Catholic’s TJ McCants Drafted By Chicago White Sox
July 18, 2024
Pensacola Catholic High School graduate TJ McCants was selection in the 16th round of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox.
McCants played college baseball at Ole Miss and Alabama. He went to the White Sox as the 469th overall pick.
In one season for the Crimson Tide, McCants made 56 starts for Alabama in the outfield. He had a .306 batting average with 17 home runs and 53 RBOs. McCants also had 14 stolen bases.
Tate Grad, UWF Standout Darrien McDowell Selected In 2024 MLB Draft
July 16, 2024
Tate High School graduate Darrien McDowell was selected by the San Diego Padres Monday in the sixth round of the 2024 MLB Draft.
McDowell, a junior first baseman for the University of West Florida Argos , was the 180th overall selection in the draft,. He was the first Division II player selected, and the first Argo drafted since 2015.
McDowell graduated from Tate High in 2020, and played at Pensacola State College before joining the UWF baseball team.
Last season at UWF, McDowell hit .442 with 27 home runs and 77 RBIs. He was the 2024 Division II Leader in home runs, total bases and slugging percentage, and was named the 2024 Gulf South Conference Player of the Year.
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Register Now For Northview Chiefs Football Camp
July 15, 2024
Northview Football will host a Youth Football Camp July 18-19 from 5-7 p.m. each evening.
Camp attendees will play and learn from Northview coaching staff and players.
Pre-registration is $50 or register day of the camp for $60. A t-shirt is included for all campers.
Activities Include:
- Position Drills – Learn proper technique for each camper’s position.
- Agility Drills – Learn different footwork, speed, and ball catching drills.
- Offensive/Defensive Groups – Learn how to run different formations and plays.
- Tackling – Learn blocking and safe tackling techniques.
- Chief Ball – Fun team competition at the end of camp.
Pre-register using Venmo to the NHS Quarterback Club @NarthviewHS-Chiefs
Cash or check payable to Northview High School accepted on the day of the camp.
Wahoos Drop Back-and-Forth Road Finale
July 15, 2024
written by Carter Bainbridge
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (49-37) fell to the Rocket City Trash Pandas (43-43) in a tightly contested road series finale on Sunday afternoon.
Riding the momentum of six consecutive wins, the Wahoos took an immediate first-inning lead. A two-out fielding error by Rocket City left fielder Orlando Martinez opened the door for Pensacola designated hitter Zach Zubia, who belted his second home run of the series to put the Wahoos ahead 2-0.
Pensacola struggled for additional offense against Rocket City starter Chase Chaney, who settled into a rhythm throughout a four-inning outing. Meanwhile, the Trash Pandas chipped away against Blue Wahoos starter Jonathan Bermúdez (6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K). In the bottom of the third, a pair of Trash Panda singles and a passed ball set up second baseman Arol Vera, who hit a sacrifice fly to score center fielder Nelson Rada and cut the Wahoos’ lead to 2-1.
In the Rocket City fourth, two walks and a single loaded the bases for catcher Myles Emmerson, who swatted his second of four hits on the day to score two runs and give the Trash Pandas a 3-2 lead. Neither team would score again until the seventh when Pensacola third baseman Dalvy Rosario hit his first home run of the year off Rocket City righthander Brett Kerry (W, 1-0) to tie the game 3-3.
In the top of the ninth, Pensacola had an opportunity to take a late lead but stranded two runners aboard. In the bottom of the ninth, righthander Raffi Vizcaíno (L, 4-3) ran into early trouble. Rocket City third baseman Eric Wagaman led off the inning with a check-swing single into right, then advanced to second on a fielding error by Wahoos right fielder Jacob Berry. Right fielder Tucker Flint then reached base on a third-strike wild pitch. With runners at the corners and nobody out, Vizcaíno struck out the next two batters before allowing a walk-off single to Nelson Rada.
The 4-3 defeat snaps the Wahoos’ six-game winning streak and an 11-game winning streak at Toyota Field. Despite the loss, Pensacola ends the week with a 5-1 road series victory.
The Blue Wahoos return home on Friday, July 19 to face the Mississippi Braves. First pitch from Blue Wahoos Stadium is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Wahoos Explode in Extras, Win Sixth Straight
July 14, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
It took 11 innings, but the Pensacola Blue Wahoos extended their winning streak to a season-high six games with a 7-3 win over the Rocket City Trash Pandas on Saturday night.
The Blue Wahoos scored two runs in the tenth and four more in the eleventh to remain undefeated in extra-inning games, improving to a perfect 7-0 when playing beyond regulation.
The game began as a pitchers’ duel, as Rocket City’s Sam Bachman twirled 7.0 shutout innings and Pensacola’s Tristan Stevens countered with 6.0 innings of one-run ball.
On the strength of an Eric Wagaman RBI fielder’s choice in the sixth inning, Rocket City held a 1-0 lead until the eighth. Jakob Marsee began the inning with a single off reliever Eric Torres, then advanced to second before stealing third and scoring on a wild pitch to tie the game 1-1.
Anderson Pilar and Matt Pushard contributed scoreless relief for the Blue Wahoos to send the game to extras, where the Blue Wahoos immediately capitalized to take their first lead. Dalvy Rosario sent an infield chopper to first base, but an errant throw allowed a run to score. Marsee followed with an RBI single to bring home Rosario, putting the Blue Wahoos ahead 3-1.
On for the save, new arrival Woo-Suk Go (W, 1-0) struggled to protect the Pensacola lead. The reliever allowed an RBI double to Nelson Rada and a game-tying squeeze bunt to Mac McCroskey, but dug deep and struck out back-to-back batters with the winning run at second base to send the game to the 11th.
