Defending State Champions Jay Defeat Northview For Regional Title (With Gallery)
May 17, 2023
The defending 1A state champion Jay Royals are headed back to the final four.
The Royals defeated the Northview Chiefs 8-3 Tuesday night in Jay.
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The Royals were first on the board with a solo homer from Ella Nelson, who went 3-3 to lead at bat.
Jenna Toups went seven innings for Jay, giving up three runs and nine hits while striking out three.
Jamison Gilman and Aubrey Stuckey threw three innings each for the Chiefs. Mary-Clayton Dawson went 3-4 to lead Northview at the plate.
Northview’s season (15-13) ended in the top eight in the state. The Royals ( 16-11) will move to the state semifinals at Legends Way Ball Fields in Clermont on May 22 against Liberty County (19-8).
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Myers, Mesa Pace Wahoos In Record Ninth Win In A Row
May 17, 2023
The most successful stretch in Blue Wahoos franchise history now has a special feat attached.
The Blue Wahoos blasted their way to a record ninth consecutive win, led by Victor Mesa Jr. hitting a three-run homer in the seventh inning to break a tie game in Pensacola’s eventual 9-3 victory Tuesday night against the Tennessee Smokies at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
A crowd of 3,337 on “Doggone Tuesday” where fans can bring their beloved dogs watched a continuation of the Blue Wahoos’ (23-11) scorching streak. This team has now won 17 of its last 18 games with possession of the best record in the Southern League.
“That’s the most impressive part,” said Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel on the three-week success. “I don’t think I’ve been a part of something like this, to be honest. We’ve had some good runs, but even last year, I don’t think we had anything close to this.”
The same components of the three-week stretch were on display. The Blue Wahoos got strong pitching, this time from M.D. Johnson’s longest start of the season, then Will Stewart and Sean Reynolds in scoreless relief. Reynolds struck out the game’s final batter with the bases loaded.
Johnson worked six complete innings, allowing three runs on a pair of homers, but also produced nine strikeouts and zero walks.
They peppered 14 hits against four Smokies pitchers. Dane Myers had five of those hits on a 5-for-5 night with two runs scored. Every Blue Wahoos batter reached base and eight had at least one hit.
And the Blue Wahoos played flawless defense.
“It’s a good core group of guys who are grinding every day. The lineup we roll out there is relentless,” Randel said. “If the pitching holds up we always have a chance. The guys did a great job with two strikes (Tuesday) and the goal is to just win every at-bat, win every pitch.
“We are on a nice little streak. The ‘Hoos are hot. But they’re fun to watch.”
After scoring their first two runs on errors, the Blue Wahoos tied the game on Will Banfield’s solo homer in the sixth inning.
In the decisive seventh inning, Troy Johnson led off with a single and Dane Myers singled. Mesa Jr. following by hitting a 92-mph cutter from Ryan Jensen over the right field wall. The ball just cleared a leaping attempt by right fielder Owen Caissie as the crowd roared.
Jose Devers followed with a single and later scored on Barrett Hostetier’s two-out single, finishing a 4-run rally.
Banfield drove in two more runs in the eighth inning with his single.
The game marked the first time the Blue Wahoos faced the Smokies, the Chicago Cubs affiliate, since Pensacola won the Southern League title on September 28 with a decisive Game 3 win in Tennessee.
Johnson’s previous three starts in recent weeks were all affected by rain. The past two outings, he was unable to pitch past the second inning. His last start in Birmingham was halted after one complete inning.
But the weather held Tuesday for him to work through six innings.
The teams will continue the series Wednesday night with the Blue Wahoos’ top pitcher, lefthander Patrick Monteverde (4-0, 1.22 ERA) going against the Smokies’ Walker Powell (2-0, 3.22).
written by Bill Vilona
Mesa, Banfield Help Blue Wahoos Complete Birmingham Sweep
May 15, 2023
The Blue Wahoos again return from a road trip as one of the hottest teams in Minor League Baseball.
Outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. and catcher Will Banfield combined for seven RBI – each hitting home runs – as the Blue Wahoos rallied from an early deficit for a 9-7 victory to complete a six-game sweep against the Birmingham Barons at Regions Field.
It was Pensacola’s eighth consecutive win, matching a franchise record the Blue Wahoos also tied two weeks ago, and the team’s 16th win in their last 17 games. It also matches the longest streak of any team in MILB.
The win extended the Blue Wahoos’ (22-11) lead in the Southern League South Division to three games ahead of the Biloxi Shuckers.
