Chávez’s Big Game Not Enough As Wahoos Fall Late
April 10, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos came up short in the search for their first win of the 2022 season on Saturday night, falling 6-5 to the Biloxi Shuckers in front of another sellout hometown crowd.
After a seventh-inning rally gave the Blue Wahoos their first lead of the game, Biloxi’s Tristen Lutz hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the ninth to guide the Shuckers to their second late win in a row.
Zach McCambley pitched well for Pensacola in his first start of the season, completing 5.0 innings and allowing four runs (two earned) while striking out five.
Offensively, an early two-run home run from Biloxi’s Felix Valerio was countered by an equalizing Cobie Fletcher-Vance two-run shot in the bottom of the second, but a pair of Pensacola errors put Biloxi back ahead 4-2.
Santiago Chávez knocked a solo home run in the sixth to draw the Blue Wahoos to within a run at 4-3, and 2.0 scoreless relief innings from Zack Leban kept the game within reach until Pensacola scratched across two runs in the seventh on an RBI infield single from Luis Aviles Jr. and a bases-loaded walk from Chávez to take a 5-4 lead.
Pensacola had an opportunity to extend their lead in the eighth, as Hayden Cantrelle drew a leadoff walk and stole his way to third base, but were unable to bring home the insurance run.
Andrew Nardi (L, 0-1) allowed the go-ahead home run to Lutz in the top of the ninth, and Nash Walters (W, 1-0) worked around another Blue Wahoos baserunner at third base in the bottom half of the inning to lock down Biloxi’s win.
The Blue Wahoos and Shuckers wrap up their three-game series at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Jerry Darnell Wiggins
April 9, 2022
Jerry Darnell Wiggins, age 73, of McDavid, FL passed away on April 4, 2022 in Pensacola, FL. He was born on September 17, 1948 in Century, FL to Clifton and Doris McClammy Wiggins. He retired from Masland Carpets. He loved his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and gardening. One of his favorite things was to sit on his front porch and wave as people drove by.
One of Jerry’s favorite sayings was “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all!”
He is preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Brenda Simmons Wiggins; his son, Randy Wiggins of McDavid, FL; his daughters, Alicia Wiggins (Tony Godwin) of Brewton, AL and Sherry Wiggins (Kenneth) Roley of Davisville, FL; his brothers, Donnie Wiggins of McDavid, FL and David Wiggins of McDavid, FL; his sister, Rita Nichols of Atmore, AL along with seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 9, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Tyler Roley officiating. Interment will follow at Crary Memorial Cemetery in McDavid, FL.
Active pallbearers will be Tony Godwin, Kenneth Roley, Jon Thorp, David Harrington, Aaron “Pee Wee” Killiam and Clayton Simmons.
Honorary pallbearers will be Freddie Fillingim and Paul Walston.
Visitation will be held Saturday, April 9, 2022 from 10:30 a.m. until service time at 11:30 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Motorcyclist Injured In Cantonment Crash
April 9, 2022
One person was injured in a crash Friday night on Highway 29 at Tree Street.
A passenger car and motorcycle collided near a gas station across from International Paper.
The motorcyclist was transported by Escambia County EMS to an area hospital with injuries that were not considered life threatening.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating how the cash occurred. The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
These Are Next Week’s Road Construction Slow Down Spots
April 9, 2022
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures and lane shifts on the Pensacola Bay Bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, April 10 through Saturday, April 16. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure.
- West Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) Pedestrian Safety Improvement – Motorists traveling on West Cervantes Street between Dominguez and Shoemaker streets will encounter intermittent lane restrictions and temporary detours between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. starting Sunday, April 10 as crews begin paving work. Work will start between Dominquez and Shoemaker streets and progress eastward. At times, drivers may be temporarily detoured to side streets to accommodate the work. Operations are anticipated to take four weeks to complete.
- North Ninth Avenue (State Road (S.R.) 289) Carpenters Creek Bridge Replacement- All travel lanes are temporarily shifted to the southbound side of the bridge as crews construct the northbound portion. Additionally, drivers may encounter intermittent temporary lane closures from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, April 11 through Friday, April 15, as crews mobilize materials and equipment.
- Sorrento Road (S.R. 292) Intersection Improvements at Innerarity Point (County Road 292A) – Motorists can expect intermittent daytime shoulder closures Monday, April 11 through Friday, April 15, as crews place a watermain.
