Berry Homers, But Wahoos Fall 4-3 Saturday
August 20, 2023
After taking an early-inning lead, the Montgomery Biscuits held on behind lefty reliever Antonio Jimenez and his dominating performance for a 4-3 victory to clinch the series against Pensacola at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos had nine hits and baserunners in seven innings, including two on in the ninth, but were unable to get a big hit. In the ninth, Norel González hit a one-out double and Cobie Fletcher-Vance reached on a two-out walk.
Newcomer Tanner Allen, a Mobile native, worked a 3-2 count, but couldn’t connect on another slider from Jimenez for a game-ending strikeout. The sliders Jimenez threw in four innings of work were often swing-and-misses. He struck out five of the 14 batters he faced.
Blue Wahoos starter Evan Fitterer overcame a tough start. He gave up four runs, but only one was earned. The fielding mistakes continued Saturday and they were decisive.
A fielding error by Dalvy Rosario, playing third base Saturday, resulted in one run, then Mason Auer followed with a 2-run homer.
The Blue Wahoos got a run back on Jacob Berry’s solo blast in the first. They loaded the bases with none out in the third – a pivotal moment – when Berry grounded into a double play, scoring a second run. Rosario’s RBI single in the fifth inning trimmed the deficit to one run, but that was it for scoring.
The final game of the homestand is set on Sunday.
The Blue Wahoos will have Jonathan Bermúdez (3-4, 5.02 ERA) making his second start this week against the Biscuits’ Patrick Wicklander (3-2, 4.58).
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Fire Marshal Investigating Century Mobile Home Fire
August 19, 2023
The Florida State Fire Marshal is investigating after fire damaged an unoccupied mobile home Friday night.
The fire was reported about 10:35 p.m. on Hartley Lane, just off Jefferson Avenue. Firefighters arrived to find flames coming from the mobile home and threatening a neary shed.
Firefighters had the fire under control within 10 minutes with no injuries.
The mobile home reportedly did not have power.
The Century, McDavid and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, the Jay Fire Department, Flomaton Fire Department, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Escambia Unemployment Rate Up Slightly; Area Has State’s Fastest Growth In Financial Jobs
August 19, 2023
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that Florida’s private sector job growth increased five times the national rate in July — 0.5% in Florida versus 0.1% nationally.
The Escambia County unemployment rate increased slightly, according to data released Friday by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
The local area’s labor force increased by 6,882 in July 2023, a 2.9% increase over the year.
In July 2023, the Pensacola metro area had the fastest over-the-year job growth rate among all metro areas in financial activities, increasing by 5.4%. The industries gaining the most jobs over the year were education and health services, increasing by 2,400 jobs; and leisure and hospitality, increasing by 1,600 jobs.
In March 2023, Florida’s unemployment rate was 2.7% in July 2023, up 0.1 percentage point from the June 2023 rate, and unchanged from a year ago. There were 295,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 11,081,000. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.5% in July.
The Battle Begins Now: Northview Tops Baker In Kickoff Classic (With Photo Gallery)
August 19, 2023
“The battle begins now.”
That was Northview head coach Wes Summerford’s message in the huddle following a kickoff classic against Baker on a hot, hot Friday evening in Bratt.
In a one-quarter scrimmage, Northview’s varsity beat Baker 7-0.
For a photo gallery from the Northview varsity, junior varsity and Ernest Ward Middle scrimmages, click or tap here. Look for a gallery with cheerleaders, fans and more on Sunday or Monday.
“It’s real now, and it’s here,” Summerford said of the season. “I can’t wait to see what these guys can do. I know they’re excited. Fall camp was tough; it was hot. These guys accepted the challenge they got after. I can honestly say we got after it for two weeks…got after each other really hard. And now I know they’re excited to put their eyes on a different team and start the schedule.”
“Our defense played really well. I think our offense played really well late, and that’s what I told the kids. I just didn’t think that we came out of the locker room with the firepower that we needed. That’s something that we’ll talk about this week, how to get a quick start. I think that’s pivotal to Northview football playing our style football.”
The Northview junior varsity took to the field for one scoreless quarter against Baker. It was all defense; the offense never had an opportunity to make a play.
“I thought they did a terrific job,” Summerford said about the JV defense. “It was good to see our young guys do that…to see our young guys represent our program well.”
In the first half, the Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles fell 12-0 to Baker’s middle school team.
Northview opens the regular season next Friday night at 7 p.m. at the Flomaton Hurricanes.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Kickoff Classic Bonus Photos: Tate Cheerleaders, Fans, Students And More
August 19, 2023
The Tate Aggies took on Washington Thursday night in a kickoff classic.
For a gallery with cheerleaders, fans, student life and more click or tap here.
For a game action story and photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
High-Flying Blue Wahoos End Skid With 8-6 Win
August 19, 2023
The Blue Wahoos presented their “Salute To Service Night” and then celebrated an end of two-week doldrums.
After jumping to a 7-0 lead after five innings – the kind of fast start lacking in recent games – the Blue Wahoos got a strong effort by three relievers to hold for an 8-6 win Friday against the Montgomery Biscuits and halt a nine-game losing streak before it set a team record.
After recording the final out, reliever Jefry Yan celebrated and the many teammates remained on the field with families. It was the Blue Wahoos’ first win since August 6, when they beat Biloxi 11-6 to close out their prior homestand with four wins.
Since then, the Blue Wahoos matched the club’s longest losing streak that occurred 10 years ago.
But Friday was different. Friday started in a big way.