Mesa Jr. had one of the game’s biggest hits with his 3-run, go-ahead homer in the fifth inning. He finished an outstanding week at the plate with two homers and 11 RBI in the series.
Closer Sean Reynolds recorded his sixth save in seven attempts with a scoreless ninth inning. He gave up a two-out walk, then got Chris Shaw, who had homered earlier, to fly out to end the game.
The Blue Wahoos Joe Rizzo provided a two-run cushion when he smashed a two-out, solo homer in the ninth.
Every Blue Wahoos hitter in the starting lineup reached base. Seven different batters scored runs.
The Barons (11-22), the Chicago White Sox affiliate, sustained their ninth consecutive defeat. They had not been swept at home since 2015 in any series longer than four games. They are now 4-18 at Regions Field this season.
The game started in Birmingham’s favor.
Making his second start of the week, the Blue Wahoos’ Evan Fitterer had his first rough inning in four outings.
The righthander gave up leadoff walk in the second inning that was followed by Adam Hackenberg’s 2-run homer. He then hit a batter with one out and Moises Castillo came around to score on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.
Fitterer, who joined the Blue Wahoos in late April, won his first three starts, allowing just two runs on eight hits. But Sunday he had thrown 64 pitches with one out into the fourth inning and finished with 72 pitches, 40 for strikes.
He allowed just two hits, but one was the big homer. He walked three, struck out four and had two wild pitches.
But the Blue Wahoos answered with five runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by Mesa Jr. hitting a 3-run bomb over the right center wall that chased Barons starter Garrett Davila. On the first pitch from reliever Yoelvin Silven, Blue Wahoos catcher Will Banfield hit a fastball over the left wall.
Dane Myers drove in the first run with a single.
The Barons came back to tie the game in the sixth on a solo homer by Chris Shaw off Christen Charle, followed by Moises Castillo to score Ben Norman, who singled, moved to third on a stolen base and wild pitch.
In the seventh, Nasim Nuñez led off with a single, Troy Johnston was hit by a pitch and Myers walked to load the bases. Mesa followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Nunez. Banfield then hit a two-run double off the right-center wall.
Blue Wahoos reliever Dylan Bice pitched out of jams to keep a one-run lead.
The Blue Wahoos return home Sunday night following the game in Birmingham and will have Monday off before beginning a six-game homestand on Tuesday against the Tennessee Smokies, the Chicago Cubs’ Double-A affiliate. It will be the teams’ first meeting since the 2022 Southern League Championship Series.
The Blue Wahoos captured their first outright league title on Sept. 28 against the Smokies in Kodak, Tennessee with consecutive road playoff wins.
Jay Falls 9-7 In 1A Regional To Holmes County
May 14, 2023
Holmes County defeated the Jay Royals 9-7 Saturday in eight innings to win the 1A Regional Final in Jay.
The game was tied at seven each after five. After two scoreless innings, Holmes County added two in the bottom of the eighth for the win.
Justin Smarr went for three innings for the Royals, allowing one hit and four runs while striking out four. Landon Golden tossed two innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. Kaden Strength was on the hill for one and a third innings, surrendering five hits and three runs with no strikeouts. Ethan McDonald pitched one and two-thirds innings, giving up three hits and two runs while striking out none.
Justin Smarr led the Royals at the plate, going 3-5. McDonald, Ayden Sowers, Tomas Ravendo and Nahan Smarr added one hit each.
Jay’s season ended at 17-12. Holmes County moves to the 1A Final Four on May 17 against Chipley.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Blue Wahoos Hold off Barons For Seventh Straight Win
May 14, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos won their seventh consecutive game on Saturday night, beating the Birmingham Barons in a nail-biting 6-5 thriller.
Jefry Yan earned the four-out save, stranding two runners in both the eighth and ninth innings, to make a winner of Luis Palacios in his Blue Wahoos season debut.
With the win, the Blue Wahoos have won an incredible 15 of their past 16 games, with only a May 5 loss to Mississippi separating an eight-game winning streak and their active seven-game streak.
Palacios allowed a two-run homer to Taylor Snyder in the second, but the Blue Wahoos evened up the score in the third on an RBI double from J.D. Orr and an RBI single from Nasim Nuñez. In the fifth, Barons starter Garrett Schoenle almost escaped trouble before allowing a go-ahead three-run double to Victor Mesa Jr. that gave Pensacola a 5-2 edge.
