Wahoos Beat The Barons
May 12, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos catcher Adrian Nieto continued to come through on offense for his team.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, he smacked a hard liner to left field to score second baseman Alex Blandino, who had doubled with two outs, to give the Blue Wahoos a, 5-4, victory over the Birmingham Barons Thursday in front of 4,016 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Pensacola leads the five-game series, 3-1, and clinched its first series after losing two in a row.
Nieto now has four RBIs in six at bats with two outs and runners in scoring position. Plus, the 27-year-old is batting .353 in his last six games with one home run, that he hit Tuesday, and two RBIs.
Nieto agreed with Pensacola manager Pat Kelly that his offense is improving with more regular at bats. Both he and Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson were limited in playing time as Cincinnati Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco did his rehabilitation with the Blue Wahoos for the first 20 games before returning to the big leagues.
Nieto, who played 48 games with the Chicago White Sox in 2014, also has been watching video from his 2013 season when he had his best year at the plate, hitting .285 for the High-A Potomac Nationals.
“It helps to get your at-bats and get into a rhythm,” Nieto said. “I’ve made a few adjustments here and there watching old film from 2013. The Reds told me, ‘Get back to where you were.’ To have that freedom feels great.”
Plus, he smiled and admitted he has some extra incentive at the plate, having played for Birmingham in 2015 and being selected for the All-Star game.
“That was a win that I really wanted,” Nieto said. “Hopefully, we’ll get our fourth one (Friday).”
Blue Wahoos right fielder Aristides Aquino earned his fourth hit in 38 at-bats by sending a high, deep fly ball over the left field wall that also brought in first baseman Eric Jagielo to put Pensacola on top, 4-1. Two of those four hits are homers.
It was Aquino’s first homer in 21 at bats after knocking one out May 1 against Biloxi. His two-run blast came after having struck out five times in a row against Barons pitchers.
The lead held up until the seventh inning when Pensacola reliever Ismael Guillon gave up two runs on three hits to the Barons. DH Nick Basto, who hit a solo shot in the first inning, knocked in second baseman Eddy Alvarez with a single, pulling Birmingham within, 4-3. Barons third baseman Jake Peters scored the tying run, 4-4, when right fielder Mason Robbins lined a single to center.
The two runs scored on Guillon denied starter Keury Mella his first Double-A victory. He remains the only Pensacola starter without a win this season.
“It’s a shame but the win will come (for Mella),” said Kelly.
Mella threw 5.2 innings, allowed two runs on six hits, walked two and struck out four. He is 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA.
Jimmy Herget relieved Guillon in the eighth with the game tied, 4-4, and got the last five outs, including striking out the side in the top of the ninth to pick up the win and even his record at 1-1. Herget has a 2.25 ERA.
Pensacola took the lead, 2-1, in the third inning when third baseman Josh VanMeter hit a two-out single to score DH Leon Landry from second base with the go-ahead run. VanMeter is hitting 8-18 with 10 RBIs in that situation. The first run scored in the inning when catcher Adrian Nieto crossed the plate from third on a sharp ground out to third by left fielder Tyler Goeddel.
Peter smashed a double into the left field corner that scored Alvarez from first to cut the Blue Wahoos lead in the fifth inning to, 4-2.
Pensacola upped its record to 18-16 and are in a tie with the Biloxi Shuckers for first place in the South Division.
Century Transfers Reserve Funds For Water, Wastewater Repairs
May 11, 2017
In a special called meeting, the Century Town Council voted Wednesday evening to transfer money from a reserve fund to make critical repairs to water and wastewater facilities in the town.
The town will transfer $172,000 from a $229,000 reserve fund.
The transfer from reserves will be used to repair one of two clarifiers at the wastewater plant that has failed. The clarifier repair will cost $40,000 while the electrical repairs will cost $60,000. The money will also be used for installation and materials for the installation of a new meter at the prison, and $7,000 for a booster pump that would supply water to the Century Correctional Institution from the town’s two other wells in the event of an equipment failure at the prison.
Recently increased rates may help the town replenish the reserve funds, according to Mayor Henry Hawkins. In addition, the repairs will allow staff time to focus more on day to day operations, he said.
