Tate High’s Taylor Fitzgerald Signs With Nichols College
May 17, 2024
Taylor Fitzgerald, a four-year member of the Tate High School cheerleading team, signed with Nichols College (Dudley, Mass.) this week.
Fitzgerald was a member of the 2024 FHSAA State Championship squad, a two-time FHSAA Regional Champion and three-time UCA Regional Champion squads.
A member of FFA, Taylor heads to Nichols College with a plan to study business..
Photos by Tate High School Yearbook and others for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bellozo Brilliant in 4-1 Blue Wahoos Win over Biscuits
May 17, 2024
written by Erik Bremmer
Valente Bellozo turned in a career-high 7.0 innings as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos reclaimed sole possession of first place with a 4-1 win over the Montgomery Biscuits on Thursday night.
Bellozo (W, 2-2) struck out eight batters and allowed only two hits, pitching into the seventh inning for the first time in his professional career and delivering his second quality start in a row.
The Pensacola offense was carried by the long ball, as Harrison Spohn opened the scoring with a solo homer in the third against Biscuits starter Logan Workman (L, 0-2) and Joe Mack added insurance with a two-run homer in the ninth. Left fielder Paul McIntosh also had a good night at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a triple.
Bellozo needed only 75 pitches to cruise through seven innings, exemplified by a rare three-pitch sixth inning. He did allow a run in the seventh on a Carson Williams double and a Tanner Murray sacrifice fly, but center fielder Jakob Marsee tracked down a pair of deep flyouts to preserve the Pensacola lead.
After Matt Pushard registered a scoreless eighth, Austin Roberts (S, 7) picked up the save in the ninth. The game ended on a lineout to McIntosh in left field that turned into a double play when Williams was doubled off first base.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series in Montgomery on Friday night. First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 6:35.
Tate’s Bray Touchstone Signs Baseball Scholarship With Gulf Coast State College
May 16, 2024
Bray Touchstone, a standout player on the Tate High School varsity baseball team for four years, signed a full-ride scholarship with Gulf Coast State College (Panama City) this week.
Touchstone’s achievements at Tate include being named the FACA 6A District 1 Player of the Year, Pensacola Sports Baseball Senior Scholar Athlete, and earning spots on the FACA District 1 All-Academic Team, the West All-Star Team, and the PNJ Player of the Year (2023). He was also an All-Area First Team selection for two consecutive years, a member of the FACA 6A All-State Team for three consecutive years, and was chosen by Professional Baseball Scouts to attend the Florida Diamond Club.
Touchstone excelled academically as well. He was selected a member of the Tate High School Hall of Fame, consistently made the A Honor Roll, ranked in the top 5% of his graduating class, and received multiple FFA honors including the Greenhand FFA Degree, the FFA Chapter Rising Star Award, the Chapter FFA Degree, and the State FFA Degree. He also dedicated over 200 hours to community service, participating in Student Council, National Honor Society, FFA, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Photos by Tate High School Yearbook for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Six-Run Inning Sinks Wahoos In Loss To Montgomery
May 16, 2024
written by Erik Bremmer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell into a tie for first place with a 9-1 loss to the Montgomery Biscuits on Wednesday night.
The Biscuits exploded for a seven-hit, six-run third against Luis Palacios (L, 2-3) to equal Pensacola’s win total and clinch a potential head-to-head tiebreaker by taking the season series.
The six-run frame featured run-scoring singles from Carson Williams and Dominic Keegan, followed by a pair of RBI doubles from Heriberto Hernandez and Tanner Murray. It marked the first time since April 17 a Blue Wahoos starting pitcher allowed more than four runs in a game.
The Blue Wahoos had ample opportunity against Biscuits starter Ben Peoples (W, 2-1) but managed only one run on a Zach Zubia RBI single in the fifth inning. The Montgomery righty gave way to the bullpen after 5.0 strong innings, and the Pensacola offense failed to reach base against a trio of Sean Hunley, Jeff Belge and Haden Erbe in the final four frames.
Angel Macuare allowed two runs in a pair of relief innings for the Blue Wahoos, and Austin Roberts allowed a solo homer to Carson Williams in the ninth to cap the scoring. Pensascola’s pitching bright spot was Zach McCambley, who fanned three over a pair of perfect innings to move into fifth place all-time in strikeouts for the Blue Wahoos franchise.
The Blue Wahoos look to reclaim first place in Montgomery on Thursday night. First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 6:35.
Northview Lady Chiefs Fall To Holmes County In Region 1-1A Final (With Gallery)
May 15, 2024
“It’s going to be a great season next year. We’re excited. This is not an end; this was a beginning.”
That’s how Northview High School softball head coach Amy Holland described her optimistic look ahead at next season, her 13th, after the Lady Chiefs fell to Holmes County 7-2 in the Region 1-1A final in Bratt Tuesday night.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“The good thing about us is we are stacked with ninth and tenth graders that will be back next year. We will be tougher and stronger than ever next year,” she said, adding that the 22-5 team had just seniors on the field.
