May 1, 2008
Lady Commodores set for state tournament
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Jill Mathis channeled her inner Yogi Berra when asked what it takes to win games. “The team that scores the most runs will win,” Mathis said. While her statement is simplistic in nature, it speaks to the fiber of Gulf Coast’s potential success or failure in this weekend’s FCCAA Gulf District/NJCAA Region 8 tournament in Auburndale. A long tournament run could come if the Lady Commodores (37-12) perform well at the plate, much like they did in their final doubleheaders. However, swift elimination could be in store if hitting woes return, despite the team having two solid pitchers, including Mathis. GC, ranked sixth in the state and the second-place team from the Panhandle Conference, opens the double-elimination tournament against Hillsborough (30-27), the third seed from the Suncoast Conference, at 1 p.m. CDT on Friday.

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State Tournament - Gulf District
State Tournament - Atlantic District

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April 18, 2008
Lady Commodores fall one win short of title
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast’s emotional effort to claim the Panhandle Conference softball championship came up just shy on Thursday. Chipola College split a conference doubleheader against homestanding GC, losing the first game 3-0 and winning the second 5-3 at Joe Tom King Field. The split secured the conference title for the Lady Indians (40-10, 16-4) for the second straight year. The Lady Commodores (37-12, 14-6) needed a win in Game 2 to clinch a share of the title and to secure the conference’s top seed in the state tournament. GC coach Susan Painter said the two games were the best the team has played this season. The intensity level was higher and the Lady Commodores were more charged than ever against their chief rival.
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April 16, 2008
GC splits with Tallahassee
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Winning pitcher Alanna Hadley’s grand-slam home run capped a first-game comeback, but Gulf Coast was unable to hit in the clutch consistently in splitting a Panhandle Conference softball doubleheader Tuesday with Tallahassee. Gulf Coast won the first game 5-1 in eight innings and dropped the nightcap 2-0. The Lady Commodores, two games out of first place following a Chipola sweep of Okaloosa-Walton, are 13-5, 36-11 overall. Chipola has a 15-3 conference record. Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter said the Lady Commodores stranded 13 baserunners through six innings of the opener, and that theme carried over.
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April 13, 2008
GC softball earns sweep
News Herald (Brad Milner) - What started out as another lackluster performance transformed into something much more pleasing to Gulf Coast softball coach Susan Painter. GC muddled through the first game of a Panhandle Conference doubleheader against homestanding Okaloosa-Walton on Saturday before displaying the hitting prowess Painter knows will be needed to compete in the state tournament. The Lady Commodores (35-10, 12-4) won the first game 2-1 and recorded 15 hits in a 9-0 bludgeoning in Game 2. The victories clinched a berth for GC in the FCCAA Gulf District/NJCAA Region 8 tournament, and moved it into a tie for first place with Chipola. “The gates opened up for us,” Painter said. “We just played well. It was good to see.” In Game 1, Jessica Swanson scored on a throwing error in the third inning and winning pitcher Alanna Hadley drove in Amanda Byers in the sixth.
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April 11, 2008
GC split disappointing
News Herald (Brad Milner) - There comes a time in a season where a team decides whether a slump becomes a routine. That time is quickly approaching for the Gulf Coast softball team, if it’s not here already. Gulf Coast split a Panhandle Conference doubleheader with Pensacola on Thursday, winning the first game 4-1 but slumping back to its struggles in a 3-0 loss in the nightcap. It was the fourth time this season GC was shut out, and the first in conference play. GC coach Susan Painter saw signs of what she called “a fire on offense” at the end of Game 1. She was hoping for a carryover, but instead was treated to a key baserunning blunder and nine stranded runners in Game 2.
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April 9, 2008
Lady Commodores claim pair from Sentinels
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Sometimes, the facts mask the truth. In Gulf Coast’s case, a 9-3 Panhandle Conference record following a 3-0, 5-3 sweep of North Florida on Tuesday may point to yet another stellar season. However, the fact is, GC needed to rally in the second game against a North Florida team languishing in the basement at 15-28, 1-11. And hitting woes prevailed again for GC in the twinbill played at Joe Tom King Field. “We’re struggling right now, there’s no doubt about that,” GC coach Susan Painter said. “We’re still searching for that spark, that fire. “I think it’s a bonus that we’re sitting at 9-3. We’re trying to get through it, and all teams have points like this, so we just need to come out of it.”
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April 3, 2008
Chipola sweeps GCCC
News Herald (Brad Milner) - The battle for first place in the Panhandle Conference softball standings went the way of the defending national champion Lady Indians, as they swept visiting Gulf Coast 2-1, 3-1 on Wednesday. The Lady Commodores missed out on a perfect opportunity to move three games ahead of Chipola. Instead, GC dropped to 30-9, 7-3 in the conference. Chipola is now 32-8, 8-2 and holds a one-game lead at the midway point in the conference season.
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March 30, 2008
GCCC splits, stays in first
News Herald (Brad Milner) - The harsh lesson Gulf Coast learned about complacency on Saturday was tempered by good news from out West. The Lady Commodores committed four errors in giving away a 3-2, 10-inning decision to Tallahassee in the first game of a Panhandle Conference softball doubleheader. GC rebounded with a 3-2 victory in the nightcap at Joe Tom King Field to improve to 30-7 overall and 7-1 in the conference.
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March 27, 2008
No. 6 GC women sweep Pensacola
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Winning in blowout fashion usually takes little finesse. Winning close games often is more of a fine art. Gulf Coast displayed its masterful brush stroke on Wednesday as the Lady Commodores swept homestanding Pensacola 2-1 and 4-2 in a Panhandle Conference junior college softball doubleheader. GC, ranked sixth in the nation, improved to 29-6, 6-0, while Pensacola dropped to 18-14, 1-5. “These were two good ballgames,” GC coach Susan Painter said. “We will be in a lot of close games and we need to win them, so it was nice to see this.”
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March 22, 2008
GC softball sweeps North Florida
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast swept a softball doubleheader against North Florida on Friday to remain unbeaten in four Panhandle Conference games and tied with Chipola atop the league standings. The Lady Commodores won the first game 11-0 in a game shortened to six innings because of the run rule, and won the second game 5-2. Alanna Hadley (15-4) was the winning pitcher in the first pitching a five-hitter and striking out four. Gulf Coast took an early lead with a two-out, two-run single by Robyn Butler in the top of the first inning.
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March 19, 2008
Gulf Coast sweeps O-W
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Fortunate would be one way to describe how Susan Painter felt after Tuesday. Add relieved and frustrated, and you encapsulate her range of emotions after Gulf Coast’s narrow 4-3, 7-6 doubleheader sweep of visiting Okaloosa-Walton at Joe Tom King Field. It was the Panhandle Conference opener for both teams, and if the two games are any indication the rest of the season might be a bumpy ride. Painter said her young team grew up considerably during the nonconference season. But she admitted that Tuesday was a slight regression, with two critical outfield errors helping lead to six unearned runs.
