Kickoff Classic Bonus Photos: Northview, Ernest Ward Cheerleaders
August 21, 2023
The Northview Chiefs and the Ernest Ward Middle Eagles took on Baker Friday night in a kickoff classic.
For a bonus photo gallery with the cheerleaders from NHS and EWMS, click here.
For a game action story and photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Berry, Blue Wahoos Hold On To Beat Biscuits In Finale
August 21, 2023
Luarbert Arias brought his hands together, signaled skyward from the mound and showed gratitude.
The crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium breathed the same sigh of relief.
Arias got the final two outs from a tenuous situation as the Blue Wahoos held on for an 8-7 victory Sunday against the Montgomery Biscuits to end the homestand and weekend with a good vibe.
What seemed a formality, having an 8-4 lead and top closer Jefry Yan pitching in the ninth, turned uneasy after Yan loaded the bases, then gave up a three-run double with one out that suddenly put the trying run a base hit away.
Arias entered, made big pitches, and recorded his first save.
That made for a happy finish on Family Sunday, where children followed by running the bases and playing catch in the outfield in a sponsorship from WKRG News5.
It was the Blue Wahoos’ second win in three games after dropping the first three games of the series against Montgomery, matching a team-record nine-game losing streak.
Sunday brought some good signs.
The Blue Wahoos racked up 14 hits, including a 3-for-4 day from centerfielder Victor Mesa Jr., who had recently been struggling at the plate.
The biggest production again belonged to Jacob Berry. The Miami Marlins’ top pick in 2022 has enjoyed hitting in Blue Wahoos Stadium. Further evidence was shown Sunday by his 3-for-4 day with three RBI. The former LSU star drove in the Blue Wahoos’ first run with a first-inning single, then followed with a two-run single for a 3-0 lead in the second inning.
The Biscuits twice tied the game in the fourth and fifth innings.
Berry was then part of a pivotal seventh inning rally where the Blue Wahoos got creative and got some help.
With the game tied 4-4, Dalvy Rosario led off win a single. Nasim Nuñez then popped a bunt over the head of Biscuits charging third baseman Junior Caminero, the team’s top player. Berry followed with a perfect bunt single to load the bases.
The Blue Wahoos then benefitted from a pair of run-scoring wild pitches uncorked by reliever Nelson Alvarez. Paul McIntosh then provided a 7-4 lead with an RBI single.
In the eighth inning, Cody Morissette led off with a home run blast into the right field berm. That bomb became the game-winning hit. Morrisette was among five Blue Wahoos players with multiple hits. Nuñez and Rosario were the other two.
Blue Wahoos starter Jonathan Bermúdez worked five innings and yielded four runs. Josan Méndez and Matt Pushard followed with three scoreless innings that became pivotal. Pushard was one of three Blue Wahoos players who participated Saturday in a community service project with Feeding the Gulf Coast, helping pack food box and the non-profit organization’s location in Milton.
There are now 24 games left in the regular season, including two more six-game homestands. They will get a respite Monday before a short road trip to Biloxi, Mississippi for a six-game series against the Shuckers on Tuesday. The Shuckers hold a two-game lead on Montgomery in the second half Southern League South Division race.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Tate And Washington To Play In Wahoos Stadium’s First Ever Regular Season Prep Football Game
August 20, 2023
The Tate Aggies and Washington Wildcats have inked a deal to face off in the first-ever regular season high school football game to be played at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The inaugural First City Bowl prep football game will be played Friday night November 3.
During the second inning of Saturday’s Wahoo game, Tate head coach Rhett Summerford and Washington head coach Ryan Onkka participated in a short signing ceremony on the field.
“What a great environment it’s going to be,” Summerford said about playing on the waterfront in Wahoos Stadium.
The Wahoos plan to make the First City Bowl and annual event.
Photos by Maryjane Gardner for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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
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
Tate’s Got Players: Aggies Top Washington In Kickoff Classic (With Photo Gallery)
August 18, 2023
“Tate’s got players.”
That was the word from Tate Aggies head coach Rhett Summerford following a kickoff classic game on a hot Thursday night against the Washington Wildcats in Pete Gindl Stadium in Cantonment.
