Dolphins
| 02/28/25 @ Pine Forest | 21 |
| 02/27/25 vs Pace | 0 |
| 02/25/25 vs Crestview | 4 |
| 02/21/25 vs Tate | 9 |
| 02/20/25 @ Milton | 8 |
| 02/18/25 @ T.R. Miller | 5 |
The Gulf Breeze Dolphins will venture away from home to challenge the Niceville Eagles at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Gulf Breeze is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.8 runs per game this season.
Gulf Breeze will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Thursday, then bounced right back against Pine Forest on Friday. Gulf Breeze was the clear victors by a 21-0 margin over Pine Forest. That 21 run margin sets a new team best for the Dolphins this season.
Sydney Hersom made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Hersom was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3. She also put up a double, which was her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kylie Reed, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. That's the most runs she has posted since back in May of 2024. Ariana Mercado was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Gulf Breeze hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Pine Forest struck out seven times.
Meanwhile, Niceville was not the first on the board last Thursday, but they got there more often. They walked away with a 6-1 victory over West Florida.
Chloe Bailey spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on two hits and racked up 12 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up a single earned run any time she's pitched this season.
At the plate, Natalie Miller and Anabelle Shackelford did most of the damage at the plate: Miller went 1-for-4 with three RBI and one double, while Shackelford scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Gulf Breeze's win was their fourth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Niceville, they now have a winning record of 2-1.
Gulf Breeze came up short against Niceville when the teams last played back in March of 2016, falling 4-0. Can Gulf Breeze avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