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March 18, 2008
Gulf Coast looking to reclaim top billing
News Herald (Brad Milner) - The center of the junior college softball universe shifted northward to Marianna last season. Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter hopes it returns to the Lady Commodores’ sphere in 2008. Chipola College’s Panhandle Conference championship in 2007 ended a three-year run at the top for the Lady Commodores (23-6). GC won five of six conference crowns from 2001-2006, and Painter believes her young team is ready to bring the title back to Panama City. The quest begins today in a 4 p.m. doubleheader against Okaloosa-Walton at Joe Tom King Field. It’s the first of 20 Panhandle games that will determine which four of the conference’s six teams advance to the FCCAA Gulf District/NJCAA Region 8 tournament in May.
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March 16, 2008
Softball tourney delayed
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Heavy rains and the threat of tornadoes and hail caused a major delay in the Wallace-Hanceville, Ala., Junior College Invitational softball tournament on Saturday. The schedule was delayed until at least 6 p.m. Saturday night, and the prospect of playing three or four games in a short period of time was enough reason for Gulf Coast to return home early. GC coach Susan Painter said the decision to come back to Panama City relied heavily on the upcoming Panhandle Conference opener on Tuesday. She wanted the Lady Commodores fresh for the opener, rather than fatigued if they had remained in the tournament.
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March 13, 2008
Gulf Coast women sweep Heartland
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast warmed up for the Hanceville tournament this weekend with a doubleheader sweep of Heartland (Illinois) 10-0, 7-2 Wednesday at Joe Tom King Field. The Lady Commodores (21-5) won the opener in five innings as Alanna Hadley (11-4) gave up three hits and struck out four. She was backed by three home runs. Ginny Walsh was 3 for 3 with a two-run homer, Jill Mathis (Marianna) had a three-run shot, Nicole Walker a two-run homer and Karri Bisbee (Rutherford) was 2 for 3. Mathis (7-1) no-hit Heartland through five innings of the nightcap with five strikeouts and Jennifer Cuevas finished. Mathis was 2 for 2, Walsh and Walker 2 for 3 and Bisbee 2 for 4. Hadley had an RBI double and Jessica Swanson knocked in a run. Gulf Coast opens Panhandle Conference play Tuesday against visiting Okaloosa-Walton.
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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. GC’s softball statistics were incomplete on Monday due to problems with the new NJCAA uploading process. GC’s pitching records were accurate however, with freshman Alanna Hadley on top with a 10-4 mark. Marianna’s Jill Mathis is 6-1, Ginny Walsh is 2-0, with her second win coming against Florida Community College-Jacksonville on Saturday, and Jen Cuevas is 1-0. Nonconference season winding down: The Panhandle Conference baseball schedule opens Friday, while softball teams start March 18.
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March 10, 2008
Indian River avenges loss to Gulf Coast
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Indian River spoiled Gulf Coast’s day. The Lady Commodores couldn’t capitalize on the momentum they built over the weekend, as the Pioneers ousted them 5-0 in the NFCA Junior College Leadoff Classic Gold Bracket semifinals Sunday afternoon. Indian River went on to defeat Wallace-Hanceville, Ala., 2-1 in eight innings for the tournament championship. Indian River avenged a 3-0 loss to GC on Thursday at Joe Tom King Field. Alanna Hadley tossed a two-hitter in that victory and did the same on Sunday. However, Indian River’s two hits in the most recent game at Frank Brown Park were costly. Heather Hill’s three-run home run in the bottom of the second inning set the tone. Cindy Cuare, who scored twice, hit a solo homer off Hadley in the sixth to provide the final tally. “We had two emotional wins (Saturday) and had been putting a run together,” GC coach Susan Painter said. “But we just couldn’t get the gates open in this one, and it was just a matter of it not being there.”
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March 9, 2008
GCCC into softball semis
News Herald (Brad Milner) - That’s one Indian down, one angry one to go. Gulf Coast defeated Indian Hills 10-5 in the NFCA Junior College Leadoff Classic Gold Bracket quarterfinals at Frank Brown Park on Saturday. The victory pushed the Lady Commodores (19-4) into today’s noon semifinal game against Indian River, which beat Wallace-Dothan, Ala., 7-2. Indian River undoubtedly is smarting from a 3-0 loss against GC on Thursday. Its players and coaches spent more than an hour in the outfield at Joe Tom King Field after the game going over what went wrong. Gulf Coast’s fierce intrastate rival since has outscored its opponents 48-2 in the tournament. Alanna Hadley, who held Indian River to two hits with 13 strikeouts, knows today will be a battle.
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March 8, 2008
Doing well in the pool
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast is one win from earning a chance to take the NFCA Junior College Leadoff Classic championship. The Lady Commodores (17-4) defeated Parkland 7-6 and Chattanooga (Tenn.) State 5-4 in pool play at Frank Brown Park on Friday. Gulf Coast plays Florida Community College-Jacksonville today at 10 a.m. in the final pool contest. A victory secures first place in the pool and a spot in the eight-team Gold Bracket, where GC will need three tournament title. more wins for a GC’s road to a 2-0 start in the event was as treacherous as the scores might indicate. The Lady Commodores held a 7-1 lead entering the seventh inning against Parkland. However, the Cobras (1-1) touched GC starter Jill Mathis (Marianna) for five runs and nearly completed a miraculous comeback. Parkland ended Mathis’ no-hit bid with six hits in the frame. Alanna Hadley came on to strike out Kali Haussy with baserunners on first and third to end the game. Mathis (5-1) earned the win after giving up six runs while striking out seven and walking three.
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March 7, 2008
Hadley tosses 2-hitter
News Herald (Brad Milner) - The 17 newcomers on Gulf Coast’s softball roster may not be well versed in history. So here comes a little lesson. Until last season, when Chipola College broke through for the Panhandle Conference’s first fastpitch national championship, the names Gulf Coast and Indian River were at the top of the state’s power rankings. The teams split state championship finals in 2004 and 2006, and GC won later meetings against Indian River in the national tournament. The teams matched up on Thursday at Joe Tom King Field, and the game was filled with every bit as much intensity as the past matchups. This time a dominant performance from Alanna Hadley, who tossed a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts, led GC to a 3-0 victory.
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March 6, 2008
Top juco softball teams hit the Beach
News Herald (Brad Milner) - The National Fastpitch Coaches Association provided a golden parachute when dark news came down for Panama City Beach in 2005. It had just lost out to Plant City in a bid for the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I national softball tournament. The disappointment didn’t have time to sink in, however, as several months earlier, PCB had been awarded a three-year series of the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The NCAA Division III Leadoff Classic took place last year. Junior colleges are featured this year, and the NAIA event takes place in 2009.
