Dolphins stumble out of gate
BY JASON THOMPSON Gulf Breeze News jason@gulfbreezenews.com

Jason Thompson/Gulf Breeze News Mark Waghalter fires to the plate in the Dolphins' game at Catholic Saturday.

What hopes to become a stellar season for the Gulf Breeze Dolphin baseball team got off to an inauspicious start as Pace and Catholic both scored eight runs in the first inning to beat Gulf Breeze by the 10-run rule last week.

Pace 13, Dolphins 2 (five innings)

The Dolphins (0-2) were held to just one hit in a loss to the defending 4A state champions Feb. 13 in Pace.

Shane Dorlag singled with two outs in the third inning for the only Dolphin hit. He scored that inning and in the fifth inning after drawing a walk. Dorlag scored his second run on a bases loaded walk to Derek Jeter.

Greg Tober gave up eight runs in 2/3 innings for the Dolphins. Mark Waghalter allowed three hits, three walks and struck out four over the final 3 1/3.

Catholic 23, Dolphins 3

(five innings)

Two hit batsmen, four walks and a fielder error allowed the Crusaders to put up eight in the bottom of the first Saturday in Pensacola. The game was moved from Friday due to the cold weather that gripped the area last week.

Jason Thompson/Gulf Breeze News Kolton Hanke gets set at third base Saturday at Catholic.

Gulf Breeze took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Kameron Brunty reached base on a dropped third strike and subsequent throwing error. He scored on a Jeter groundout.

The Dolphins left two on in the second before Catholic tacked on another run in the second on another hit batter. Gulf Breeze walked nine and hit four batters in the loss.

Gulf Breeze added single runs in the third and fourth innings. Brunty singled and scored on a two out single by Jeter in the third, while Tyler Gross led off with fourth with a double and scored on a Tom Cotton fly out to make it 9-3.

But any hopes of a comeback were dashed quickly as Catholic hit three home runs, including a grand slam, in a 14-run fourth inning.

Michael Thomas pitched to four batters in the first inning before giving way to Waghalter, who pitched into the fourth inning.

Catholic JV 8, Dolphins 5

Gulf Breeze left eight runners on in a loss at Catholic Saturday.

Catholic led 7-1 before a four-run Dolphin sixth inning got them to within two. The Crusaders added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.

Kyle Schnackenberg went 3-for-4 in the loss, while Cody Warford doubled and tripled and Alex Ball had two singles and scored once. Ball pitched the first innings to get the loss.

Navarre ninth grade 8, Dolphins 2

After winning its first two in the Escambia Gator Classic, Gulf Breeze gave up three runs in the third and two in the fifth to Navarre Saturday.

Josh Suelflow and Adam Gary scored runs in the loss, while Robyn Hoffpauir had one of only two GBHS hits. Suelflow had the other.

Dolphin ninth grade 6, West Florida Tech 1

Gulf Breeze scored five in the first inning and got four innings of three-hit ball from Ben Lively to win Thursday.

Cruz Lee scored twice for the Dolphins, while Alec Purser doubled and scored once.

Dolphin ninth grade 3,

Escambia 2

An error with one out in the bottom of the seventh allowed Gulf Breeze to score the winning run against the host team Feb. 14.

Tyler McGee doubled to score Suelflow to tie the game before Thomas Dorsey reached on an error for the gamewinner.

McGee and Suelflow both had two hits in the win, while Dorsey (six) and Stephen Robbins (five) combined for 11 strikeouts. Robbins got the win in relief.