Kandler said. “He was a really steady guy for us.” Ryan Fraser, RHP signing with the University of Memphis: Fraser, 6-3, 200, struggled early but gained consistency down the stretch. He was 3-5 with a 4.55 ERA, 34 strikeouts and 33 walks in 55 1/3 innings. The Cleveland, Tenn., native also returns close to home. Memphis was 36-27 and played in the Nashville Regional last season. The win total was the team’s highest since 1994. “Ryan, and all of the guys are quality young men,” Kandler said. “He has all of his best days ahead of him. He’s a guy that projects well and it’s all starting to come together for him.”
News Herald Article

October 29, 2007
COMMODORES SPRING SCHEDULE RELEASED
The Gulf Coast Commodore Baseball team's Spring 2008 Schedule was released today. The Commodores open up with their annual weekend series versus Young Harris College with a double-header on January 26th and a single game on January 27th. The Commodores conference schedule begins on March 14th at Okaloosa Walton. The Commodores are coming off a 32-18 record, a second place finish in the Panhandle Conference and a second consecutive state tournament berth.

2008 Spring Baseball Schedule

September 24, 2007
COMMODORES BEGIN FALL WITH 5-1 RECORD
The Gulf Coast Commodore Baseball team began the fall with a pair of wins over Wallace-Dothan, they split with Northwest Shoals, and took two from Enterprise-Ozark to begin the fall at 5-1. Two games scheduled for this past weekend at Okaloosa-Walton were re-scheduled for next Sunday at OWC. Our opponents and game times will be announced later. Come out and support the Commodores!

2007 Fall Schedule
2007 Fall Roster

August 28, 2007
BYLER'S BIG NIGHT HELPS SPIKES TOP WILLIAMSPORT
By Guy Cipriano - (gciprian@centredaily.com)

WILLIAMSPORT -- State College Spikes first baseman Justin Byler stood in the on-deck circle and watched Williamsport's Tyson Brummett throw three pitches to Keanon Simon. Byler then adjusted his gloves, trotted to the batter's box, grooved his feet into the dirt, took a prolonged practice swing and worked himself into a 2-0 count. Byler finally saw the pitch he wanted and his purpose became clear. Byler lifted a changeup into left field for a double during the fifth inning of Monday's 8-3 victory at Bowman Field. Byler's third at-bat resembled his first two. He wanted to hit the ball hard. He did hit the ball hard.
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August 20, 2007
COMMODORES START UP FALL SEASON
The Gulf Coast Commodore Baseball team will start up fall practice Monday, August 27th and will play their first fall game on September 11th at Wallace-Dothan in a double header, game time is 2:00 pm. Our fall schedule and roster are now available. Come out and support the Commodores!

2007 Fall Schedule
2007 Fall Roster

May 22, 2007
COPLEY INKS PACT WITH PIRATES
GC Athletics.com - Devin Copley recently signed a professional baseball contract to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Devin concluded his 2-year Commodore career setting a team mark in games started (15) for a season and entered the top 10 in strikeouts for a season with 113. Devin had a combined two-year record of 14-7, 160 strikeouts and 43 walks in 159.0 innings.

May 20, 2007
KUBAL SIGNS WITH ALABAMA
GC Athletics.com - Alex Kubal will turn in his blue and gold Commodore colors in for Crimson and White. He will move on next season to play for Jim Wells and the Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team. Kubal batted .372 this season and his 73 hits ranks him 7th in the number of hits in a season and his 17 doubles placed him 3rd in the number of doubles in a season. Kubal joins Jordan Karcher (Florida International), Cory Trudell (Charleston Southern), and Beau Pender (UAB) as they move on to the next level.