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March 2, 2008
GCCC softball tops Lake City
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Amanda Byers homered on the first at-bat of the first game Saturday, and Gulf Coast swept a softball double-header from Lake City 11-1 and 9-2. “She really set the tone,” said Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter. “And we never really stopped after that.” The Lady Commodores (14-3) won the first game in five innings because of the run rule. Alanna Hadley and Robyn Butler also had home runs in that game. Hadley finished with three hits and three RBIs, and also was the winning pitcher. She allowed two hits and no walks in a complete game. She struck out five.
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February 28, 2008
GC softball earns sweep
News Herald (Brad Milner) - The Gulf Coast softball team rallied twice for a junior college doubleheader sweep, 4-3, 8-7, against homestanding Enterprise-Ozark, Ala., on Wednesday. The Lady Commodores improved to 12-3 in their first games since losing 14-1 to Lake Land to punctuate a forgettable weekend. In Game 1, GC trailed 3-0 in the top of the seventh, but solo home runs by Alanna Hadley and Ginny Walsh and a single by Robyn Butler to plate Jessica Swanson tied the contest. Hadley, who struck out 10 for the complete-game victory, drove in Karri Bisbee (Rutherford) for the winning run in the top of the eighth inning.
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February 26, 2008
Humbling day
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Cue the Shirelles. The Gulf Coast softball team was humbled on the second and final day of its Beach Classic on Sunday, losing 4-3 to state rival Manatee and 14-1 to Lake Land at Frank Brown Park. The Lady Commodores (10-3) failed to capitalize on the momentum gained from a 6-5 victory over Chattanooga (Tenn.) State on Saturday, and they are now on their first losing streak of the season. GC looked every bit like a rookie club against Lake Land. But it’s to be expected at times, GC coach Susan Painter said, and like the Shirelles so eloquently put it, “Mama said there’ll be days like this.” “It’s one end of the spectrum to the other,” Painter said. “This is one of those that you just have to put it behind you and move on.”
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February 25, 2008
‘A Reality Check’
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Softball maturity doesn’t come with age. It comes from big-game experience. Gulf Coast displayed much of it Saturday in its fourth annual Beach Classic tournament at Frank Brown Park. The Lady Commodores were 1-1 in tournament games, but it was an impromptu makeup against Chattanooga (Tenn.) State later that drew this quote from Coach Susan Painter. “That’s growing up right there,” Painter said after GC rallied for a 6-5 victory in eight innings. The win came less than two hours after Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) beat GC 8-0 to end a nine-game winning streak for the Lady Commodores (10-1). Wallace State (13-3) won more than 60 games last season and advanced to the NJCAA Division I national tournament. “It was definitely a reality check,” Painter said. “But it was something we needed.” Painter said GC was flat on Saturday, but was upbeat against Chattanooga State (13-5), which also advanced to the national tournament. GC held a brief 2-0 lead on a two-run home run by Alanna Hadley in the first inning, but trailed 4-2 entering the top of the seventh.
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February 20, 2008
GCCC sweeps Wallace-Dothan
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast’s competition ramped up on Tuesday, and the Lady Commodores came away with a hard-fought doubleheader sweep of Wallace-Dothan, Ala., at Joe Tom King Field. The Lady Commodores (8-0) defeated the Lady Governors 4-1, 4-3, in what GC coach Susan Painter called a “Panhandle Conference-type atmosphere.” The games were the most competitive for the Lady Commodores in the young season, she said. Alanna Hadley (4-0) kept Wallace off balance with a two-hitter and seven strikeouts in the opener. Ginny Walsh had a single, double and two RBIs to pace GC at the plate. Hadley, Amanda Byers and Rachele Maddox were each 2 for 3 and Karri Bisbee (Rutherford) was 2 for 4.
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February 13, 2008
Lady Commodores pitch another sweep
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Mother Nature provided the kind of adversity Gulf Coast’s young softball team needed at this time of year. Lady Commodores coach Susan Painter welcomed the rain during the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader against Enterprise-Ozark, Ala., at Joe Tom King Field. She knew it was an opportunity to not only battle the elements, but shrug off complacency that pervaded the end of Game 1. The end result was a sweep, with GCCC winning the first game 5-1 and the second 4-0 behind another pair of stellar pitching performances by freshmen Alanna Hadley and Jill Mathis (Marianna).
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February 10, 2008
GC sweep
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Gulf Coast unleashed its offensive fury for a second consecutive weekend. This time the victim was Andrew College. The Lady Commodores swept the junior college softball doubleheader 8-0 and 10-0 Saturday at Joe Tom King Field. The offensive onslaught was again led by freshman Alanna Hadley, who hit two home runs. Hadley and Jill Mathis (Marianna) tossed one- hitters to help GC improve to 4-0. GC also posted a perfect day on defense with no errors on Saturday and has none for the season. “I think the best thing is we’re playing well fundamentally,” GC coach Susan Painter said. “It’s nice to see us play this well in February.”
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February 3, 2008
GC opens with sweep
News Herald (Brad Milner) - Susan Painter’s youngest team played like veterans on Saturday. Gulf Coast swept visiting Lake City 6-0, 10-4 in its season-opening junior college softball doubleheader at Joe Tom King Field. Painter admitted she didn’t know what to expect from a squad with 16 freshmen. On Saturday, she was pleased considering how shaky rookies are apt to play. “It was the first two and it was a good two,” Painter said. “There were a lot of positives to take from these games, and it’s hard to know where to begin.”
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February 2, 2008
GC opens against traditional foe
News Herald (Brad Milner) - It wasn’t long ago that Lake City Community College was the premier junior college softball team in the state. The year was 2001 when Gulf Coast began its rise with a state championship over Lake City. The Timberwolves gained revenge weeks later by coming through the losers’ bracket at the national tournament and defeating the Lady Commodores twice in the final for the championship. Since then, Lake City has taken a tumble down the ladder and been replaced by Gulf Coast as a perennial force. The teams tangle today in a doubleheader at Joe Tom King Field. The first game is slated for noon for the Lady Commodores’ season opener. Lake City is 2-0 after a sweep of Lake Sumter on Tuesday. Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter said it’s nice to play a meaningful game for the first time since fall practice ended in November.