This game began with the first 1,000 fans receiving a one-of-a-kind Ted Williams bobblehead, honoring his military legacy that included becoming a U.S. Marine Corps pilot during World War II and training at Naval Air Station Pensacola.
Williams, the last player in Major League Baseball history to bat over .400 when he hit .406 in 1941, returned to Pensacola for a second service tour, helping train and engage in U.S. combat missions during the Korean War.
In celebrating Williams’ service, the Blue Wahoos honored NAS Pensacola by wearing special jerseys with the base patch and military “call signs” – a version of nicknames – on the back of jerseys.
High-ranking leaders of the base, including Commanding Officer Capt. Terrence Shashaty, threw out ceremonial first pitches to honor all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The game itself quickly got a near-capacity crowd excited when Norel González hit a two-run triple in the third inning that preceded a bigger rally.
A five-run fifth inning, where 10 Blue Wahoos batters took swings, became decisive.
Victor Mesa Jr. had the biggest hit in the onslaught with his 3-run homer over the center field wall. Mesa finished with three hits to match his RBI.
Two batters later González, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI, hit his second triple off the centerfield wall. Jacob Berry followed by scoring González on a single, then stole second and scored on a throwing error after a pitch and catcher Kenny Piper’s errant throw. Berry, the Miami Marlins top draft pick in 2022 from LSU, went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Through the first five innings, Blue Wahoos starter Patrick Monteverde resembled the guy who dominated the Southern League in the first half of the season. He allowed just three hits and no runs. He was making his 17th Double-A start after returning a week ago from two starts in Triple-A Jacksonville.
But in the sixth inning, the game changed. The Biscuits got their first run on a leadoff double by Dru Baker, who then scored on a one-out wild pitch. A walk, then a fielding error by Jacob Berry ensued. With two outs, Monteverde plunked the next batter to load the bases.
At that point, having thrown 100 pitches, Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel had a mound meeting with Monteverde. He opted to leave him to face left hander Evan Edwards in a lefty-lefty matchup. On a 1-0 pitch, Edwards barreled a fastball out of the ballpark for a grand slam that suddenly cut the lead to 7-5.
All four of those runs were unearned due to the error. Monteverde’s previous four starts against the Biscuits resulted in just one earned run allowed in 26 innings.
Monteverde got the win, upping his record to 9-3, while relievers Chandler Jozwiak, Luarbert Arias and Yan followed with three stellar innings with two hits and one run.
The fifth game of the series is Saturday.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Atmore Woman Charged In Double Stabbing
August 19, 2023
One person was charged after two people were stabbed in Atmore.
Darianna Mona Seltzer, 21, is charged with two felony counts of assault second degree.
The Atmore Police Department responded to a reporte disturbance at Houston Avery Park, but arrived to find that there was no ongoing disturbance. Officers then located a disturbance about a mile away at the intersection of Sunset Drive and Harris Street.
Several vehicles began to leave the area. An officer conducted a traffic stop on one of the vehicles and discovered that two people had been stabbed.
According to the Atmore Police, both victims told police that Seltzer was the person that stabbed them and provided a description of her vehicle. Seltzer was located by officers a short time later and taken into custody.
Atmore police did not identify the victims or provide more information on their conditions.
Escambia Children’s Trust Names New Executive Director During Emergency Meeting
August 18, 2023
The Escambia Children’s Trust (ECT) named Tammy Abrams as interim executive director during an emergency meeting Thursday.
Abrams was serving as ECT finance director. Before ECT, she was chief financial officer at the Community Action Program Committee, which runs Escambia County Head Start.
The board also voted to accept the resignation of Tammy Greer and relieve her of he duties as executive director effectively immediately. She will be paid through what would have been her final day of October 15. Greer submitted her resignation Tuesday evening, citing how “unbelievably political” the job was.
RELATED: Escambia Children’s Trust Director Tammy Greer Submits Resignation
In November 2020, 61% of participating voters in Escambia County supported the creation of the Children’s Trust to be funded by an increase in ad valorem taxes of up to a maximum of 0.5 mil. The Children’s Trust will provide early childhood education, safety, developmental, preventative, health, and well-being services, including after school and summer enrichment programs.
Molino Man Charged With Assault, Child Abuse In Family Altercation
August 18, 2023
A Molino man is facing assault and child abuse charges after an alleged altercation with his family.
Brandon Sharef Spencer, 44, is charged with child abuse, aggravated battery, and aggravated assault.
Specere allegedly was drinking and became upset with his wife and their child. The wife said he hit her in the face with a liquor bottle before swinging “a pole” at her and the child, according to an arrest report.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report notes there was another possible victim that left the scene before they arrived; family declined to provide the individual’s name.
Deputies reported finding a liquor bottle in the front yard, an orange Black & Decker pole that appeared to have blood on the shaft, and blood leading from the front porch into the residence and down a hallway.
An ECSO K-9 located Spencer, who was aggressive and appeared to be intoxicated, the arrest report states.
The victims refused transport to the hospital.
Spencer remained in the Escambia County Jail Friday morning with bond set at $25,000.
10,000 Pound Food Giveaway Next Tuesday Afternoon In Cantonment
August 18, 2023
The Cantonment Improvement Committee will hold a drive-thru 10,000 pound food giveaway next Tuesday afternoon, August 22 at Carver Park on Webb Street.
The food distribution will begin at 3 p.m. and continue while supplies last for anyone in need of food. People should line up their vehicles, single file on Webb Street facing north; food will be loaded into vehicles. Identification is required.
NorthEscambia.com file photos.
