Florida Recreational Red Snapper Season Begins June 17
June 14, 2022
The recreational red snapper season will start June 17 in Gulf state and federal waters off Florida and remain open through July 31 with 12 days in the fall.
“We are excited about Governor Ron DeSantis’ recent announcement of this year’s 57-day Gulf red snapper season, which is the longest we’ve had since the FWC began managing the season in state and federal waters,” said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Chairman Rodney Barreto.
For-hire operations that do not have a federal reef fish permit may also participate in the season but are limited to fishing for red snapper in Gulf state waters only.
NWE All-Stars Win 8U District Championship
June 13, 2022
The Northwest Escambia 8U All-Stars won the Cal Ripken 8U District 7 Championship Sunday. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Lead Slips Away In 12 Inning Walk-off Loss
June 13, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos held three different leads after the eighth inning on Sunday afternoon, but couldn’t hold any of them in a 7-6, 12-inning loss to the Birmingham Barons.
Yoelqui Cespedes singled home the tying run for Birmingham in the bottom of the 12th, then scored from first on an Ian Dawkins walk-off single to help the Barons split the six-game series.
The Blue Wahoos maintained their 4.0-game lead in the South Division with 12 to play in the first half, pending other results in the league.
Cody Mincey turned in a quality start for the Blue Wahoos, allowing two runs over six innings, but Pensacola trailed 2-1 going to the seventh. Thomas Jones hit a one-out double, then scored on a wild pitch with a crafty slide to evade the tag from catcher Evan Skoug. Troy Johnston delivered a go-ahead two-run single moments later, giving the Blue Wahoos a 4-2 lead.
That lead would hold until the bottom of the ninth, when J.J. Muno hit his first homer of the year off Dylan Bice to tie the game 4-4. J.D. Osborne, who had homered earlier in the game, delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the tenth, but a fielding error from Cobie Fletcher-Vance in the bottom of the inning breathed new life into the Barons and allowed them to send the game to the 11th.
Pensacola was unable to score in the 11th against Taylor Broadway (W, 2-2), but neither were the Barons against Jefry Yan (L, 1-1) in the bottom half of the inning. Norel González gave the Blue Wahoos a 6-5 lead with an RBI single in the top of the 12th before the Barons rallied against Yan moments later to walk it off.
After an off day on Monday, the Blue Wahoos welcome the Tennessee Smokies to Pensacola for a six-game series on Tuesday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Blue Wahoos Fall 5-1 To The Barons In Birmingham
June 12, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos took a 1-0 lead to the bottom of the eighth inning in their game against the Birmingham Barons on Saturday night, but uncharacteristic bullpen struggles cost the club in a 5-1 loss.
Jeff Lindgren tied a career high with 7.0 innings of scoreless work in his start for the Blue Wahoos, his fourth quality start in six Double-A appearances this season.
The Blue Wahoos maintained their 4.0-game lead in the South Division with 13 to play in the first half, as every other team in the division also lost.
Troy Johnston provided Pensacola’s only run-scoring hit of the night with an RBI double in the third against Birmingham starter Emilio Vargas to put the Blue Wahoos up 1-0. Pensacola managed just three hits in the game, and none after the fourth inning as a Barons bullpen effort from Kyle Kubat, Declan Cronin, Garrett Davila (W, 2-0) and Fraser Ellard kept the Blue Wahoos in check.
Birmingham was stymied by Lindgren through seven innings, but pounced on Andrew McInvale (L, 0-1) in the eighth. A leadoff walk to Craig Dedelow was followed by a game-tying RBI triple to Yoelqui Cespedes, who was then brought home on an Alex Destino sacrifice fly to put the Barons up 2-1. Three hits, two walks and a hit batsman followed as the Barons eventually stretched the lead to 5-1.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series and road trip against the Barons on Sunday.
Written by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Blue Wahoos Overcome Early Deficit in Comeback 9-8 Win Over B’ham
June 11, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos were undaunted by an 8-1 deficit in Birmingham on Friday night, scoring eight unanswered runs for a comeback 9-8 win over the Barons.
Josh Simpson (W, 3-0), Dylan Bice and Colton Hock (S, 5) combined for 6.0 innings of one-hit, shutout relief that allowed the offense to chip away at the Barons bullpen.
The Blue Wahoos extended their lead in the South Division by 4.0 games with 14 to play in the first half.
Griffin Conine opened the scoring for Pensacola in the first against Birmingham starter Scott Blewett, grounding an RBI single up the middle for a 1-0 lead. Blue Wahoos starter Bryan Mitchell allowed a two-run double to J.J. Muno in the second before things unraveled in the third inning.
Birmingham scored six runs against Mitchell in the third, though three errors from the Blue Wahoos made five of the runs unearned. The big inning was capped by a three-run homer from Luis Curbelo to put the Barons ahead 8-1.
Luis Aviles Jr. hit a solo homer to lead off the fourth and kick off the comeback effort, and Ray-Patrick Didder hit an RBI triple later in the inning to cut the deficit to 8-3. In the fifth, a two-out throwing error from Barons third baseman D.J. Burt made the score 8-5.
