Baker Defeats Ernest Ward Middle (With Gallery)
September 11, 2024
The Baker Gators blank the Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles 28-0 on a soggy Tuesday night in Walnut Hill.
Click here for a photo gallery.
The Eagles will look to bounce back in their next game against W.S. Neal on September 17.
They will then face a three-game road series against Baker, Escambia County Middle School of Atmore, and T.R. Miller. Ernest Ward’s season will conclude under the leadership of Coach O’Darius Williams with a home game against ECMS on October 15.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Begin Final Homestand With 6-1 Loss To Biscuits
September 11, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped the opener of their final series of the regular season on Tuesday night, falling 6-1 at the hands of the Montgomery Biscuits.
After a pregame rain delay of one hour and 37 minutes, the Blue Wahoos kept the game in check before a four-run Montgomery fourth inning, highlighted by a three-run homer from Mason Auer.
With the loss, the Blue Wahoos backed themselves into a corner in their bid for a wild card playoff spot. The Blue Wahoos trail the Biloxi Shuckers by 4.0 games with five to play, and now need to win all five of their remaining games to keep their hopes alive.
Pensacola starter Evan Fitterer (L, 6-6) worked around command trouble to put up 3.0 scoreless innings before he paid the price in the fourth. A Dominic Keegan double was followed by two walks, setting up a Willy Vasquez sacrifice fly to give the Biscuits a 1-0 lead. Auer’s big three-run homer capped the rally, extending the Montgomery advantage to 4-0.
That would be more than enough run support for Yoniel Curet (W, 4-0), who returned to the site of his August Double-A debut and twirled a gem for the Biscuits. The young righty worked 6.0 innings of one-run ball, striking out eight and allowing only a Nathan Martorella solo homer in the fourth among seven scattered hits.
Montgomery added a run in the fifth on a Tanner Murray RBI single, and another in the seventh on a Carson Williams solo homer. The bullpen trio of Evan Reifert, Keyshawn Askew and Paul Gervase each contributed an inning of scoreless, hitless relief for the Biscuits to complete the 6-1 final.
The series continues Wednesday at Blue Wahoos Stadium, with a first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CT.
Tate Aggies Baseball Holding Golf Shootout
September 10, 2024
The Tate Aggies Baseball team is hosting a golf shootout on Friday, October 4 at Scenic Hills. This event offers a fun-filled day of golf, delicious food, and the opportunity to support a local cause.
Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, longest drive, and closest to the pin.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses and individuals who wish to support the event. Various sponsorship levels starting at $150 offer benefits such as tee signs, table/tent space, golf for players, and more.
A portion of the proceeds will go towards the Trace Penton Memorial Scholarship, supporting a top academic athlete.
Details are in the graphic below, click to enlarge.
To register or learn more, contact Rob McLellan at (850) 377.0184 or TateAggiesBaseball@gmail.com.
Girls High School Golf: Tate Claims Victory; Northview’s Anna Kunkel Shoots 37
September 9, 2024
Tate High School emerged victorious in a girls’ varsity golf match recently at Cypress Lakes Golf Club against Pensacola and Northview high schools.
Tate’s team score of 193 secured the win. PHS was second with 213, while the Northview finished in third place with a total of 220.
Northview’s Anna Kunkel led the Chiefs with a score of 37. Talia and Jordan Smith of Tate both shot 46 to tie for third overall for the Aggies.
Tate Individual Scores By Position
3. Talia Smith: 46
3. Jordan Smith: 46
5. Kinzlee Biggs: 49
6. Alessa Lloyd: 52
7. Paige Raiter: 53
9. Lacy Wilson: 55
10. Kara Wine: 57
15. Destiny Owen: 63
Northview Individual Scores By Position
1. Anna Kunkel: 37
12. Bailey Burkett: 57
13. Presley Amos: 60
14. Payton Daw: 61
15. Kaylee Long: 63
15. Reena Lin: 63
Blue Wahoos Finish Off Road Series Win, Enter Final Week With Momentum
September 9, 2024
written by Carter Bainbridge
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (68-62) clinched a road series victory on Sunday with a 6-5 win over the Birmingham Barons (69-63). Sunday’s decision marked Pensacola’s first series win since August 6-11 at Mississippi.
The Wahoos fell behind early in their series finale. Behind lefthander Luis Palacios, Pensacola spotted the Barons a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Back-to-back run-scoring hits from catcher Weston Eberly and center fielder Matt Hogan helped plate an early Barons pair. The two runs would be all Palacios allowed across 4.2 innings of work.
Neither team scored again until the top of the fifth, when Blue Wahoos first baseman Josh Zamora smacked his first Double-A home run of the season off Barons righthander Riley Gowens to cut the Birmingham lead to 2-1. In the sixth, Zamora delivered again with a hard-hit RBI double that bounced off the top of the center field wall. Two batters later, Barons righthander Jordan Mikel (L, 4-2) threw a wild pitch to score right fielder Shane Sasaki from third base and give the Wahoos a 3-2 lead. Designated hitter Nathan Martorella then hit a sacrifice fly to score Zamora from third base and double the Pensacola lead. After six innings, the Wahoos led 4-2.
The Blue Wahoos tacked on additional insurance runs in the seventh and ninth innings. Birmingham broke through for three runs in the ninth, but righthander Woo-Suk Go held on to strand the tying run at first base and preserve a 6-5 win.
With its victory, Pensacola returns home for its final regular season series with an outside chance to qualify for postseason play. With six games remaining, the Blue Wahoos begin their final week 2.5 games behind the wild card-leading Biloxi Shuckers.
