Molino Park Fifth Graders Take Dolphin Cruise
May 23, 2017
Fifth grade students at Molino Park Elementary School had the opportunity to on a dolphin cruise Tuesday for their end of the year field trip. Photos by Melanie Dix for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Chiefs Present Baseball Awards
May 23, 2017
The Northview Chiefs presented their annual baseball awards Monday night. Award winners included (pictured, L-R) Devin Stabler, Defensive Player and Diamond Thief Award; Blake Reid, Chief Award; Zach Payne, Offensive Award; and Daniel Mascaro, Pitching Award and Academic Achievement Awards. Not pictured: Quentin Sampson, MVP Award. Photos courtesy Ramona Preston and others for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Crushes Five Home Runs To Win Series 3-2 Over BayBears
May 23, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lineup erupted Monday with five home runs by five different hitters to tie the franchise record.
Pensacola’s a five-homer game, it’s fourth since its inaugural season in 2012, gave the club a, 9-1, victory over the Mobile BayBears and a bit of revenge for Sunday’s embarrassing loss.
Blue Wahoos shortstop Blake Trahan blasted the first homer in the fifth inning when he hit a solo shot to left field that put the Blue Wahoos on top, 2-1, for good.
The 4,333 fans at Blue Wahoos Stadium were then treated to four more blasts.
Pensacola achieved the feat three times before in games that were all on the road. The club did it twice last season on May 10 against the Chattanooga Lookouts and July 14 against the Jacksonville Suns. It hit five homers in a game for the first time in team history on Aug. 19, 2014 against Jacksonville.
The victory helped Pensacola clinch the series, 3-2, and its record improved to 25-20, and are tied again with Biloxi atop the Southern League South Division.
Trahan, ranked the 24th best prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization by MLB Pipeline.com, crushed his first homer in Double-A. In his third season in professional baseball, he has six homers.
Pat Kelly jokingly said he worries Trahan will begin swinging for the fences.
“I have to remind him offensively he’s 5-9, not 6-4,” Kelly said. “Now, he thinks he’s a home run hitter again.”
Trahan said he knows that he is not a power hitter. But the Cincinnati Reds 24th best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.com, admitted it felt good after getting dropped from the top of the batting order to seventh after hitting .231 this season.
“It’s not my game,” Trahan said. “I’m a line drive hitter. Baseball is a game of consistency. I have to continue to try and improve my game.”
Trahan liked right fielder Aristides Aquino’s two-run home run to left field in the eighth inning that put Pensacola ahead, 8-1. Aquino pulled a low, outside slider over the fence and now has seven homers and 24 RBIs this season.
Kelly’s favorite was left fielder Tyler Goeddel’s solo bomb to left center in the sixth inning. It was Goeddel’s second homer in 13 games with the Blue Wahoos and put them ahead, 3-1.
“In this ballpark that’s a long way,” Kelly said. “It had the right spin and just kept on going.”
After Goeddel’s homer, center fielder Brian O’Grady hit a two-run homer to right field for his sixth homer of the season. It gave the Blue Wahoos a 6-1 lead. First baseman Eric Jagielo followed Aquino’s home by scorching his second homer in two games and third of the season to cap the scoring, 9-1.
Kelly said the conditions were just right for an exhibition of home run hitting. There was no wind blowing in toward home plate.
“Going into the season we thought we had a lot of power,” he said. “Up until today, we really haven’t.”
Pensacola starter Deck McGuire’s scoreless inning streak was snapped at 14.2 innings by Mobile, when McGuire gave up the only run to the BayBears with two outs in the third inning.
BayBears third baseman Andrew Daniel, who tripled to the right center gap to lead off the third inning, crossed the plate to put Mobile ahead, 1-0. Daniel came in when Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson threw to second base trying to catch Mobile shortstop David Fletcher stealing second.
McGuire has won three straight starts after Chattanooga Lookouts beat him with two outs in the sixth inning. McGuire is now 4-2 with a 2.73 ERA.
“He got ticked,” Kelly said. “His last three outings have been really good.”
Mobile starter Jake Jewell lost his perfect game and shutout in the bottom of the fourth inning. The 29th best prospect in the Los Angeles organization retired the first 10 batters of the game before second baseman Alex Blandino ripped a doubled to the left center gap. Blandino scored to knot the game, 1-1, when the next batter third baseman Josh VanMeter laced a single to right field.