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January 29, 2008
Calling the shots
News Herald (Brad Milner) - This is what starting over feels like. Gulf Coast softball coach Susan Painter enters her 14th season with her youngest team, as 16 of the 19 players are freshmen. Two of the three sophomores, Amanda Byers and Trinity Pollard, played on the 2007 team, which finished 48-20 and placed third in the state tournament. Painter, who has 632 fastpitch victories at the school, admitted Monday she didn’t know what to expect this season. She said there is great potential, but that the team’s identity might not be known for some time. “We have great anticipation and we’re all eager to compete,” Painter said. “We’re full of inexperience and we’ll take our bumps and bruises along the way, but I believe we’ll be a better team come March.”
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November 14, 2007
GC ATHLETES TAKE NEXT STEP
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - Byers, 2B signing with Rollins College: Byers became one of Gulf Coast’s best hitters and fielders last season, leading the Lady Commodores to a second-place finish in the Panhandle. She batted .357 with 13 doubles, six triples and one home run to go along with 43 runs scored and 30 RBIs. She also had a .970 fielding percentage. Byers played for Team USA in the World University Games this summer. She will be one of only three sophomores on the team next season. Her leadership will be important, coach Susan Painter said. Rollins, located in Winter Park, was 41-17 in 2007 and played in the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament. “She is definitely a key ingredient for us this year,” Painter said. “It’s always nice to have someone who is levelheaded, smart and a great teammate. She’s a joy to coach and she basically does everything you ask her to do.”
News Herald Article

October 30, 2007
LADY COMMODORES SUPPORT CANCER SOCIETY
On October 29, 2007, the Gulf Coast Lady Commodore Basketball, Softball, and Volleyball Teams participated in a Breast Cancer Awareness Day on the GCCC campus. All 3 teams and their coaches wore pink shirts designed by Kristin Bortnik, placed a “Think Pink” banner in the student union, and recognized three women on campus that are breast cancer “SURVIVORS.” It was part of a national effort as October is the month for National Breast Cancer Awareness. Go Commodores, "Think Pink".

October 29, 2007
LADY COMMODORES SPRING SCHEDULE RELEASED
The Gulf Coast Lady Commodore Softball team's Spring 2008 Schedule was released today. The Commodores open up their spring season with a double-header versus Lake City. The Lady Commodores conference schedule begins on March 18th at home against Okaloosa Walton. The Lady Commodores are coming off a 48-20 record, a second place finish in the Panhandle Conference and a fourth consecutive state tournament berth.

2008 Spring Softball Schedule

August 20, 2007
COMMODORES START UP FALL SEASON
The Gulf Coast Lady Commodore Softball team will start up fall practice Monday, August 27th and will play their first fall game on September 15th versus the Gold Team, game time is 11:00 am. Our fall schedule and roster are now available. Come out and support the Lady Commodores!

2007 Fall Schedule
2007 Fall Roster

May 2, 2007
WKGC TO BROADCAST LADY COMMODORE GAMES
GCathletics.com - WKGC FM will broadcast all Commodore softball games at the Florida JUCO state tournament. You can listen to the broadcast by clicking on the green microphone at the top of this page. For the tournament bracket you can click the link below as well.

State Bracket

April 2, 2007
LADY COMMODORES CONTINUE WINNING WAYS
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - It’s rare for a student to step into a classroom and ace a test when they’re unprepared and unfocused despite all their cramming. The same is true for softball teams, especially ones like Gulf Coast that recently has been inconsistent. Final practices heading into this weekend’s FCCAA Gulf District/NJCAA Region 8 tournament are like going over notes in eager anticipation for the final exam. In other words, if the Lady Commodores (45-18) aren’t ready to contend by now they’ll never be. Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter is hopeful that three weeks of uninspired play are behind the Lady Commodores, who limp into the tournament with losses in eight of their last 14 games. “It’s the postseason now so something is on the line,” Painter said Tuesday. “That’s not to say we weren’t playing for anything before, but hopefully this will spark them.” Gulf Coast, ranked fifth in the state, opens at 11 a.m. Friday against South Florida (30-25) at the Auburndale Softball Complex. There is the potential of facing No. 2 Manatee in the second round of the winners’ bracket, a matchup that could go a long way to determining Gulf Coast’s fate, and a showdown with Chipola looms on the horizon. Moving past the first round would provide a boost of confidence given how up and down the Lady Commodores have been lately. “The first game’s so crucial because it will lead you there,” Painter said. “Winning that first game will give us the type of bright spot we need.” Surviving the first day is a key to success down the road. It’s no surprise that Gulf Coast teams which advanced to nationals have done well in the early rounds at state. The ones that fell short have struggled early. Painter expects Gulf Coast’s fate to be decided by its group of sophomores, which begins with pitcher Sarah Dooley and extends to players such as Saskia Kosterink and Debby Connor. Dooley is again the workhorse of the staff after Brooke Ross was dismissed from the team and freshman Ersy Pacheco has struggled. Dooley also has hit a slide, however, losing her last two decisions. It’s time to move past that, she said, and prepare for the marathon that is the state tournament. “I know there’s pressure on me and I have to step up,” Dooley said. “But this is what I live for. I want to pitch when my team needs me.” Dooley (28-9) can only do so much, as even a rubber-armed hurler can tire. She’ll need offensive support to keep from stalling, and Gulf Coast must play solid defense and limit mistakes in crucial situations. Kosterink has been Gulf Coast’s most consistent hitter, finishing the Panhandle Conference schedule batting over .400 with seven home runs. Kosterink has set the tone for Gulf Coast’s offense as its leadoff batter. Painter expects more of the same this weekend. Painter also singled out Connor, who has again displayed the power to make her a feared hitter, and Bethlehem graduate Nichole Ward, a rising contributor. Painter knows what to expect from those players. Others must produce, and more hitters must come through, she said. Ward agreed, adding that the rich history of Gulf Coast’s program has given players a new outlook. Many past Gulf Coast teams had 50 wins by now. The only way the Lady Commodores can achieve that plateau is to keep playing. “It’s a motivating factor for us because we haven’t done as well as other teams have,” Ward said. “There’s pressure to be better and we know we can be better.” Painter has seen a lot of softball and is not one to give up on her team. But even she is baffled by the Lady Commodores’ inability to put a stretch of good games together. “The complacency is the most difficult thing to deal with,” Painter said. “Plus we need to compete all the time. Why wouldn’t you want to go out there and compete? “We’ve seen a little bit of that last weekend, the will to come back and play with pride. Now they need to display it more.” If the struggles continue, Gulf Coast won’t have to worry about playing for a state title. But Dooley thinks there’s more to the Lady Commodores than what they’ve shown in their recent losses. “This team definitely still has the ability to win this tournament,” Dooley said. “But to win it we’ll have to work as a team.”