Officially, no score was kept for the preseason game on Tate’s new video scoreboard. But unofficially, Tate doubled up on Washington 36-18.
“You know, in normal times, Tate has not had players. We want our athletes to play, and that’s the brand we are going to play with is to get our athletes the ball and see what they do. I thought they had a great night tonight, and we’re going to continue to do that. It does not matter who we play, and our kids are excited about the change.”
“We’ve worked really hard in our weight room,” he continued. “There’s things we got to work on; it was evident really in the first drive.
“I was really proud of our defense tonight,” Summerford added. “The community coming out was awesome, just really proud of our kids.”
The Aggies will host the Pine Forest Eagles next Friday night to start the regular season.
“We’ve got a tough one next week,” the coach said. “Here comes a good team; we know that. I mean Pine Forest is a really good team, but we’re up for the challenge. You know in college football they play those big games early. I love that; I’m going to love the atmosphere.”
For a photo gallery from the varsity, junior varsity and freshman scrimmages, click or tap here.
For a gallery with cheerleaders, fans, student life and more, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ninth Straight Loss For The Blue Wahoos
August 18, 2023
The Blue Wahoos have enjoyed a 2023 season filled with a first-half division win and various franchise feats.
But a record they matched Thursday was one they hoped to avoid.
Taking on the usual Thursday identity as Pensacola Mullets, a two-week losing streak reached nine games, after the home team managed just three hits and the Montgomery Biscuits cruised to a 5-1 victory at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
This was the third loss in as many games to Montgomery. It equated into the first time the Blue Wahoos (61-49 overall, 20-22 in second half) have lost nine games in a row since May 2013, the ballclub’s second season.
Pregame Thursday had a festive vibe with the annual Mardi Gras Night and members of various local krewes tossing beads and candy.
The good times didn’t roll, however, once the game started.
The Biscuits (59-52 overall, 23-19 second half), the Tampa Bay Rays affiliate, got two runs in the first inning off Pensacola starter M.D. Johnson. He yielded an unearned run in the third inning, one of three infield errors the Mullets made in the game.
Bennett Hostetler generated some crowd energy with his solo homer in the bottom of the third, cutting the deficit to 3-1. But the Biscuits responded with consecutive doubles off Johnson in the fourth inning and pushed lead to 5-1.
He was pulled after four innings, allowing six hits and the five runners. The bullpen was solid, a bright spot of the game for the Mullets. Josan Méndez, Matt Pushard and Brady Puckett combined to deliver five scoreless innings.
But the team’s bats have been quiet in all three games this week, resulting in defeats.
Pensacola was unable to string together multiple baserunners and set up a potential rally. In the entire game, the club had two hitters reach in the same inning only once – the seventh inning – but that happened with two outs.
An infield single by Davis Bradshaw in the eighth inning and ninth inning single by Cody Morissette were Pensacola’s only other hits.
The series now shifts to the weekend with a special Giveaway Friday on Salute To Service Night presented by the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. It will feature a Ted Williams Bobblehead of his likeness in a Bronson Bombers uniform while stationed at NAS Pensacola during World War II.
Williams, the last player in Major League Baseball history to bat over .400 when he hit .406 in 1941, earned his U.S. Marine Corps Wings of Gold while training during WWII in Pensacola. He later returned during the Korean War.
This night will recognize all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and feature several ceremonial first pitches, led by NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Capt. Terrence Shashaty.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Ready For Some High School Football? Tate And Northview Hosting Kickoff Classics
August 17, 2023
The Tate Aggies will host a preseason kickoff classic Thursday night, and the Northview Chiefs kickoff classic will be Friday evening.
Tate vs. Washington – Thursday
The Tate Aggies will host Washington at 7 p.m. Thursday on Carl Madison Field in Pete Gindl Stadium. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m., and the Tate Showband of the South will march in at 6:20. Tickets available on GoFan. For the student section, the dress-up theme is “Wipe Out Washington” surfer attire.
Northview vs Baker – Friday
Baker will visit Northview High School in Bratt Friday at 6 p.m. for a kickoff classic. The Northview varsity and junior varsity teams will take to the field, along with the Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.