The Blue Devils held a 2-0 lead after one inning. The second ended at 2-0 as Northview turned a double play.
A double by Chloe Ragsdale helped the Chiefs tie it up at 2-2 in the bottom of the third before the Blue Devils pulled ahead in the top of the fifth.
Headed into Tuesday night, Holmes County had won eight straight game. In th last six, they had out scored opponents 60-2, including two wins over the Jay Lady Royals.
Jamison Gilman went six and two-thirds innings for the Lady Chiefs, surrendering five runs on 13 hits while striking out two and walking one. She stepped out of the circle as Makayla McAnally pitched one-third of an inning.
Mary Clayton Dawson led the Chiefs at the plate, going 2-3. Ragsdale and Dawson each drove in one run.
“I think nerves got to our girls a little bit. Other than that, our outfielders played a good game. Our infield played good at time,” Holland said. “Tonight, errors ate us up a little bit. We had a few little errors.”
“We had a great season this year, our record was awesome. This is just the beginning of this team right here.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Sports Honors Top High School Senior Athletes
May 15, 2024
Every year, Pensacola Sports honors the top senior student-athletes in each sport from Escambia and Santa Rosa County schools for a scholarship recognition program. Schools in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties nominate their senior athletes for each sport.
A selection committee made of educators, community leaders, and Pensacola Sports board members reviews the anonymous applications and selects the best person’s credentials for individual sport winners as well as the overall male and female winners from the individual sport winners.
OVERALL MALE
Christopher Rembert – Catholic
MULTISPORT MALE
Jaquez Moorer – Northview
OVERALL FEMALE
Gabrielle Goyins – Catholic
MULTISPORT FEMALE
Maddie Simmons – Navarre
BASEBALL
Bray Touchstone – Tate
BOYS BASKETBALL
Darius Cunningham – Navarre
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Xander McLaughlin – Catholic
FOOTBALL
Turner McLaughlin – Catholic
BOYS GOLF
Bentley Van Pelt – West Florida
BOYS LACROSSE
Benton Lane – Catholic
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton Nolen – Pensacola
BOYS SWIMMING
Jackson Hebert – West Florida
BOYS TENNIS
(tie) Francis Smith – Gulf Breeze
(tie) Benjamin Ling – Catholic
BOYS TRACK
Zachary Hoyle – Pine Forest
BOYS WEIGHTLIFTING
Caleb Hahr – Milton
WRESTLING
Michael Mancuso – Gulf Breeze
CHEERLEADING
Finlee Jenkins – Washington
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Piper Tieman – Gulf Breeze
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Mozelle Powell – Gulf Breeze
GIRLS GOLF
Islay Benoit – Catholic
GIRLS LACROSSE
Natalie Biggs – Catholic
GIRLS SOCCER
Amelia Jacobs – Gulf Breeze
SOFTBALL
Leila Ammon – Gulf Breeze
GIRLS SWIMMING
Shelby Smith – West Florida
GIRLS TENNIS
Sara McElrath – Gulf Breeze
GIRLS TRACK
Jennifer Mims – West Florida
VOLLEYBALL
Julia Irmen – Navarre
GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTING
Shannon Bryan – Pace
UWF SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Cora Helmig – Tate
Katie Kauth – Navarre
Xander McLaughlin – Catholic
KESSLER SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Kaylee Nguyen – Pensacola
Pictured top: Overall female Gabrielle Goyins – Catholic High. Pictured below: Overall male Christopher Rembert – Catholic High. Pictured below: Baseball winner Bray Touchstone – Tate High School. Boy’s golf winner Bentley Van Pelt – West Florida. Pictured bottom: UWF Scholarship winners Katie Kauth – Navarre, Cora Helmig – Tate, and Xander McLaughlin – Catholic. Photos courtesy Pensacola Sports for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Seymour Stings Wahoos In 3-2 Loss To Biscuits
May 15, 2024
written by Erik Bremmer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped the opener of their six-game road series against the Montgomery Biscuits on Tuesday evening by a score of 3-2.
Biscuits first baseman Bob Seymour was 4-for-4, tying the game with an RBI single in the sixth and bringing in the go-ahead run with an RBI double in the eighth as Montgomery drew to within a game of Pensacola in the South Division standings.
The game began as a duel between Pensacola’s Jonathan Bermúdez and Montgomery’s Cole Wilcox. The Biscuits jumped ahead early on a second-inning solo homer from Heriberto Hernández, but that would be the only run allowed by Bermúdez in a 5.0-inning start.
The Blue Wahoos answered back in the fifth, as Jakob Marsee hit a game-tying RBI double and quickly scampered home on a steal of third followed by a throwing error. Wilcox remained in the game, completing 7.0 innings to mark the longest appearance for a Biscuits pitcher this season.