- Airport Boulevard (S.R. 750) Routine Maintenance from West of Palafox Street to Davis Highway – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures from west of Palafox Street to Davis Highway from 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. the week of Monday, April 11 as crews place asphalt on the roadway.
- Barrancas Avenue (S.R. 292) from Manchester Street to the Bayou Chico Bridge –Sidewalks between Live Oak Avenue and Manchester Street will be closed as crews begin work on the sidewalk improvements. Detours will be in place for pedestrians.
- Interstate 10 (I-10) Pavement Markings at the Pensacola Weigh Station – Crews will perform striping operations at the westbound weigh station the week of Monday, April 11. During the operations the westbound station and adjacent truck parking area will be temporarily closed.
- I-10/I-110 Interchange – Construction activities to begin the week of Monday, April 11 to improve safety on a 3/4-mile segment of I-10 at the I-110 Interchange. Improvements include milling and resurfacing, applying anti-skid surface and audible edge lines to all ramps, installing raised rumble strip sets across the I-110 northbound to I-10 eastbound travel lanes and reducing the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph on the I-110 northbound ramp to I-10 westbound. In addition, crews will make improvements to the guardrail, signage, and pavement markings. Drivers can expect periodic lane closures between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights. The project is estimated for completion in fall 2022
- Pace Boulevard (S.R. 292) from Barrancas Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue – Construction activities to begin the week of Monday, April 11 to mill and resurface Barrancas Avenue (S.R. 292) from the Bayou Chico Bridge to Pace Boulevard, and Pace Boulevard (S.R. 292) from Barrancas Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue in Escambia County. The project will also include sidewalk and curb improvements to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), new signage and pavement markings, drainage enhancements, and traffic signalization upgrades. During construction, motorists and bicyclists can expect lane closures and traffic shifts. Lane closures will be limited to the 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. timeframe. Pedestrian detours will be in place while sidewalk improvements are underway. The project is estimated for completion in late 2022.
- U.S. 90 Turn Lane Construction at Pathstone Boulevard – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, April 11 through Sunday, May 15 as crews perform paving operations.
- I-10 Eastbound Routine Bridge Maintenance over U.S. 29 Assess Road Overpass – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures just east of U.S. 29, from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Sunday, April 10 and Monday, April 11 for routine bridge maintenance.
- Creighton Road (S.R. 742) Routine Bridge Maintenance over I-110 (Overpass – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures half a mile south of I-10, from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Tuesday, April 12 and Wednesday, April 13 for routine bridge maintenance
- Garden Street (U.S.98) Routine Underground Utility Maintenance West of South Coyle Street – Motorists will encounter intermittent outside eastbound lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday, April 15 as crews install a manhole.
Santa Rosa County:
- Pensacola Bay Bridge (U.S. 98) Replacement – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures and lane shifts on the Pensacola Bay Bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, April 10 through Saturday, April 16. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure.
- U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Beginning Sunday, April 10 westbound motorists will encounter intermittent lane and median closures between Autumn Breeze Circle and Bayshore Road between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Sunday through Friday. The closures are necessary for crews to perform median work. One westbound lane will be always maintained.
- I-10 Resurfacing East of S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard) to East of S.R. 87 – Motorists can expect intermittent daytime shoulder closures and lane closures from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. the week of Monday, April 11 as crews perform construction activities.
All activities are weather-dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Escambia County Man Charged With Second Degree Murder
April 9, 2022
An Escambia County man is charged with fatally shooting a woman Friday morning.
David Allan Ohlson, 18, is being held without bond on a charged of second degree murder.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home on Princeton Drive for an “accidental shooting”, but they discovered it was actually a domestic incident.
The victim was found with a shotgun wound to her abdomen. She was transported to an area hospital where she later died.
Ohlson’s father told deputies he received a call from the woman around 12:30 a.m. saying Ohlson was acting out and “made mention of a gun,” according to an arrest report. The father said he arrived at the home a short time later and found Ohlson sitting cross-legged on the floor with a shotgun.
According to the report, Ohlson raised the gun and pointed it at the father before pointing it at the woman. The father said Ohlson then pulled the trigger and dropped the gun. The father picked it up, “secured it inside of his truck” and called 911.