News Herald Article

April 20, 2007
GCCC SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH PJC
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - Not even Sophomore Night could squeeze some consistency out of the Gulf Coast softball team. The Lady Commodores broke out for an 8-0 run-rule win against visiting Okaloosa-Walton at Joe Tom King Field in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday. However, Gulf Coast stranded nine baserunners in Game 2 and had to settle for a split with a 3-0 loss. The split left Gulf Coast with a 44-15 overall record and a 14-6 mark in the Panhandle Conference, finishing in second place behind champion Chipola. O-W finished the conference slate at 28-28, 8-12, with hopes for a state playoff berth still alive. O-W needed Chipola to sweep Pensacola on Thursday to set up a playoff for fourth place and the final state tournament berth. Results of the Chipola-Pensacola doubleheader were not available as of press time. Thursday’s twinbill played out much like it has over the past two weeks for Gulf Coast. Rays of hope spring up, only to be dashed by head-scratching mistakes and lack of pop at the plate. “That’s it right there,” Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter said. “You would have hoped they got a feel for it after the first game, but we didn’t carry it over into the second game at all. “That was another case of not coming through with the big hit when we desperately needed it. And it’s another sign of some people doing the same things over and over again, and that won’t get the job done.” The day began with promise as Gulf Coast’s Debby Connor, a sophomore who is the school’s all-time leader in home runs and RBIs, stroked a grand slam in the first inning to give the Lady Commodores a 4-0 lead. One more run in the second inning and three more in the fourth, capped by a solo home run by Sarah Smith and Jenn Monaghan’s two-run homer, secured the run rule. Meantime, Sarah Dooley, another sophomore and the school’s all-time wins and strikeouts leader, pitched a no-hitter, finishing with six strikeouts and three walks in the game shortened to five innings. It was Dooley’s second no-hitter of the season, as she first secured the feat against Enterprise-Ozark on Feb. 14. Monaghan, Smith and Saskia Kosterink, all sophomores, as well as freshman Amanda Byers all had two hits for the Lady Commodores. The success in Game 1 was fleeting in the second contest, when the same group of four batters combined for one hit apiece. Dooley also struggled in relief of starter Ersy Pacheco, Dooley tossing three innings with three walks and one strikeout. Nikki Smith paced Gulf Coast with two hits, including a double in the fourth inning, but she was one of the nine baserunners stranded by O-W pitcher Elizabeth Kaiser, who threw a seven-hitter with one walk and one strikeout for the win. O-W scored all the runs it needed in the first as Briana Nelson, who led off the game with a double, scored on Katie Hardcastle’s single and Fallon Fisher was plated on a Connor error. The Lady Raiders added insurance in the fourth. Gulf Coast’s best chance to break through came in the sixth inning when it loaded the bases with no outs. Kaiser was able to induce a ground out at home plate, struck out Amanda Bailey and forced a popout by Valerie Pena to end the threat. Hardcastle finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs, Samantha Hastings was 2 for 3 with a run and Shannon Tinkley 2 for 4 for O-W, which had 10 hits in Game 2, including eight off Pacheco in four innings. Gulf Coast had just seven hits in Game 2. “That’s not the way you win ballgames,” Painter said. “If you want to go to state and come back with a trophy, you better find the consistency. “If you come right back after a good game with a bad one, then you won’t get very far.” Gulf Coast finishes the regular season with road doubleheaders against Thomas College of Georgia and Wallace State-Dothan, Ala., on Saturday and Sunday. Any momentum in those games will be crucial for state preparations. “We’re 44-15, which isn’t bad,” Painter said. “But we’re not where we want to be. “There’s too many ups and downs. We need to find a rhythm.”
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April 18, 2007
GCCC SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH PJC
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - Gulf Coast played 17 innings of junior college softball Tuesday night with less-than-preferred results. The Lady Commodores split with visiting Pensacola, dropping the first game 1-0 in nine innings and winning the second 3-2 in eight innings in the doubleheader played at Joe Tom King Field. The split wrapped up the Panhandle Conference title for Chipola, which split with Tallahassee on Tuesday. The Lady Indians can do no worse than tie the Lady Commodores, but Chipola owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. Nichole Ward (Bethlehem) singled in Debby Connor with the winning run to salvage a victory in Game 2. Saskia Kosterink finished 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs, her solo shot tying the game 1-1 in the first inning. Jenn Monaghan and Nikki Smith were each 2 for 4 and Connor finished 2 for 3 for Gulf Coast. Sarah Dooley improved to 27-7 after earning the win in relief of starter Ersy Pacheco. Key hits weren’t forthcoming in Game 1, as the Lady Commodores (43-14, 13-5) stranded 15 baserunners. Gulf Coast loaded the bases three times without scoring. Dooley went the distance in the losing effort. “Offensively we just didn’t get it done and I can’t even describe why we’re not doing it,” Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter said. “We had too many chances to open the door and we couldn’t do it.” Painter said Gulf Coast must play better in the final games heading into the state tournament May 4-6 in Auburndale. “It’s all about playing with pride at this point and adding a little heart,” Painter said. “The state tournament is a whole new round and we have to be ready to play it.” Gulf Coast hosts Okaloosa-Walton on Thursday for the team’s Sophomore Night before playing two nonconference doubleheaders to close out the regular season.