The Mobile righty ended up giving up six runs in 6.2 innings, including three homers. He dropped to 2-3 with a 5.12 ERA.
Tate Regional Final Game Moved To Wednesday; Baseball Fish Fry Set
May 23, 2017
The 1-7A regional final game originally scheduled for Tuesday has been moved to Wednesday at 7 p.m. as the Tate Aggies host Nease. The change was made due to field to conditions and the current forecast for rain.
Also, a Fish Fry will be held Wednesday from 5-8 p.m. at the Tate High School baseball concession stand from 5-8 p.m. Plates will be $8 and will include fish, chips, beans, coleslaw, drink, roll and cookie. All proceeds will support the Tate Aggies baseball program.
Seven People Involved In Highway 97 Three Vehicle Crash
May 22, 2017
Seven people were involved a in a three vehicle crash Monday afternoon on Highway 97 near Dogwood Park.
The driver of a Hyundai Elantra apparently rear-ended a southbound vehicle that was stopped to turn across traffic onto Pine Circle Drive. The Elantra was then struck from the rear by the driver of a Ford Mustang.
Three people in the Elantra were transported to a Pensacola hospital by Escambia County EMS with injuries that were not considered serious.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Saves Cash On AED Units, You Can Too With Escambia County Program
May 22, 2017
The Town of Century is purchasing three automated external defibrillators (AED). And they discovered they could save hundreds of dollars using a county program that is available to all Escambia County residents.
The best quote Century obtained for the LifePak CR Plus was $1,659 each, including a wall-mount cabinet. The town was able to purchase the exact same unit at a price of $1,317.31 plus $99 for the cabinet through the Escambia County program, saving the town $818 on the three devices.
Century will place their new AED units at town hall, the community center on Highway 4 and the maintenance shop.
Escambia County announced the program last July that gives churches, businesses and even individuals the chance to purchase an AED at the same cost ($1,317.31) the county received during its last bid solicitation.
An automated external defibrillator is a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can stop an irregular heart rhythm and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest is an abrupt loss of heart function. If it’s not treated within minutes, it quickly leads to death.
According to Escambia County, AEDs are important because they make it possible for more people to respond to a medical emergency where defibrillation is required. Because AEDs are portable, they can be used by anyone who has been trained how to use them – not only by medical professionals. They can be made part of emergency response programs that also include rapid use of 9-1-1 and prompt delivery of CPR. All three of these activities are vital to improving survival from cardiac arrest.
For more information, contact Escambia County Public Safety at (850) 471-6400.
More Rain And Thunderstorms
May 22, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: Scattered showers, then showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 83. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 68. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between 2 and 3 inches possible.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 78. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Tuesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm, then a slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 57. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 81. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 60. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 86. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
Local Marine Receives Award In Japan
May 22, 2017
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Justin Tyler Johnson receives the Jack W. Demmond Aviation Ground Marine of the Year award at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, recently.
The Marine Corps Aviation Association awarded Johnson for his efforts in transporting Marines and their gear to and from locations by air, land, and sea.
“I was excited,” said Johnson. “I wasn’t really expecting it. I just do my job the best way I can.”
Johnson, a native of Pensacola, is an embarkation chief with Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. He was raised in Gonzalez and attended Ransom Middle School at Tate High School.
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ally Beiswanger for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Class Of 2017 Holds Baccalaureate Service (With Gallery)
May 22, 2017
The Northview High School Class of 2017 held their Baccalaureate service Sunday afternoon at the First Baptist Church of Bratt.
The program also included scripture, prayer and music provide by the Northview Senior Class Ensemble.
Graduation for the Northview High School Class of 2017 will be at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 27 at the school.
During the student-led program, guest speaker Rev. Gene King urged the graduates to always look toward their future.uring the student-led program.
Live for eternity to be face to face with God,” King said. “Live your life with a 10,000 year plan.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Vandals Strike Cantonment Sportsplex Bathrooms
May 22, 2017
Authorities are seeing information about vandals that struck the Cantonment Sportsplex sometime on Saturday.
Bathrooms were vandalized –fixtures were broken and paper towels were used to cause overflows.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