Anderson Pilar allowed a sixth-inning triple to Carson Williams, followed by Seymour’s game-tying single to bring the score to 2-2. After Keyshawn Askew (W, 1-2) retired the Blue Wahoos in the top of the eighth, Raffi Vizcaíno (L, 2-1) allowed a single to Dru Baker to set the stage for Seymour’s heroics. The big first baseman doubled off the center field wall, scoring Baker from first base to put the Biscuits ahead 3-2.
Austin Vernon (S, 1) worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to record the save.
The Blue Wahoos look to even up the series in Montgomery on Wednesday night. First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 6:35.
Tate’s Williams, Bignell Sign To Play College Basketball
May 13, 2024
Tate High School seniors Deonne Williams and Evan Bignell signed National Letters of Intent after successful high school careers.
Deonne Williams, a power forward, is traveling to John Melvin University (Crawley, La.) to study sports medicine. Evan Bignell, shooting guard, signed with Pensacola State College and will study sports management.
Photos by Tate High School Yearbook for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Complete Big Week With Special Mother’s Day Win
May 13, 2024
written by Bill Vilona
The Blue Wahoos wore their usual pink, floral jerseys, but many added pink-colored shoes, batting gloves and even pink bats to recognize Mother’s Day.
No matter the occasion, however, the ballclub has so far performed its Sunday best.
After spotting Birmingham a pair of first-inning runs, the Blue Wahoos responded with a pair of three-run innings and their pitching did the rest in a 6-4 victory against the Barons, thus putting a rose bouquet on with five wins against a first-place opponent at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
If this series against the Southern League’s hottest team were a gauge, the Blue Wahoos (20-13) figure to like this performance measurement heading into a new week. The Barons (20-12) entered the series with a 19-7 record that was by far the best in the league.
The Mother’s Day win, delighting a crowd of 4,302 that included many moms and their children, pushed the Blue Wahoos to a 5-1 record on Sundays this season. This one included a parade of area school children before the game, between-inning contests with mothers involved, and families on the field afterward playing catch in the outfield.
“We’re pumped. We’re awesome,” said Joe Mack, the Blue Wahoos catcher and designated hitter, who went 3-for-5 Sunday to cap a big for him, as the team now hits the road for a six-game series against Montgomery.
“We’re ready to go, ready to get that series going and get us started off hot,” Mack said in a post-game interview with Blue Wahoos broadcaster Carter Bainbridge.
Mack went 9-for-22 in the six-game series with two RBI. He reached base at least twice in each of the last four games.
“Just being more simple with it and believing in the process and believing in God and everything. That is the main factor of life,” said Mack, who grew up in Williamsville, New York, located near Buffalo, and was chosen in 2021 by the Miami Marlins in the competitive balance round of that draft.
“Just not trying to do too much and keeping my approach to the left side to the field and just put myself in a good position to help the team as best as possible,” Mack said, when reflecting on his approach Sunday.
After the Barons took a 2-0 lead against Blue Wahoos starter Paul Campbell, who then settled into a groove, the Blue Wahoos quickly answered in their half of the first inning.
The first five Blue Wahoos batters reached base against Barons righthander Drew Thorpe, the Chicago White Sox No. 3 overall ranked prospect, who was dominating in his earlier start this week. He carried a 5-1 record and 1.01 earned run average into the game.
It was different this time around. Thorpe did not survive the first inning.
With the bases loaded, Thorpe gave up an RBI single to Mack, followed by a two-run single to Paul McIntosh. After being lifted with two outs in the first, the Barons used five relievers.
The Blue Wahoos, meanwhile, countered with four relievers to follow Campbell, who earned his fourth win in working five innings, giving up five hits, recording five strikeouts and issuing just one walk.
After the Barons tied the game in the fourth inning, the Blue Wahoos answered with a 3-run fifth inning that became decisive.
Nathan Martorella led off with a single, went to third on Mack’s double, then McIntosh was intentionally walked to load the bases. Jacob Berry hit a ground ball that third baseman Jason Matthews bobbled for no play, thus scoring Martorella.
Cody Morissette had an RBI groundout and Harrison Spohn added an RBI single to make it a 6-3 lead.
The final four innings, the Blue Wahoos bullpen took over. In the ninth, however, the Barons made it suspenseful when by loading the bases with one out. Blue Wahoos reliever Matt Pushard induced a run-scoring groundout for the second out and then got dangerous clean-up hitter Tim Elko to fly out on a 1-2 curveball to end the game.
The Blue Wahoos will take Monday off, then leave on Tuesday morning for Montgomery and their second road series against the Biscuits. They lost five of six games to Montgomery in the second week of the season, but have since played well with a 13-3 record in their last three series.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Blue Wahoos vs. Montgomery Biscuits
WHEN: Tuesday Thru May 19th.
WHERE: Riverwalk Stadium, Montgomery, Alabama.
Jay Royals Win 1A District Crown
May 12, 2024
The Jay Royals claimed the regional baseball championship Saturday with a 3-1 defeat of Paxton.
No. Jay will face No. 2 Lafayette in the state semi final on March 15 in Fort Myers.