Earlier this month, the Century Council approved an incremental 55 percent water and wastewater rate increase that will cost the average family just over $200 per year. The rate increase is aimed at stopping ordinary financial losses by the system.
Pictured: Century’s water, wastewater and natural gas franchise also serves the Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sandy Hollow Road Closed For Bridge Replacement
May 11, 2017
Sandy Hollow Road at Sandy Hollow Creek near Walnut Hill will be closed for a bridge replacement through September.
The new, modern concrete structure will have 10-foot travel lanes, two-foot shoulders and a solid concrete barrier railing. Additionally, bridge approaches will be replaced, drainage upgraded, and guardrail replaced.
Construction is estimated to take six months, weather and schedule permitting.. A four-mile detour will be in place, using Gobbler Road, Highway 97 and Highway 4.
The bridge is being replaced by a contractor for the Florida Department of Transportation and then maintained in the future by Escambia County.
The estimated budget for the project is $740,057. The current bridge was constructed in 1959.
Century Correctional Institution Inmate Assaults Officer
May 11, 2017
Monday, an inmate assaulted a correctional officer at Century Correctional Institution, according to information recently released by the Florida Department of Corrections.
Cesar Figueroa-Donnol assaulted the officer at approximately 12:40 a.m. Figueroa-Donnol head-butted the officer, according to the FDOC. Staff responded appropriately, and the inmate was subdued.
Figueroa-Donnol will receive a disciplinary report for the assault. The FDOC did not release any information about the correctional officer’s condition or need for outside medical care.
Figueroa-Donnol was sentenced in November 2015 to 17 years in prison on Orange County charges that included burglary and drug trafficking.
Putnam Returns To Roots To Start Governor’s Race
May 11, 2017
Standing in front of a huge Florida flag covering the stately pillars of a century-old county courthouse with orange crates on the steps, Republican Adam Putnam on Wednesday used a combination of small-town nostalgia, conservative politics and a deep knowledge of his home state to launch his gubernatorial campaign.
“I can’t imagine a better place to announce I’m running for governor of the state of Florida,” Putnam said, with his former high-school principal and the Bartow High School “Yellow Jacket” band nearby and surrounded by family members and friends who grew up with him in the Polk County town of less than 20,000 people.
“We have to put Florida first so that we are more than a prize for a life well-lived someplace else,” Putnam said. “We can make Florida the launch pad for the American dream.”
Putnam, the state’s agriculture commissioner and a fifth-generation Floridian, enters the 2018 race as the leading candidate to replace Gov. Rick Scott, who will leave office because of term limits and is expected to run for the U.S. Senate.
Putnam, 42, brings a wealth of political experience to the campaign. Beginning as a 22-year-old, he served in the Florida House and then moved to Congress, where he spent a decade and rose to the third-highest Republican leadership post in the U.S. House. He was elected to the state Cabinet in 2010 and will finish his second term as agriculture commissioner next year.
Robert Beattie, a 60-year-old Republican who worked nearly three decades in the phosphate industry as a welder, said he likes Putnam’s experience.
“I appreciate that big time,” said Beattie. “His experience, his breadth and knowledge of what’s going on in Florida.”
In his 16-minute speech, Putnam, dressed casually in a long-sleeved blue-checked shirt and khaki pants, emphasized his small-town roots, growing up in a citrus and cattle business that his family founded. He recalled the freezes of the 1980s that devastated the crops.
“I learned at an early age about riding groves late at night, checking pumps and checking temperatures and assessing the damage the next morning and moving forward,” he said.
He talked about raising his prized horned Hereford bull, named “Georgia Boy,” for a 4-H Club project in a pen that once existed a few blocks from the courthouse.
“Hard work. Responsibility. Perseverance. These are common values,” Putnam said. “But in our society today, they are all too rare.”
How well Putnam’s agrarian roots resonate with Florida’s urban voters remains to be seen. But talking to reporters after his speech, Putnam drew connections between Florida’s diverse regions.
