PANAMA CITY — Gulf Coast baseball coach Mike Kandler said his team can compete for a Panhandle Conference title. Now it’s a just a matter of doing so.
The Commodores enter today’s conference opener at Chipola on the strength of a nine-game winning streak. It’s the start of the first of four three-game series to open the schedule, which again features 20 games in the search for one of two state playoff spots from the Panhandle. GC finished third and three games behind Chipola last season.
Playing well in the nonconference season is nothing new for the Commodores or any of the Panhandle teams for that matter. GC is 21-6 this year and also had 20 wins before playing in the conference in 2013. The Commodores had nine conference wins and slumped to losses in seven of their last six.
Any prolonged losing streak can be deadly in the six-week race. Conversely, a well-placed winning streak can aid in advancing to state.
“It’s as much as being hot at the right time as anyone,” Kandler said. “I think we’re gonna have a good shot to compete.”
GC has done little to hurt its cause by currently hitting .338 as a team. GC also has a team ERA of 3.25 led by three stellar starters atop the rotation. Pitching remains a thinner position on the team, but the staff has been healthy after 27 games.
Returning sophomore Brendan Leach has kept his place as one of the conference’s top pitchers with a 5-0 record, a 1.62 ERA, 27 strikeouts and nine walks in 33 1/3 innings. West Covington is tied with Leach with five wins and a loss to go along with a 2.02 ERA, 26 strikeouts and only six walks in a team-high 40 innings. Matt Foster rounds out the starting trio at 2-1 with a team-leading 1.50 ERA, 38 strikeouts and nine walks in 30 innings.
Ryan Koziol has six saves and nine strikeouts in 11 innings as the closer. Jordan Worthing and Cameron Ragsdale have combined for a 5-0 mark as spot starters and Austin Howze leads all relievers with 18 2/3 innings while giving up the most runs at 17.
“There’s not a lot of depth, but the guys have done their jobs,” Kandler said. “With a three ERA you know we can pitch well.”
GC also has been able to hit well, averaging more than seven runs per game with double digits in four of its last eight. Nick Flair has emerged as the leader with team highs in home runs (six), RBIs (35) and average (.441). Speedster Woody Edwards is hitting .410 and has 12 stolen bases since his return from a hamstring injury and Christian Williams adds a .400 average and 17 runs scored.
Kandler expected the Commodores to be strong at the plate entering this season. They will need to continue to be so against what will be more difficult pitching matchups.
“Offensively, we’ve been solid start to finish,” Kandler said. “If we play well we can play with any team.”