The Pensacola offense wasted no time in reclaiming the lead, as Rosario singled home the go-ahead run off reliever Brady Choban (L, 1-2). Marsee added a sacrifice fly before pinch-hitter Diego Infante singled home two more for a four-run inning and a 7-3 lead. Tyler Eckberg quickly dispatched the Trash Pandas in the bottom half to seal the sixth consecutive Blue Wahoos win.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Trash Pandas on Sunday. First pitch from Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.
Panhandle Dynasty 7U Wins World Series
July 14, 2024
Panhandle Dynasty 7U recently won the 2024 World Series. The champions went undefeated over four days of baseball. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Showstoppers 8U Wins Softball National Championship
July 13, 2024
The Showstoppers 8U softball team went undefeated to win the 2024 USSA National Championship in Gulf Shores this week.
Several players were honored for their outstanding performance:
Offensive Player of the Game: Cami Flynn
Defensive Player of the Game: Hensley Parkerson
MVP Pitcher: Ember Polk
Tournament MVP: Elouise Wade
Tournament scores were as follows:
Game 1: Showstoppers vs. Klutch: 11-1
Game 2: Showstoppers vs. Santa Rosa Schockwave: 18-11
Game 3: Showstoppers vs. River Region Misfits: 17-0
Game 4: Showstoppers vs. Oklahoma Chilis 12-3
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Launch Three Homers, Beat Rocket City For Fifth Straight Win
July 13, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos won their fifth in a row on Friday night, riding three home runs to a 9-5 victory over the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
Nathan Martorella opened the scoring with a second-inning homer, his second in as many games, and Sean Roby and Zach Zubia added blasts of their own in another dominant performance from the Pensacola offense.
Pensacola starter Luis Palacios (W, 6-5) surrendered a pair of homers to the Trash Pandas, but got through 5.0 innings of five-run ball to earn his team-leading sixth win.
The Blue Wahoos took the lead for good in the top of the fourth, when Roby went deep off Rocket City reliever Noah Owen (L, 0-1) in his Double-A debut. Zubia’s homer highlighted a six-run fifth inning, the biggest inning of the season for Pensacola and the turning point that allowed the Blue Wahoos to breathe easy the rest of the night.
Myles Emmerson jolted the Rocket City fans with a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the fifth off Palacios, but that was all the Trash Pandas could muster after Pensacola’s big inning. Justin King, Austin Roberts, Chandler Jozwiak and Raffi Vizcaíno combined to work 4.0 scoreless innings of relief to seal a 9-5 win.
The five-game winning streak ties Pensacola’s longest of the season, set most recently June 6-11.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Trash Pandas on Saturday. First pitch from Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Blue Wahoos Out-Blast Trash Pandas In 10-8 Win
July 12, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored a season-high 10 runs on Thursday night, and needed nearly every one of them in a high-scoring 10-8 win over the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
Eight different Pensacola batters scored a run, and eight drove in a run, helping the Blue Wahoos win their fourth in a row and improve to a season-best 11 games above .500.
The Blue Wahoos struck first in the second inning, turning a Zach Zubia walk and a pickoff error into the game’s first run on a balk from Rocket City starter Victor Mederos (L, 4-6). Harrison Spohn brought home Jacob Berry with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 2-0.
The Trash Pandas answered back with a pair of solo homers in the fourth from Eric Wagaman and Ben Gobbel. Blue Wahoos starter Patrick Monteverde (W, 1-0) surrendered a career-high four solo homers, but pitched into the sixth inning in his first start since his return from Triple-A Jacksonville.
The 2-2 tie was broken in the fifth, as the Blue Wahoos strung together five singles and two walks to take a 6-2 lead. Though Rocket City answered back with three of their own in the bottom of the sixth, highlighted by back-to-back homers from Gustavo Campero and Orlando Martinez, reliever Matt Pushard left the bases loaded to preserve a 6-5 lead.
Late Pensacola homers from Nathan Martorella and Joe Mack stretched the lead to 10-5, and that added cushion proved valuable as new arrival Woo-Suk Go struggled in his Blue Wahoos debut. The righty surrendered three runs in the ninth, including Wagaman’s second homer of the game, but got the job done to secure a 10-8 victory.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Trash Pandas on Friday. First pitch from Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Lindgren Lights-Out In 6-3 Blue Wahoos Win
July 11, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
Madison, Ala. – The Pensacola Blue Wahoos won their third in a row on Wednesday night, beating the Rocket City Trash Pandas 6-3 behind a strong start from Jeff Lindgren.
Lindgren (W, 1-0) turned in a quality start, allowing only one run on two hits over 6.0 innings to earn his first Double-A win since 2022.
The Blue Wahoos jumped ahead early against Rocket City starter John O’Reilly (L, 0-1), taking a 1-0 lead on a Paul McIntosh RBI single in the first inning. Sean Roby led off the second with a solo homer, and Joe Mack added a two-run single later in the frame to put Pensacola up 4-0.
Cody Morissette stretched the lead to 5-0 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, and Dalvy Rosario tacked on an RBI single two batters later for a 6-0 lead.
Tucker Flint got the Trash Pandas on the board with a solo homer in the sixth, but it would be the only damage done against Lindgren. Rocket City put up a fight in the final two innings against the Pensacola bullpen, turning a Gustavo Campero triple and Orlando Martinez sacrifice fly into a run in the eighth, but Austin Roberts recorded the final four outs for Pensacola to seal a 6-3 win.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Trash Pandas on Thursday. First pitch from Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.