Griffin Conine added some insurance with an RBI double in the sixth, and it turned out to be crucial as Palacios allowed three runs in the home half of the inning to draw the Barons to within a run at 6-5.
Austin Roberts and Brady Puckett contributed scoreless relief before Yan worked out of trouble in the final two innings to earn the save.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Barons on Sunday afternoon in Birmingham.
by Erik Bremer/Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Tate High’s Rilee Lowery Signs With Coastal Alabama
May 13, 2023
Tate High School’s Rilee Lowery has signed with Coastal Alabama South to continue his athletic and academic career.
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Blue Wahoos Blow Out Barons In Historic Sweep
May 13, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos completed two games on Friday, wrapping up Thursday’s suspended game and playing a seven-inning contest against the Birmingham Barons. They won both, taking the first 22-6 in blowout fashion and cruising to a 5-1 victory in the nightcap.
Thursday’s suspended game, picked up with the Blue Wahoos leading 6-0 in the second, saw the Blue Wahoos set new team records with an 11-run eighth inning and 22 total runs scored.
The Blue Wahoos got a great performance from Dax Fulton (W, 2-4) on the mound and poured on the runs at the plate for their fifth consecutive win.
Fulton allowed three runs and struck out nine over 5.2 innings of long relief after starting pitcher M.D. Johnson was used up in an inning of work on Thursday. After Bennett Hostetler’s grand slam against Vince Vannelle (L, 1-1) on Thursday set the tone for the offense, the Blue Wahoos got two more home runs from Victor Mesa Jr. and Troy Johnston to stretch their lead out further.
Five runs into Pensacola’s eighth inning outburst, more rain arrived and caused a delay of another two hours. The game eventually resumed, and the Blue Wahoos tacked on six more runs for 11 in total. It marked the most runs scored in a single inning in team history, surpassing a nine-run second inning against Chattanooga on on July 13, 2021.
The 22 total runs surpassed a 17-1 win over the Jacksonville Suns on April 21, 2014 for the most runs scored in a game in Blue Wahoos history.
In game two, Jake Walters allowed only an unearned run over 4.0 solid innings and Will Stewart (W, 1-0) fanned six batters over 3.0 hitless innings of relief as the Blue Wahoos won their sixth in a row.
Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, Griffin Conine drew a bases-loaded walk against Matt Thompson (L, 1-3) before Jan Mercado hit a go-ahead two-run double and J.D. Orr added insurance with a two-run single.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Saturday night in Birmingham.
by Erik Bremer
Northview Beats Holmes County 17-6 To Advance To Regional Finals
May 12, 2023
With a 10-run final inning and two home runs, the Northview blasted by Holmes County 17-6 in the 1A regional semifinals Thursday night in Bonifay.
Chloe Ragsdale and Emma Gilmore both homered for the Chiefs.
Jamison Gilman led off for the Chiefs, allowing nine hits and six runs while striking out two in four innings. Aubrey Stuckey pitched three innings, allowing two nits, no runs and striking out two.
Stuckey led Northview at the plate, going 4-4. Gilmore was 3-5, A Flowers went 2-3, Ragsdale and M Golson were 2-5. K Alvare, R Brooks and Mary-Clayton Dawson eached added a hit.
Next Tuesday at 7 p.m., the Jay Royals (15-11) will host Northview (15-12) in the regional finals. The winner advances to the final four.
Northview’s Cason Burkett Signs To Play Baseball At Coastal Alabama
May 12, 2023
Northview High School senior Cason Burkett signed Monday to play baseball for the Coastal Alabama East.
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Wahoos Up 6-0 As Game With Barons Suspended by Rain
May 12, 2023
Bennett Hostetler’s grand slam highlighted a six-run first inning for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Thursday in a game that was suspended due to rain in the middle of the second inning.
The game will be picked up Friday at 4:30 with the Blue Wahoos leading the Birmingham Barons 6-0.
Friday’s regularly scheduled game will follow approximately 30 minutes after the completion of Thursday’s suspended game. The Friday contest will be shortened to seven innings.
The Blue Wahoos scored six unearned runs against Vince Vannelle in the first, capitalizing on an infield error to score the game’s first run before an RBI single from Joe Rizzo and Hostetler’s grand slam. M.D. Johnson worked a scoreless, hitless first inning in a brief start – the righty’s third in a row that was cut short by weather.
The Blue Wahoos will resume Thursday’s contest on Friday afternoon in Birmingham.
written and photo by Erik Bremer/Blue Wahoos