“As you know, Palm Beach is one of our top ag-producing counties in the state, and so is Miami-Dade. It’s not us against them,” Putnam said. “We have an opportunity to diversify our economy and build on our pillars of agriculture, tourism and construction and create new opportunities so that young people who grow up in a town like Bartow don’t have to leave to find good work.”
Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, said Putnam hit the right themes in his announcement speech.
“His message is right in line with where Florida and the nation needs to be,” Stargel said. “We need to get back to the basics of who we are. We are about family, personal responsibility and less government. That’s his message, and it’s the right message.”
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd reinforced Putnam’s conservative credentials, calling him “honest and ethical” and praising him for making it easier to apply for concealed-weapons licenses.
“Because of Adam, today it is easier than ever to protect and defend your family and loved ones,” Judd said.
Putnam said he would “protect” the Second Amendment rights of Floridians. “In Florida, we take those seriously,” he said.
Putnam also said law enforcement officers and military veterans would be “recognized and honored” in his administration. Echoing a Scott policy, Putnam said he would make Florida the nation’s “friendliest” state for military members and veterans.
With $7.7 million on hand in his “Florida Grown” political committee through March 31, Putnam already has a significant financial advantage in the race. But he could still face Republican challengers, including House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a Land O’ Lakes Republican who said he is looking at the governor’s race but will not make a decision until after the 2018 legislative session.
Putnam said he is prepared for a potential challenge.
“I’m a Bartow-raised farmer, and I am a conservative,” Putnam said. “Anyone who wants to run for governor is more than welcome to pack a lunch and come on.”
On Thursday, Putnam will begin a 10-day bus tour that will take him across the state from Miami to Pensacola, ending May 20 in Suwannee County.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida
West Florida’s Zabelle Signs With Coastal Alabama
May 11, 2017
West Florida High School senior Nicholas Zabelle signed a baseball scholarship Wednesday with Coastal Alabama Community College, Brewton Campus. Zabelle started out playing t-ball and little league baseball at both the Molino and Cantonment ballparks. He has lived in Molino with his parents since he was 5-years old.
Pictured: (L-R, front) Dawn Zabelle, Nicholas Zabelle, John Zabelle (back) WFHS Head Coach and Athletic Director Marc Conti, Principal Shenna Payne and Coastal Alabama Head Baseball coah Darrell Blevins. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO Honors Fallen Officers
May 11, 2017
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held their annual Fallen Officer Memorial Thursday to honor those that have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NWE Spring Clinic Saturday For Football, Cheerleading
May 11, 2017
The 2017 Northwest Escambia Spring Clinic Kick Off will be this Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon at the First Baptist Church of Bratt.
NWE is kicking off 2017 registration with a cheer clinic and a punt, pass and kick competition.
The punt, pass and kick competition will be for boys and girls, $5 to participate. The greatest total yards from each age group will win a trophy. In Cheerleading ($15), cheerleaders will learn a new cheer, jumps and different stunts.
Registration will be held for both football players and cheerleaders for the upcoming 2017 season.
The First Baptist Church of Bratt is located at 4570 Highway 4, just west of Northview High School. For more information, call Greg Gibson at (251) 234-4716 or Tonya Lloyd at (251) 363-1885.
Inspirational Student Hero Awards Presented
May 11, 2017
Cox Communications recently its annual Cox Inspirational Student Hero Awards at the University of West Florida Conference Center.
Cox recognized 46 students from Escambia County who have overcome extreme challenges in life to serve as an inspiration to their teachers, administrators and fellow students.
The students were chosen by a committee of leaders at their school. During the event, Cox presented the students with an engraved medal and certificates of honor.
