Organized Chaos

Some recruiting seasons are easier than others. Gulf Coast softball coach Susan Painter enjoyed a less stressful one this year.

Painter all but finished recruiting for next season with only six incoming commitments due to the possibility of having as many as 16 returners from this year’s team. She said last week there is a chance to sign a seventh player, which likely could be a transfer in the summer.

Area athletes, pitcher/infielder Crystal Thompson of Holmes County and outfielder Tiffany Adkison of Vernon, join pitcher/infielder Kaitlin Ellingsworth (Temple City, Calif.), pitcher Heather Hughes (Havana), pitcher/infielder Jordan McAllister (Dothan, Ala.) and shortstop Samantha Posey (Leesburg, Ga.) as commitments for the 2009 season.

Ellingsworth is the sister of former Lady Commodores Lindsay and Ryann.

Posey is the sister of current Florida State University baseball players Buster and Jack.

Seeking consistency

GC baseball coach Mike Kandler may have raised a few eyebrows when he said his then 17-6 team wasn’t playing well enough to contend for a Panhandle Conference title. But last weekend supported his concerns.

The Commodores won all three of their games, but they worked through much adversity in a pair against Lincoln Trail on Friday and Saturday. GC committed 10 errors in the two games and needed a late rally after its bullpen blew a five-run lead on Saturday. GC made only 25 errors in its previous 23 games heading into last weekend.

Kandler was pleased with Sunday’s 7-0 shutout of Vincennes University, in which Will Smith allowed two hits in improving to 3-3. Smith’s pitching effort in conference games, along with several other freshmen, likely will tell the story on where the Commodores finish.

Nearing milestones

Kandler entered Monday needing eight wins for his 100th victory while at GC. He’ll soon become the fourth GC baseball coach to hit the century mark, and is currently ranked fourth in career wins at the school, 38 behind Bob McAlpine.

Painter is four wins shy of her 650th career win at GC. The Lady Commodores are currently 14-3, giving Painter a 646-195 career mark with the program.

Up next

GC softball plays Indian River and Chattanooga (Tenn.) State at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday at Joe Tom King Field before playing in the NFCA Junior College Leadoff Classic at Frank Brown Park over the weekend. The non-tournament games Thursday provide another measuring stick for the Lady Commodores, who have battled Indian River for state supremacy in the past.

GC baseball hosts Danville at 5:30 p.m. today, Iowa Central at 4 p.m. on Friday and John Wood at 4 p.m. on Saturday in games included in the annual GC Spring Classic.

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