The Wahoos return home on Tuesday to begin their final regular season series versus the Montgomery Biscuits. First pitch from Blue Wahoos Stadium is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CT,
Five-Run Third Sinks Wahoos In Loss To Barons
September 8, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos saw an early lead wiped away in a 6-4 loss to the Birmingham Barons on Saturday night.
The Barons used two infield singles, a fielding error, a two-run single from DJ Gladney and a three-run homer from Jacob Gonzalez to push across five runs in a pivotal third inning.
With the loss, the Blue Wahoos missed a chance to gain ground on the Biloxi Shuckers in the hunt for a wild card playoff spot. Biloxi lost 4-3 to Rocket City in 10 innings, while the Mississippi Braves were swept by the Tennessee Smokies in a doubleheader. The Blue Wahoos trail the Shuckers by 3.5 games and the Braves by 0.5 games with seven to play in the regular season.
The Blue Wahoos jumped ahead early against Barons ace Noah Schultz, stringing together three consecutive extra-base hits in the second inning for a 3-0 lead. Paul McIntosh and Johnny Olmstead each doubled before Shane Sasaki hit an RBI triple and scored on a Cody Morissette RBI groundout. The three earned runs marked a season high for Schultz, who had entered the game with a 1.35 ERA in 14 starts.
Tristan Stevens (L, 2-3) didn’t allow a hit through the first two innings, but surrendered consecutive infield singles to Rikuu Nishida and Mario Camilletti before a Johnny Olmstead fielding error loaded the bases for the Barons in the third. Gladney followed with a two-run single, and Gonzalez blasted Birmingham’s first homer of the series to put the Barons ahead 5-3.
Birmingham added another in the fourth on a Wilfred Veras RBI double, but Pensacola relievers Matt Pushard, Chandler Jozwiak and Justin King worked scoreless baseball the rest of the way.
Gil Luna and Peyton Pallette (W, 1-0) kept the Blue Wahoos in check through seven innings. Max Roberts walked four and allowed a run in the eighth inning to draw the Blue Wahoos to a pair of runs, but Eric Adler (S, 7) escaped a bases-loaded jam and returned for a spotless ninth to seal the Barons win.
The series concludes Sunday in Birmingham, with a 4:00 CT first pitch from Regions Field.
Tate Edges PHS 27-22 To Remain Undefeated
September 7, 2024
The Tate Aggies continued their undefeated season with a 27-22 victory over Pensacola High on a soggy Friday night.
The win marked the Aggies’ third consecutive win of the season, after outscoring Fort Walton Beach and Gulf Breeze 65-0.
PHS, coming off their first win in nearly two years a week ago at Milton, briefly took an early lead. However, Tate responded with a touchdown of their own from senior Carson Secchari to regain the lead on their way to the win.
The Aggies (3-0) will end a three-game road series with Homecoming next Friday night back in Pete Gindl Stadium as they host Milton (0-3)
Northview Chiefs Fall On The Road To Freeport 36-20
September 7, 2024
The Northview Chiefs hit the road for a 100-mile trip across the Panhandle to take on Freeport.
The Chiefs returned home Friday night with a 26-36 loss to the Bulldogs. The defeat dropped the Chiefs’ record to 1-2 for the season.
Next Friday night, Northview will host the brand new Central High program for a Senior Night matchup at Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in Bratt.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
High School Football Scoreboard
September 7, 2024
Here is this week’s North Escambia area football scoreboard:
Florida
Tate 27, PHS 22 [More...]
Jay 35, Lighthouse Private Christian Academy 8
Fort Walton Beach 14, West Florida 0
Washington 12, Milton 7
Niceville 36, Pine Forest 14
Baker 42, Central 7
BYE: Pace
Alabama
Fort Dale Academy 42, Escambia Academy 7
Jackson 43, Escambia County (Atmore) 13
T.R. Miller 50, Monroe Co. 0
St. Michael Catholic 46, W.S. Neal 28
Excel 28, Flomaton 22 (Thursday)
Snelling Leads Wahoos To 3-0 Win Over B’ham Barons
September 7, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos got back in the win column on Friday night, riding a strong Robby Snelling pitching performance to a 3-0 shutout win over the Birmingham Barons.
Snelling (W, 2-1) worked 5.2 scoreless innings of four-hit ball, striking out six to earn his second win since being acquired by the Marlins at the trade deadline. The 20-year-old lefty threw 99 pitches, his most in a Blue Wahoos uniform.
With the win, the Blue Wahoos kept pace with the Biloxi Shuckers in the hunt for a wild card playoff spot. The Blue Wahoos trail the Shuckers by 3.5 games and the Mississippi Braves by 1.0 game with eight to play in the regular season.
The Blue Wahoos loaded the bases in the first inning against Barons starter Tyler Schweitzer (L, 4-5), but couldn’t cash in. They broke through in the third inning, turning an Andrew Pintar single and Nathan Martorella walk into a 2-0 lead on a two-run double from Jared Serna. Joe Mack brought home Serna on an RBI fielder’s choice two batters later to put Pensacola ahead 3-0.
Snelling pitched into the sixth inning, departing with two outs and two runners aboard. Josh White, entering for his Double-A debut, needed only one pitch to coax an inning-ending popout.
White followed with three strikeouts in the seventh, and Dale Stanavich (S, 4) struck out five more Barons batters in a six-out save to seal the win.
The series continues Saturday in Birmingham, with a 6:30 CT first pitch from Regions Field.