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April 15, 2007
GCCC SOFTBALL CLINCHES STATE BERTH
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - It’s good to be home. On Saturday, Gulf Coast played at Joe Tom King Field for the first time since March 20. The Lady Commodores entertained North Florida, sweeping the Lady Sentinels 10-3 and 15-1 in a second game shortened to five innings due to the run rule. Gulf Coast improved to 42-13 overall and 12-4 in the conference and it clinched a berth in next month’s state tournament. The Lady Commodores recently wrapped up a 16-game road trip in which they finished 10-6, with losses in three of their last four games, all in the conference. Saturday served as the perfect opportunity for a rebound against the cellardwelling Lady Sentinels (11-37, 1-15). “We made it to our next step of many more steps hopefully to come,” Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter said. “We talked about how important these games were and we really needed to play them. Thankfully the weather held off and we were able to do that.” Gulf Coast amassed 26 hits, 13 in each game, with the second game featuring home runs by Debby Connor, Saskia Kosterink and Amanda Byers, who was Gulf Coast’s offensive catalyst. Byers finished 7 for 8 with a double, homer, three RBIs and four runs scored. “This was a really good pickme-up for the whole team,” Byers said. “Especially with two more conference doubleheaders left to play.” Byers said Gulf Coast relished the chance to break out, even if it was against the lastplace team in the conference. The recent losing skid, which included two run-rule losses at Chipola and a missed opportunity for a sweep at Tallahassee, was humbling, but not destructive to the team’s psyche. “It was good to win like this,” Byers said. “It’s the best way to go into next week.” North Florida played Gulf Coast close in Madison on March 24. The Lady Commodores fought for a 7-2, 6-5 sweep of a twinbill in what were the first two games of the road trip. Saturday, Byers said, was vastly different. Sarah Dooley (26-6) started and won both games, pitching five innings with seven strikeouts and three walks in the first game and four strikeouts and a walk in three innings of Game 2. Dooley gave up three hits in each appearance, the most damaging in Game 1 when she yielded two home runs and three runs in the fourth inning. The homers, a two-run blast hit by Maddie Beddingfield and a solo shot by Jennifer Miskell, were North Florida’s only shining moments. The three-run fourth was nowhere near Gulf Coast’s eight-run second inning in Game 1. The Lady Commodores also scored eight runs in the first inning of the second game. In Game 1, Byers and Sarah Smith were each 3 for 4, Nikki Smith 2 for 4 with a double and a run and Trinity Pollard (Rutherford) 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run for Gulf Coast. Ersy Pacheco pitched the final two innings, giving up two hits with no strikeouts and no walks. Miskell was 2 for 3, while starter Chelsi Taylor took the loss after giving up nine runs on 13 hits with five walks and no strikeouts. Gulf Coast proved even more potent at the plate against Game 2 starter Melissa Smith, who was battered for 15 runs, 11 earned, with four walks and one strikeout. Byers’ homer, a two-run shot, sparked the eight-run first inning. She was 4 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs, while Kosterink was 3 for 4 with a solo home run in the third and Connor was 2 for 2 with a two-run homer, also in the third. Connor is accustomed to powerful outputs. The speedy Byers is not, but gladly accepted the praise from her teammates for her first career homer. “I was kind of joking with everyone because the wind was blowing out,” Byers said. “I was telling them that I’d hit one out and I did.” The offensive outburst was too much for North Florida, which had just six hits in Game 2, led by Natasha Berry’s two singles. The Lady Sentinels notched their only run, Taylor scoring on Berry’s RBI single, in the third inning. Next up for Gulf Coast is a doubleheader against Pensacola on Tuesday. It, too, is at home. “It’s always nice to be at home,” Byers said. “To be in your own bed and your own place where you can feel most comfortable.”
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April 12, 2007
LADY COMMODORES SPLIT WITH EAGLES
NEWS HERALD (Eric Jorgensen ) - Sarah Dooley tossed a four-hitter in the first game for her 24th win, as Gulf Coast split a Panhandle Conference softball doubleheader against Tallahassee on Wednesday. The Lady Commodores won the first game 6-2, but dropped the second 7-3. Gulf Coast trailed 2-1 starting the top of the fifth inning when Nichole Ward (Bethlehem) led off with a home run. The Lady Commodores added another run, then got three more in the seventh inning. Ward finished 2 for 3, and Sarah Smith was 3 for 3. Dooley (24-6) struck out four and allowed two unearned runs. In the second game, Gulf Coast made five errors. “They put the ball in play and we didn’t make the plays,” said Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter. Ersy Pacheco (7-5) was the losing pitcher, allowing 10 hits and striking out one. Ward was 2 for 3, including an RBI double. Saskia Kosterink was 2 for 3, and Amanda Byers 2 for 4. The Lady Commodores are 40-13 overall and remained in second place with a 10-4 mark in the conference. The Lady Eagles are now 28-12, 8-6, sitting in sole possession of third place. Gulf Coast plays its next three doubleheaders at home, starting Saturday against North Florida with games at 1 and 3 p.m.
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April 6, 2007
CHIPOLA SHUTS DOWN GC IN SOFTBALL SWEEP
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - Chipola College looked every bit like the top-ranked junior college softball team in the nation on Thursday. Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter can attest to that. The Lady Indians (38-5, 10-2 Panhandle Conference) swept the visiting Lady Commodores (39-12, 9-3) with a pair of 8-0 runrule victories to move into first place, one game ahead of Gulf Coast. Chipola also won the regular-season series 3-1 to secure the crucial head-to-head tiebreaker. Chipola used a seven-run second inning to take control of Game 1. The Lady Indians never relinquished the momentum. “We played really well and this was two big wins for us,” Chipola coach Belinda Hendrix said. “This puts us back on top of the conference, which is where we want to be.” Hendrix talked with the Lady Indians about the importance of scoring with two outs. Chipola took her words to heart by scoring all seven runs in the second inning of Game 1 after two outs. Gulf Coast starter Sarah Dooley retired the first two batters, then committed a throwing error, allowing Martina Landrum to reach first base. Seven more Chipola baserunners reached, including two by way of hit batters.
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April 4, 2007
LADY DORES SET RECORDS IN SWEEP OF PJC
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - Gulf Coast set school records for runs and hits in one inning in defeating homestanding Pensacola 17-2 in the first game of a Panhandle Conference junior college softball doubleheader on Tuesday. Gulf Coast swept the twinbill with a 3-2 win in Game 2. The Lady Commodores (39-10, 9-1) tallied 14 runs on 13 hits in the fifth inning of Game 1, the frame punctuated by grand slams by Saskia Kosterink and Debby Connor and a solo homer by Amanda Bailey (Fort Walton Beach). Kosterink finished 4 for 5 with five RBIs, Connor was 3 for 4 with seven RBIs, Bailey 2 for 3 with two home runs and two RBIs, Sarah Smith 2 for 4 and Amanda Byers 2 for 4 for Gulf Coast, which took over sole possession of first place in the conference. In Game 2, Connor’s solo home run in the seventh capped the win. She finished with two RBIs and nine on the night. Kosterink was 3 for 4 and Byers 2 for 4. Sarah Dooley (23-5) won both games, the first as a starter and the second in relief of Ersy Pacheco. Gulf Coast plays Chipola in Marianna on Thursday, with the first game of the doubleheader set for 4 p.m.
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April 1, 2007
GC WOMEN SWEEP OKALOOSA-WALTON
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - This is what Susan Painter called grinding out some wins. Gulf Coast needed two comebacks and had to hold off Okaloosa-Walton in both games for a junior college softball doubleheader sweep on Saturday. Gulf Coast won the first game 5-4 behind Debby Connor’s tworun home run. The Lady Commodores turned a double play with the bases loaded in the seventh inning for a 7-6 win in Game 2. Gulf Coast improved to 37-10 overall and 7-1 in the Panhandle Conference, pulling into a firstplace tie with Chipola, which split a doubleheader against Pensacola on Friday. “They were really good ballgames,” Painter said. “I think we were a little tired, but we kind of grinded them out with big hits when we needed them.” Sarah Dooley (21-5) earned both wins for Gulf Coast, the first as a starter in Game 1 and the second in relief of Ersy Pacheco. Dooley gave up seven hits and had seven strikeouts in the first game. She gave up two runs on five hits in five innings of relief in Game 2.