This year’s award recipients were:
Bellview Elementary — Dwight Norris
Bellview Middle — Micha Wright
Beulah Elementary — Donnell Snowden
Blue Angels Elementary — Gavin Nielson
Bratt Elementary — Ryleigh Barnes
Brentwood Elementary — Ayriana Parker
Brown Barge Middle — Lindsey Wilbur
Byrneville Elementary — Leif Waters
Cordova Park Elementary — Mason Hausfeld
Ensley Elementary — Shamira Young
Ernest Ward Middle — David Lamb
Escambia Charter — Nira James
Escambia High — Arianna Moore
Ferry Pass Elementary — Jordan Luckie
Ferry Pass Middle — Zack Causey
Global Learning Academy — Kaleb Hart
Hellen Caro Elementary — Meadow Edgar
Holm Elementary — D’Maya Lewis
Jim Allen Elementary — Gage Brooks
Jim Bailey Middle — Daichi Greene
Lincoln Park Elementary — Rashan Bolar
Lipscomb Elementary — Emma Markham
Longleaf Elementary — Sariya Lewis
McArthur Elementary — Tyquan Montgomery
Molino Park Elementary — Ella Kizer
Montclair Elementary — Nicholai Gragg
Myrtle Grove Elementary — Dayton Gregory
N.B. Cook Elementary — Ge’Khiya Brown
Navy Point Elementary — Brianna Fogleman
Northview High — Daysha Kite
O.J. Semms Elementary — Chloe Jones
Oakcrest Elementary — Angel Spears
Pensacola High — Joseph Gort
Pine Forest High — Brooke Kaderly
Pine Meadow Elementary — Caleb Greene
Pleasant Grove Elementary — Sarah Pittman
Ransom Middle — Dawson Guy
Sherwood Elementary — Ethan Powell
Tate High — Zach Fontenot
Warrington Elementary — Zachary Pavkovich
Warrington Middle — Jania Ward
Weis Elementary — Jeremiah Danzot
West Florida High — Belinda Senabre
West Pensacola — Colin Gallagher
Woodham Middle — Kendal Kicklighter
Workman Middle — Bryson Brown
Blandino Walk-Off Homer Win In Wahoos Win
May 11, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Luis Castillo earned a career-high 10 strikeouts and Alex Blandino hit a walk-off home run to lead their team to a, 2-1, victory over the Birmingham Barons.
For both Blandino and Castillo, their performances Wednesday were sweet redemption. Castillo was chased after 1.2 innings in his last start and Blandino has been mired in a season-long slump, hitting .195.
But Castillo gave the Blue Wahoos seven strong innings, allowing one run on five hits and walking none. Blandino blasted a solo homer, his first of the season, over the fence in left center.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said it was the type of game both players needed.
“(Castillo) had a super slider,” Kelly said. “The best I’ve seen all year.”
He said he thought that Blandino was due for a breakout game. Although, the Pensacola second baseman is now hitting .200 on the season he does have 18 walks this season for an on-base percentage of .419.
“He started slow,” Kelly said. “But last four or five days he has been swinging much better and getting his walks. He just hasn’t gotten his base hits.”
For the Blue Wahoos it was their second walk-off this season, after setting a record 12 last season. Blandino said he is staying positive at the plate with just 81 at bats so far in 26 games.
“The Wahoo Way lives on,” said an excited Blandino after the game. “I’m being aggressive early in the counts and staying with my approach. That’s the key to success over the long haul.”
Pensacola left fielder Tyler Goeddel crushed a lead-off home run to left field to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 1-0, in the first inning.
In the second inning, Goeddel showed off his arm as well fielding a hit by Birmingham left fielder Courtney Hawkins and gunning down right fielder Mason Robbins at home plate.
But the Blue Wahoos would be shutout by Birmingham starter Jordan Guerrero over the next four innings and by relievers Robinson Leyer and Aaron Bummer over the next three innings. Guerrero was trying to earn his first victory of the season but left with a 1-1 tie after working five innings, allowing five hits, walking three and striking out seven.
“Guerrero has a really good change up and mixes up his delivery,” Kelly said. “He had us off balance.”
Meanwhile, Castillo overcame his last start against the Chattanooga Lookouts when he gave up five runs and lasted 1.2 innings. He threw 38 pitches in the second inning in the cold, dreary weather.
But in Pensacola, the 24-year-old Dominican pitched like the 17th best prospect in the Cincinnati Reds’ organization. Although he has not won a game since April 13, he is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA.
Pensacola now leads the five-game series against the Barons, 2-1, and improved to 17-16 to tie Mississippi Braves for first place in the South Division.
“It was good to pull out a close game, we ‘ve had a lot of close losses,” Blandino said. “Hopefully, we’ll win the series and keep moving forward.”