Often the first game of the high school baseball season means a long bus ride or a matchup of two nondistrict opponents.

The circumstances were different Tuesday night as the defending District 5A-15 champion Mariner Tritons opened the season hosting one of their crosstown rivals, the Ida Baker Bulldogs.

“It was interesting,” Mariner senior catcher Michael Zunino said. “There were a lot of nerves facing our crosstown rivals for the first game.”

Zunino and the Tritons settled in, using a five-run fifth inning to defeat the Bulldogs, 9-3.

Zunino, a University of Florida recruit, set the school’s single-season home run record of 10 last year. He picked up Tuesday where he left off, launching a two-run blast in the third, and had one of three RBI doubles for the Tritons in the fifth.

Senior right-hander Ryan Patton went five innings to pick up the win. He allowed one run on five hits, and stuck out six.

“Regardless of whether we play a classic or not, when you come out and play for real and keep score on the board, you’re going to have butterflies,” Mariner coach Steve Larsen said. “I felt like we did that for a few innings and then we got the rust off.”

While the Tritons are coming off a district championship last season, the Bulldogs also have momentum after posting a program-best 16 wins a year ago.

Junior Michael Gulotta had a strong start on the mound before running into problems in the fifth. The Bulldogs also made costly errors, which kept the Tritons’ innings alive.

Gulotta and freshman Justin Pinto belted back-to-back home runs in the top of the seventh for the Bulldogs, and they scored their other run in the second on an RBI single by Alan Spangler.

“Overall we kept their bats pretty quiet,” Baker coach Chad Turner said, “but they erupted in the fifth. They’re good hitters.”

Mariner grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Anthony Santo led off with a single and reached third on a sacrifice bunt and groundout. The Bulldogs had a chance to get out of the inning when Angel Laborde hit a grounder to second, but the ball was bobbled, allowing Santo to score.

Another error opened the door for the Tritons in the third. With two outs, Audry Santana struck a high pop fly to first, but the ball was dropped. Zunino followed with a two-run shot to left field, putting the Tritons up 3-1.

Zunino worked the count full, lining several pitches just outside the third base line, before driving a fastball over the fence.

It appeared the Bulldogs might answer in the top of the fourth inning, but after getting two on with no outs, Patton fought back and struck out the final two batters of the inning.

The 6-foot-5 Patton started and won the district championship game for the Tritons last season, and his composure was on display once again.

“He definitely brings that experience to the pitching staff,” Zunino said. “He doesn’t get rattled very easily.”

Leading 3-1, the Tritons put together a big fifth inning. Zunino, Laborde and Daniel Alimonti had RBI doubles and Audry Santana drove in a run with a single.

The Tritons are back in action Wednesday, hosting Palmetto Ridge. The Bulldogs host North Port.

Ida Baker 010 000 2 – 3 7 2

Mariner 102 051 x – 9 11 2

W – Patton L – Gulotta

2B – Zunino (M), Laborde (M), Alimonti (M), Audry Santana (M). HR – Zunino (M), Gulotta (B), Pinto (B).