The Blue Wahoos completed the comeback in the sixth, scoring four runs against Taylor Broadway (L, 1-2). Paul McIntosh laced a two-run double to left-center and scored the tying run on a wild pitch before an Aviles sacrifice fly brought home the eventual winning run.
Simpson, Bice and Hock held the lead, facing just one over the minimum over the final four innings.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Saturday.
written by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
License-Free Freshwater Fishing This Weekend In Florida
June 10, 2022
Anglers can fish for free in freshwater in Florida this weekend.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said license-free freshwater fishing days provide an excellent opportunity for those new to fishing without needing to first purchase a license. On these days, the fishing license requirement is waived for all recreational anglers, including residents and non-residents. All other rules including seasons, bag and size limits still apply.
Pictured: Fishing at Lake Stone near Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Split Doubleheader With Birmingham
June 10, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos split their modified doubleheader against the Birmingham Barons on Thursday, falling in the completion of Wednesday’s suspended game 5-1 but salvaging the nightcap 8-5.
Troy Johnston, the reigning Southern League Player of the Week, came through with a go-ahead, two-out, three-run homer in the seventh and final frame of game two.
The Blue Wahoos maintained their lead in the South Division by 3.5 games with 15 to play in the first half, pending other games throughout the league.
Game one was picked up in a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth, and Lenyn Sosa hit a solo homer for the Barons in the fourth against Anthony Maldonado (L, 2-3) to set the tone. Birmingham added a run in the fifth on a Raudy Read double, and a pair of runs in the seventh on a Sosa RBI single and passed ball. Sam Peralta (W, 2-3) kept the Blue Wahoos off the board in long relief, and only a ninth-inning homer for Paul McIntosh against Felix Paulino (S, 1) prevented a shutout.
In game two, the Blue Wahoos jumped ahead early against starter Kaleb Roper. José Devers whistled the first pitch of the game for a triple, and Ray-Patrick Didder followed with a two-run homer. After the Barons came back to tie the game against Pensacola starter Zach McCambley, Norel González blasted the Blue Wahoos ahead once more in the third with a three-run homer.
McCambley allowed a two-run homer to Ian Dawkins in the fifth, drawing the game to 5-4, and Eli Villalobos (W, 3-1) allowed an RBI single to Read in the sixth to blow a save and tie the game.
In the top of the seventh and final inning, Devers and Didder reached with two outs against Declan Cronin (L, 1-2) before Johnston drove a 1-2 pitch over the right-center wall for a go-ahead three-run homer. Villalobos worked a quiet bottom of the inning to lock down the win.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Friday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Escambia Boat Registration Fees Increasing By 50%, But You Can Renew Now And Save
June 9, 2022
Boat registration fees in Escambia County will increase by half in a few weeks, but there’s time to renew now and save a little money.
In March, the Escambia County Commission approved an additional registration fee equal to 50% of what is currently charged by the state. The increase won’t be significant. For example, the fee will increase by $2.75 for vessels under 12 feet, $8.13 for a boat 12-16 feet, and $14.38 for 16-26 feet.
Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford said boaters can renew their registration now for up to years and avoid the increase that goes into effect July 1.
Escambia County will use the increased revenue for its Marine Resources division for derelict vessel and debris renewal, cleanup of waterways and other projects that affect the health and accessibility of local marine, freshwater and coastal resources.
File photo.
Rain Halts Scoreless Game Between Wahoos And Barons In Birmingham
June 9, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Birmingham Barons played to a scoreless tie through three innings on Wednesday before rain forced the suspension of play.
Wednesday’s game will pick up on Thursday at 4:30 in the top of the fourth inning, with a 7-inning game to follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the suspended game.
Eury Pérez and Emilio Vargas traded zeroes through three innings, with only one hit for each team. Pérez struck out two batters and did not walk a batter, needing only 34 pitches to work 3.0 frames.
The Blue Wahoos lead the South Division by 3.5 games with 17 to play in the first half, pending other games throughout the league.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Thursday with a modified doubleheader.
Wahoos Coast To 10-1 Over Birmingham
June 8, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos won their fourth in a row on Tuesday night, opening up their six-game series against the Birmingham Barons with a blowout 10-1 victory.
A.J. Ladwig (W, 1-1) delivered a quality start for his first win in the Marlins organization, allowing only an unearned run over 6.0 solid innings.
The Blue Wahoos maintained their lead in the South Division by 3.5 games with 17 to play in the first half, pending other games throughout the league.
Ray-Patrick Didder opened up the scoring in the second with a solo homer, and Luis Aviles Jr. made Birmingham starter Jason Bilous (L, 3-5) pay for three walks in the third with a three-run homer of his own.
Troy Johnston and Paul McIntosh twice went back-to-back with RBI doubles in the fourth and sixth innings. Johnston, the reigning Southern League Player of the Week, finished 2-for-4 and McIntosh was 4-for-5 with 4 runs batted in.
Andrew McInvale and Josh Simpson relieved Ladwig with the game well in hand, facing the minimum over the final three frames to coast to victory.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Wednesday