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March 29, 2007
LADY COMMODORES SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER
NEWS HERALD (Roy Houpt ) - The Gulf Coast women’s softball team completed a road trip on Wednesday with a 5-3 record. The Lady Commodores (35-10 overall) split a doubleheader with Georgia Perimeter, winning the first game 4-2, but losing the second 8-3. GCCC swept Young Harris 11-0, 4-2 on Tuesday. Sarah Dooley (19-5) pitched a onehitter in the 4-2 win over Perimeter. Dooley gave up a two-out, two-run double in the third inning. Jennifer Monaghan and Debby Connor were both 2 for 4. In the second game, Gulf Coast led 3-1 before giving up seven runs on six hits in the sixth inning. The Lady Commodores, 5-1 in the Panhandle Conference, play a doubleheader at Okaloosa-Walton in Niceville on Saturday at 1 p.m.
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March 27, 2007
GC DROPS TWIN BILL ON ROAD
NEWS HERALD (Eric Jorgensen ) - If any team is capable of having Susan Painter’s number, it’s Chattanooga State. Painter’s Gulf Coast softball team dropped a junior college doubleheader against Chattanooga State Monday afternoon, losing 7-0, 5-1, in what was the Lady Tigers’ fourth win over the Lady Commodores this season. Chattanooga State also defeated Gulf Coast once at Joe Tom King Field and another time in a nine-inning encounter during a tournament at Okaloosa-Walton College in Niceville. The doubleheader featured the third and fourth contests of a 16-game road trip for Gulf Coast, and Painter hopes the rest of the voyage goes smoother than it did on Monday. “That’s about as good of a beating as you can get,” Painter said. “We didn’t have it all. “We we’re ready to compete against a good team and we haven’t been challenging teams the way we need to be.” Game 1 slipped away slowly, Painter said. The Lady Commodores (32-9) again failed to produce runs, leaving the bases loaded in the first inning and stranding 10 baserunners in the game. Meantime, Ersy Pacheco gave up 10 hits in the loss, dropping to 6-2 on the season. Brooke Ross tossed the final two innings for Gulf Coast. The second game had more promise, as Whitney Johnson scored on a Nikki Smith single to tie the affair at 1-1. However, the promise faded quickly after Chattanooga State used several Gulf Coast miscues to move ahead 4-1 in the second inning. Johnson finished 2 for 3 and Amanda Bailey added a double for Gulf Coast in the second game. Sarah Dooley (17-5) took the loss. Gulf Coast travels to Young Harris, Ga., for a doubleheader today, the first game beginning at 1 p.m. CDT. It’s then on to Georgia Perimeter on Wednesday. Painter hopes the Lady Commodores can break through their funk before returning to Florida for the remainder of the Panhandle Conference schedule, which is highlighted by a trip to play co-leader Chipola College in Marianna on April 5. “We have to get out of this,” Painter said. “We look forward to four more games and hopefully we can play well. “This is the time for our team to regroup. We need to get ourselves back up and ready to compete for the rest of the season.”
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March 25, 2007
DOOLEY SETS WIN MARK
NEWS HERALD (Eric Jorgensen ) - Sarah Dooley became Gulf Coast’s all-time winningest pitcher with a pair of victories on Saturday, as the Lady Commodores beat North Florida, 7-2 and 6-5. Dooley’s two victories give her 49 for her career, one better than the record previously held by Dottie Cupp. Dooley (17-4) went the distance in the first game, allowing seven hits and striking out 11. She was behind most of the game, until Gulf Coast scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning to erase a 2-1 deficit. Whitney Johnson’s run-scoring double tied the game, and the Lady Commodores just kept hitting that inning. “We really struggled until that inning; then we really busted out,” said Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter. “It was neat to see.” Johnson, Saskia Kosterink and Trinity Pollard (Rutherford) each had two hits. Kosterink scored two runs and had an RBI. In the second game, Dooley relieved Brooke Ross in the bottom of the second — an inning Painter would just as soon forget. Before it was done, North Florida had scored five runs on three hits and six walks, taking a 5-2 lead. It could have been worse, except the Lady Commodores escaped with an inning-ending double play. “That was the only good thing that happened that inning,” Painter said. “It was chaos. We could not find the plate.” However, Gulf Coast responded by scoring three runs in the top of the third inning and getting the game-winner on a Debby Connor home run in the top of the fourth. “After that, both teams kind of wilted in the 100-degree heat,” Painter said. Dooley allowed six hits and four walks, while striking out three, in the relief appearance. Amanda Bailey had a single, double and two RBIs. Gulf Coast raised its record to 32-7 overall and 5-1 in Panhandle Conference games. North Florida dropped to 10-28, 0-6 The Lady Commodores continue a long road trip by playing Monday in Chattanooga, Tenn.
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March 22, 2007
LADY COMMODORES SWEEP TALLAHASSEE
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - Gulf Coast softball coach Susan Painter used five words to describe her feelings after her Lady Commodores opened the season with two competitive doubleheaders. “I like where we are,” she said. Her description came after Gulf Coast swept visiting Tallahassee 6-2, 5-2 Tuesday night at Joe Tom King Field, helping the Lady Commodores improve to 30-7 overall and 3-1 in the Panhandle Conference. Gulf Coast opened the conference schedule with a split against Chipola on Saturday. Painter said Tuesday’s games revealed many strengths and weaknesses. The major strength was resiliency, as the Lady Commodores came back to post the victories after the Lady Eagles (20-8, 0-2) tied both games at 2-2. A weakness was not being able to put away Tallahassee earlier. “We’re still leaving way too many people on base,” Painter said. “They opened the door for us in the first game and we couldn’t pull through early.” Gulf Coast stranded nine baserunners in Game 1 and only three in the second game, though all three runners were left standing in scoring position. Tallahassee fared worse along the basepaths, stranding 15 baserunners in the two games. Seven of the 15 came in Game 1 against Gulf Coast starter Sarah Dooley. The sophomore worked her way out of two bases-loaded jams, one in each of the fourth and seventh innings. In the fourth, she notched two straight strikeouts and forced a grounder to end the threat. In the seventh, she struck out Brittany Welch, who set the Tallahassee school record for seasonal home runs earlier this season. “We pulled together and a lot of that was due to Sarah,” Painter said. “She kept them from gaining any more momentum because they could have taken us right out of the game.” Dooley gave up two runs on six hits with nine strikeouts and three walks in improving to 15-4 on the season. She is one win away from tying the Gulf Coast career mark of 48 set by Dottie Cupp. She also came on to earn her second save of the season in Game 2, striking out Welch again to end the contest.
