Gulf Coast prepares for first State tourney since 2019

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) – After a five-year postseason drought, the Gulf Coast softball team is back in the FCSAA Region VIII tournament, their first time in the Scot Thomas coaching era.

Thomas joined the program during the 2020 COVID season after spending 23 seasons as the Virginia Tech head coach.

Given the COVID circumstances, he knew it might take him longer to build a program of his own, but five years later he finally has the Commodores in the post-season.

“This is the first year that we’ve been on level ground with everybody,” Thomas said. “I’m excited about it. Reminds me of my days at Tech when we were going to the regionals and stuff, and I know the atmosphere is going to be a lot different. The girls are going to really enjoy that.”

The Commodores have been led by their sophomore pitching duo, Lexi Shelby and Marissa Barnes.

Barnes, a Holmes County High School alum and East Tennessee State commit, said she loves having the game in her control.

“It’s kind of stressful, but it’s a good thing,” Barnes said. “I feel like I have control over obviously the whole game. So if I want to have a good day and we want to have a good game, I know I have to be my best and I have to do my best no matter what. So, it’s nice knowing I have control and then I have everyone else behind me that kind of helps me have control of the whole game.”

Gulf Coast feels like they’re well prepared for Regionals as they played a strong non-conference schedule. They’ve already faced against five of the seven other teams in the state tournament.

“To be able to play teams that you know you’re going to see in that state tournament and going down there is big,” Coach Thomas said. “And that’s why we put ourselves in harm’s way.”

The Commodores believe they are much improved from the beginning of the season and sophomore infielder, Makayla Peters said they are confident they can make a run.

“They really haven’t seen the true Gulf Coast,” Peters said. “So I’m excited. I’m ready and I know my teammates are ready. So we’re all just ready to get down there and get it done.”

Gulf Coast earned the five-seed in the state tournament and will face four-seed Central Florida in the quarterfinals. The game in Clearwater is set for Wednesday, May 8.

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