Tate Aggies Tennis Ends Regular Season With Wins Over Navarre
April 9, 2022
Tate High School Aggies Tennis end their regular season with a boys 4-3 and girls 7-0 win over Navarre. Next up for the Aggies is the district tournament at Gulf Breeze next Tuesday. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sunny, Upper 60s Today; Chilly Upper 30s Tonight
April 9, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 67. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 39. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 78. Light south wind increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 80. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 80. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southeast wind around 10 mph.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 61.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.
Tate Gets Central Florida Road Trip Win Over Wiregrass Ranch
April 9, 2022
The Tate High Aggies earned a big 11-4 road trip win Friday night against Wiregrass Ranch of Wesley Chapel, Florida (near Tampa).
Rilee Lowery earned the win for Tate, allowing five hits and four runs over four and two-thirds innings while striking out five. Dalton Biggs and Ethan McAnally closed in relief.
Madox Land, Jackson Penton and Bray Touchstone had two hits each to lead the Aggies at the plate.
File photo by Laura Glodfelter for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Fall Just Short In Season Opening Extra Innings Thriller
April 9, 2022
On an Opening Night that began with the Double-A debut of 18-year-old Eury Pérez, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos came just shy of a dramatic victory in an 11-inning, 13-11 loss to the Biloxi Shuckers on Friday night.
After squandering a pair of early leads, the Blue Wahoos rallied to tie the game in the eighth, ninth and 10th innings before Victor Victor Mesa’s bid for a walk-off grand slam in the 11th was caught at the left-center wall to end the back-and-forth affair.
Pensacola jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second against Biloxi starter Justin Bullock, with back-to-back homers from Griffin Conine and Paul McIntosh followed by an RBI double from Luis Aviles Jr. Conine, who was second in all of Minor League Baseball with 36 home runs in 2021, picked up right where he left off with a 396-foot blast that one-hopped into Pensacola Bay. McIntosh’s homer came in his first Double-A at-bat, and began a 3-for-4 night that finished just a triple shy of the cycle.
Pérez impressed with 5 strikeouts over 4.1 innings, leaving with two runners on base and a 4-1 lead after throwing 78 pitches. The Shuckers scored both inherited runners as Will Stewart struggled with his command, forcing home a run on a bases-loaded walk and tying the game 4-4 on a Joey Wiemer two-run single.
The Blue Wahoos briefly reclaimed the lead in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Ray-Patrick Didder, but Biloxi tied things up again in the sixth on a Tristan Lutz solo home run. Freddy Zamora hit a three-run double against Stewart in the seventh to give the Shuckers their first lead, and scored on a Robert Garcia wild pitch to stretch the Biloxi advantage to 9-5.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Blue Wahoos charged back with Aviles’ second RBI double of the night and a game-tying three-run home run from Hayden Cantrelle. Acquired from the Brewers via trade just a day earlier, Cantrelle finished his Marlins organizational debut 3-for-6 with four RBI.
Biloxi once again claimed a lead in the ninth against Colton Hock, turning an Ashton McGee leadoff double into a 10-9 advantage thanks to a sacrifice fly from Lutz. Once again, the Blue Wahoos managed to tie the game 10-10 in the ninth on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly from Cobie Fletcher-Vance and force extra innings.
In the top of the 10th, Anthony Maldonado (L, 0-1) allowed Biloxi’s placed runner to score on a Garrett Mitchell RBI single. Trailing 11-10, the Blue Wahoos got another clutch hit from Cantrelle as the second baseman laced an RBI double down the right field line to tie the game 11-11. With the potential winning run on second base, Biloxi reliever Arnaldo Hernandez (W, 1-0) struck out Jerar Encarnacion and Conine to preserve the tie and send the game to the 11th.
In the 11th, Maldonado allowed a two-run home run to Felix Valerio that proved to be the difference in the ballgame. Pensacola loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning thanks to a pair of walks from Hernandez, but Aviles Jr. struck out swinging and Mesa’s would-be walk-off grand slam settled into Lutz’s glove on the warning track for the final out.
The Blue Wahoos and Shuckers return to action on Saturday night as they continue their three-game series at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
by Daniel Venn, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Motorcyclist Killed In Beulah Crash
April 8, 2022
A 38-year old man was killed in a single vehicle motorcycle crash late Thursday night in Beulah.
The man was traveling south on Highway 90 approaching Ferlon Avenue when he failed to negotiate a curve, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The motorcycle traveled off the roadway and struck and embankment, went airborne and struck a utility pole, causing the pole to snap in half.
The motorcyclist was pronounced deceased as the scene.