PANAMA CITY — Dondrayas Harris realized he hit his first career home run halfway through his trot on Friday.
He picked up his pace around third base. His teammates did the same rounding the last portion of the game with more fervor after losing a lead.
A five-run sixth inning propelled GC to a 7-3 win over Darton State in the First Pitch Classic opener at Bill Frazier Field. Both teams took advantage of shaky relief pitching, with the Commodores doing the most damage later. Harris had a hit and scored a run in GC’s 6-0 win over Gordon State later Friday.
(Click here for photos from the opening game)
Harris, a Rutherford graduate, started in center field and scored a second run in the sixth after drawing a walk against losing pitcher Jarius Rhodes. Harris is more known for speed than power, as evidenced by his placement in the leadoff spot on Friday.
He drove the second pitch to right field, as Darton outfielder Brandon Sharpe had a bearing on the ball. Sharpe quickly ran out of turf when the ball drifted over the fence at Frazier Field, a ballpark known for its often chilly conditions and stronger winds than other spots in Bay County.
Harris was oblivious to the cheers and looked back, expecting to see the ball tossed to second for a double. Instead, it became a piece of a memorable debut.
“It’s pretty shocking,” Harris said. “I thought I just hit it hard and the wind kinda helped me.”
His solo shot and another blast to left by Chandler Durham in the second gave GC a 2-0 lead. Durham also singled in the sixth and was GC’s only multi-hit performer in a game with seven base knocks per team.
GC’s lead was erased when Riliani Familia and Sharpe hit back-to-back homers off reliever Brandon Pergantis with two outs in the fifth. Familia was 2 for 3 with a double in the first inning and Darton went ahead on a Tavin Thompson single in the sixth.
Pergantis was the eventual winner after two innings of work when Harris and GC rallied against Rhodes, who couldn’t locate the strike zone. Rhodes walked three batters and brought in another run on a high throw during a pitch out. Nick Flair and Tevin Johnson rapped out RBI doubles for GC, the former’s plating Harris.
The former Ram said while it’s still early in the season, the rally provided a glimpse of GC’s fortitude, something that coach Mike Kandler also could see.
“It shows what our true character is,” Harris said. “That even when we’re down we’ll still fight to try and get a win.”
Ryan Koziol finished on the mound for GC with one walk in the seventh. Matt Foster started and took the no-decision after giving up no runs on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks in four innings.
GC finishes the First Pitch Classic today with seven-inning games against Gordon at 10 a.m. and Darton at 5:30 p.m.
Darton 000 021 0 — 3 7 0
Gulf Coast 110 005 x — 7 7 1
Harman, Rhodes (6, L), McCurry (6) and Mann; Foster, Pergantis (5, W, 1-0), Koziol and Durham. 2B: Darton (Familia), GC 2 (Flair, Johnson). HR: Darton 2 (Familia, Sharpe), GC 2 (Harris, Durham). E: GC (Flair). LOB: Darton 8, GC 3.
GC 6, Gordon 0
Flair was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs in guiding the Commodores to a 2-0 start. Koziol was 2 for 3 with a double, Johnson had a double and an RBI and Christian Williams was 2 for 3.
West Covington gave up two hits with three strikeouts and two walks in earning the victory. Austin Howze pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the save.
“I’m extremely pleased with day one,” Kandler said. “Now we’ll put it behind us and go on to the second day.”