May 1, 2007
MIAMI-DADE AWAITS GC
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - David Herndon voiced his sentiment to Devin Copley in simple terms. “Go get revenge,” Herndon said in a phone conversation last week. The former Gulf Coast pitcher was referring to the Commodores’ FCCAA state tournament opener against Miami Dade. Gulf Coast had the same opener a year ago, losing 6-3 with Herndon on the mound. The Panhandle Conference runner-up Commodores (32-16) could have been considered favorites in last year’s game, especially since they entered as the state’s top-ranked team. Now the script is reversed, with Miami Dade No. 1 and Gulf Coast No. 7. The teams play in the opening round of the eightteam double-elimination tournament at 6 p.m. CDT on Friday at Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven. The state champion earns a berth in the 50th annual NJCAA World Series starting May 26 in Grand Junction, Colo. This year’s tourney features a different bracketing system, one that mirrors the NCAA College World Series. The survivors of each bracket now play for the crown, though in a one game winner take all contest and not the best-of-three final format of the CWS. Gulf Coast coach Mike Kandler puts all of that aside, however. He’s thinking of what happens today. What happens tomorrow is the future and can be dealt with once it comes. “The winner of this tournament will be the team that is the hottest and hopefully that’s us,” Kandler said. “But you really have to approach it one game at a time, as cliché as that sounds.” Kandler stressed the importance of winning the first game, as staying in the winners’ bracket staves off elimination for another day. However, Miami Dade, also ranked second in the nation, poses a serious threat. The Southern Conference champion Sharks (43-10) boast what Kandler called, “The best junior college pitching staff in the nation.” The staff is paced by Elih Villanueva, who leads the team with a 9-1 record, 0.77 ERA, 100 strikeouts and 15 walks in 82 innings. Timothy Sexton adds an 8-1 record and a 2.07 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings and Donald Jordat has a team-high four saves and 44 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings. Kandler hopes playing in the Panhandle Conference prepared the Commodores for the many stellar pitchers they’ll face. “We feel like we see enough good pitching in this league every year,” Kandler said. “Plus we feel we’ll be matched up well with anybody with Copley on the mound.” Copley is one of a handful of sophomores who experienced last season’s tournament run, the first for Gulf Coast since 1998. The Commodores were ousted in three games, winning one elimination contest before Chipola run-ruled them out of the draw. Gulf Coast has won nine of its last 11, a stark contrast to last season when the team dropped three of its final five games. “You can’t play much better than that,” Kandler said. Copley agreed, adding that Gulf Coast relishes its position. “We like being the underdog because maybe that will help some teams overlook us,” said Copley, who has a 9-2 record with 109 strikeouts in 93 1/3 innings. “There’s definitely an advantage to being the underdog. “Yeah, Miami Dade is a good team and they didn’t get to be the top team in the state by accident. But we don’t fear anyone. Anyone can be beaten.” As for revenge, Copley’s taking Herndon’s words to heart. He called the former Mosley standout an inspiration and a mentor. And when Herndon, who is now a minor leaguer in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization, asked him to avenge his defeat, Copley said he’ll do his best. “He told me to go out and win,” Copley said. “And that means a lot coming from him that he believes I can do that.” Kandler also has high hopes for Gulf Coast. He anticipated another spirited effort from his team, which has come together over the last month of the regular season. “In this thing you really just want your guys to play as hard as they can and hope for the best,” Kandler said. “There are eight talented teams in this tournament and any one of them can win it.”
News Herald Article

April 26, 2007
BEN FRANCIS, FCCAA PITCHER OF THE WEEK
TALLAHASSEE, FL (Rob Chaney ) - Gulf Coast Community College’s Ben Francis represents the Panhandle Conference as FCCAA Baseball Pitcher of the Week. Francis, a freshman righty from Panama City, Fla., played a key role in the Commodores’ run to the FCCAA Tournament. The Gulf Coast closer took the mound in each of the team’s final four games, recording three saves while holding opponents scoreless in 4.0 innings of work. Francis allowed only four hits, walked none and struck out one as the Commodores clinched the Panhandle Conference’s runner-up berth at the FCCAA Tournament.