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March 19, 2007
GC SWEEPS NON-CONFERENCE PAIR
NEWS HERALD (Eric Jorgensen ) - Gulf Coast’s softball team swept a nonconference doubleheader on Sunday at Joe Tom King Field, pushing its record to 28-7. The Lady Commodores beat Johnson County (Kan.) 11-3 in the first game, stopped after five innings because of the run rule; and beat Southeastern Iowa 4-3 in the second game. Sarah Dooley (14-4) was the winning pitcher in the first game, allowing three hits and two walks, while striking out seven, in four innings. She allowed just one earned run. Ersy Pacheco pitched the final inning. Amanda Byers led a potent hitting attack with two doubles and three runs. Pacheco had two hits, including a double, and drove in three runs. Debby Connor had two hits and two RBIs. Saskia Kosterink and Trinity Pollard (Rutherford) each had two hits. In the second game, Brooke Ross (9-2) pitched a complete game, allowing five hits, while striking out six. Gulf Coast trailed until the fifth inning, when Pacheco hit a two-run double to put the Lady Commodores ahead. Kosterink had three hits and scored two runs, Byers had two hits and drove in two runs, and Connor had two hits. Gulf Coast returns to Panhandle Conference action on Tuesday with a doubleheader at home against Tallahassee.
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March 18, 2007
GULF COAST, CHIPOLA SPLIT OPENER
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - Chipola College had Gulf Coast on the ropes. But, like any good champion, the Lady Commodores fought back to stave off what could have been a terrible beginning to the Panhandle Conference schedule. Chipola, ranked No. 1 in the state, defeated fourth-ranked Gulf Coast 4-1 Saturday in Game 1 of the conference opening doubleheader for both teams at Joe Tom King Field. However, any momentum disintegrated in a five-run Gulf Coast fifth inning in Game 2, as the Lady Commodores (26-7, 1-1) earned a split with a 6-3 win. The Game 1 victory was Chipola’s first against Gulf Coast since President George W. Bush was in his first term, but that wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy Lady Indians coach Belinda Hendrix. “Yes, the win is nice, but we wanted the sweep this doubleheader and I’m more disappointed in the loss,” Hendrix said. “We’re the No. 1 team in the state and we’re a better team than that.” Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter shared the same feelings as Hendrix, though she gladly accepted the outcome. Painter typically is no fan of a doubleheader split, but she was elated considering the alternative. “We needed that,” Painter said. “We were on the complacent side in the first game and that’s nowhere we want to be at this time of year.
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March 15, 2007
WINNING SOFTBALL TITLE DIFFICULT TASK
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - Winning three straight Panhandle Conference championships would typically be enough to qualify a team as a favorite. That’s not so this season. Gulf Coast faces a stern challenge this year in its quest for a fourth consecutive Panhandle crown. Three other teams already have proved to be more than competitive, and the list of would-be champions includes upstart Chipola, which opens at Gulf Coast on Saturday. Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter has won five conference titles in the past six seasons. Achieving a sixth championship won’t be easy, she said. “We’re ready for the challenge, and that’s what this is all about,” Painter said Wednesday. “That’s why we play the game, to face the challenge and see where we are.” Painter said consistency is key to winning another Panhandle title. She said there have been signs of inconsistency during the nonconference season, despite the team’s 25-6 record. “There’s been some (inconsistency) there, and we’ve experienced it and hopefully learned from it,” Painter said. “This is the battle. There are 20 games in our conference, and each team can beat the other teams.” Painter desires more production than the five runs per game Gulf Coast is scoring this season. The offensive surge begins with Saskia Kosterink, who leads all full-time players with a .398 batting average to go along with a team-high 34 runs scored, four home runs and 13 RBIs. Home runs also have come by way of Debby Connor and Jenn Monaghan, with eight and five homers, respectively. Connor is Gulf Coast’s career home run and RBI leader. One player noticeably missing among the offensive talk is sophomore Amanda Bailey, who batted .400 with five home runs and 45 RBIs as a freshman. A prolonged funk has left Bailey with a .209 average, no home runs and only three RBIs in 91 at-bats this season. Painter has kept Bailey in the starting lineup in right field. Painter’s hopeful the conference season can bring out the best in Bailey. “We’re still looking for her to break out, and we’re trying to tweak things here and there,” Painter said. “She is kind of making it harder than it actually is; she just needs to relax. “We’ve let her fight through it because she’s been a big part of our team for two years. Amanda is very important to us, especially with her leadership.” Sophomore Sarah Dooley, the conference’s pitcher of the year in 2006, is again a pivotal contributor in the pitcher’s circle. She is 13-3 with a 1.19 ERA, 100 strikeouts and 39 walks in 106 innings pitched. She is four wins shy of breaking the school record for career victories, and 38 strikeouts away from breaking another career mark, with both records held by Dottie Cupp. Brooke Ross adds an 8-2 mark, while Ersy Pacheco is 4-1. “Sarah knows that this is the time of year that she needs to have her best games if we are going to have a chance to make it back to state and defend our (state) title,” Painter said. The top four teams in the conference advance to the Gulf District tournament in Auburndale from May 4 to 6. The winners of the Gulf and Atlantic districts advance to the national tournament in Plant City May 17-19.
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March 11, 2007
GC SOFTBALL FALLS IN SEMI-FINALS
NEWS HERALD (Brad Milner ) - The Gulf Coast softball team went 1-1 in the second day of the Okaloosa-Walton Jimmie Stewart Memorial softball tournament on Saturday. The Lady Commodores (25-6) earned the second seed in the singleelimination draw and defeated Pasco-Hernando 4-2 before falling to Chattanooga State 5-4 in nine innings in the semifinal. Chipola College defeated Chattanooga State 14-2 to take the tournament championship. In the first game, Gulf Coast scored three runs in the fifth inning and both teams completed its scoring in the sixth. Debby Connor was 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI and Suzanne Smith 2 for 4 with two RBIs for Gulf Coast. Sarah Dooley (13-3) took the win after striking out six and walking one. Chattanooga State scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs of the second game. The teams were tied 2-2 at the end of seven and 3-3 after eight innings. Ersy Pacheco went the distance in the losing effort, falling to 4-1 after giving up five runs, two earned, on eight hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Smith and Amanda Byers chipped in RBIs and Heather Ivey (Rutherford) scored for the Lady Commodores. On the injury front, Jenn Monaghan turned her ankle at first base against Chattanooga State. Gulf Coast coach Susan Painter didn’t know the severity of the injury, but she hopes Monaghan can be ready for the Panhandle Conference opener Saturday against Chipola. The Lady Indians (26-3-1) head to Panama City on the heels of an easy time in this weekend’s Okaloosa-Walton tournament. Chipola outscored its opponents 38-2 on Saturday, including defeating Northeast Mississippi 20-0. In the semifinal, Chipola shut out Central Alabama, which defeated Gulf Coast 4-3 in pool play on Friday.
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