McAnally Gets Third Grand Slam Of The Week As Tate Shuts Out West Florida
April 21, 2023
Ethan McAnally had his third grand slam in two games Thursday night as the No. 9 Tate Aggies shut out West Florida 11-0.
McAnally’s long ball came in the second inning, and Bray Touchstone had a homer in the third.
Three Aggie pitchers combined for the shutout.
Gabriel Patterson three two innings for Tate, giving up one hit, no runs and striking out one. Rilee Lowery was on the mound for two innings, surrendering three hits and no runs while striking out four. Aiden Byrd tossed one inning, allowing no runs, not hits and striking out one.
James Davis went 3-3 for the Aggies, and Frank Randall was 2-3 to lead the Aggies at bat.
Tate’s Friday night varsity game against Pensacola High School has been canceled. Senior night has been moved to Tuesday as Tate hosts Escambia at 6:30 p.m. with senior night festivities beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday night, McAnally had two grand slams and pitched a complete game as Tate beat Washington.
Pictured: Tate senior Ethan McAnally. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Northview Beats W.S. Neal; West Florida Walk-Offs Lady Aggies
April 21, 2023
Northview 9, W.S. Neal 5
The Northview Lady Chiefs beat the W.S. Neal Eagles 9-5 Thursday night in East Brewton.
Emma Gilmore pitched a complete game win in seven innings, allowing four hits and five runs while striking out one and recording no walks.
Mary-Clayton Dawson led Northview at the plate, going 2-4. Gilmore, Chloe Ragsdale, Jamison Gilman, Rylee Brooks, Aubrey Stuckey, Allison Flowers and Berklee Hall each added a hit for the Chiefs.
Northview will host Pensacola Catholic at 6 p.m. Friday with senior night festivities beginning at 5:15 p.m.
West Florida 3, Tate 2
West Florida got a walk-off win over the Tate Lady Aggies 3-2 Thursday night.
Tate was up 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth when West Florida’s Layla Justice singled on a 2-2 count to score two runs.
Jordan Smith allowed three runs and seven hits striking out five in seven and two-thirds innings.
Lacy Wilson and Kara Wine both went 2-4 for Tate. Tristen Showalter and Charli Vinson both added one hit.
The Tate Lady Aggies will close the regular season next Thursday at 6:30 p.m. as they host Milton.
Pictured: The Northview Lady Chiefs beat W.S. Neal Thursday in East Brewton. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pérez, Nuñez Lead Blue Wahoos To 6-0 Win
April 21, 2023
The new Mullets uniforms were unveiled Thursday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
And the past form of ace pitcher Eury Pérez returned.
In a performance that reminded of so many last season, Perez allowed just two hits and completed five innings for his first win this season as Pensacola produced a 6-0 shutout against the Birmingham Barons on “Mullet Thursday,” before a sellout crowd of 5,038 at the ballpark.
Perez gained run support from the top of the batting order helping stake a 4-0 lead through four innings. The group was led by leadoff batter, shortstop Nasim Nuñez, who went 4-for-5 and No. 3 hitter, third baseman Joe Rizzo, who drove in three runs.
Perez, who turned 20 five days ago, and is the Miami Marlins top-rated prospect, stayed in command without his fastball ranging from 97-100 mph and mixed in his other three pitches well.
It was his longest and best outing since July 7, 2022 when he went six innings, allowed just two hits and one run in a game at the Mississippi Braves.
This night, Perez had five strikeouts and walked just one batter. He picked off a runner to end the fourth inning and worked out of a two-on, two-outs situation in the fifth inning.
Behind him, the Blue Wahoos bullpen of Patrick Murphy, Josan Méndez and Zack Leban combined on four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits.
The team wore its newly designed lime and blue jerseys and hats with the Pensacola Mullets logo in a nod to the nickname that finished second in fan voting before the inaugural 2012 season.
At the plate, four Pensacola batters had multiple hits. In addition to Nuñez, who drove in a run and scored a run, Rizzo doubled home the game’s first run, then had a two-run, two-out single in the fourth inning.
Will Banfield delivered a towering home run in the seventh inning for the final run.
The Blue Wahoos (5-7) also shined defensively with José Devers making a pair of gems by throwing out a runner from deep in his second base position then making a sensational leaping catch later in the game.
The fourth game of the series is set for Friday with the Blue Wahoos’ Patrick Monteverde (1-0, 0.00 ERA), who has allowed just two hits and no runs in two prior starts, taking the mound against Birmingham’s Hunter Dollander (0-2, 14.29).
written by Bill Vilona, photos Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Blue Wahoos Schooled In 4-1 Education Day Loss
April 20, 2023
The near-miss left Nasim Nunez shaking his head in a play that epitomized the Blue Wahoos’ 4-1 loss in Wednesday’s matinee game against the Birmingham Barons.
Nunez thought he had enough distance on a seventh-inning fly ball for a 3-run homer that would have tied the game. Instead, it settled into the glove of Barons right fielder Ben Norman at the base of the wall for the third out.
As Nunez paused after rounding first base, visibly frustrated, the sequence was part of a day of missed opportunities with the Blue Wahoos, who fell for a second time in the series during the first “Education Day” game in franchise history. Nearly 1,000 school kids from the Pensacola area attended as part of a field trip experience.
The Blue Wahoos had never played a mid-week, home game with an 11:05 a.m. start until Wednesday. They will do again on May 3 against the Mississippi Braves.
The Barons scored the game’s first run on a two-out single by Yoelqui Cespedes in the first inning. They took a 2-0 lead in the third when Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Dax Fulton made an errant pickoff throw at first base with the ball going down the right field line, enabling Duke Ellis to score.
Nunez drove in the Blue Wahoos’ lone run in the bottom of the third on a bases-loaded groundout. But the Blue Wahoos missed a chance for a bigger inning when Barons starter Matthew Thompson retired the next two hitters.
Fulton (0-3) finished his third start with five innings pitched, four runs allowed on six hits with five strikeouts.
The Barons scored their other two runs in the fourth off Fulton after a double by Xavier Fernandez and Norman’s sacrifice fly.
The Blue Wahoos were held to five hits with leadoff batter José Devers going 2-for-5. Victor Mesa Jr., who hit for the cycle in Tuesday’s game, extended his hitting streak to nine games with an eighth inning single.
The teams will continue the series on “Mullet Thursday” with top-rated prospect Eury Pérez (0-1, 5.00 ERA) on the mound for the Blue Wahoos against the Barons’ starter Garrett Schoenle (0-1, 3.18).
In addition to the team wearing “Pensacola Mullets” uniforms, plus adult beverage specials, the game’s other promotion is “Legalize Marinara Night” as a spoof with the pasta sauce. T-shirts will be available for purchase.
written by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
McAnally Has Two Grand Slams, Pitches Complete Game As Tate Beats Washington
April 19, 2023
Ethan McAnally had two grand slams Tuesday night at the Tate Aggies defeated Washington High 12-1 in five innings.
McAnally’s homers came in the first and fifth innings.
McAnally also earned the win with a complete game on the mound for Tate, allowing six hits and one run over five innings while striking out five.
Frank Randall, Clifton Quiggins, James Davis, Javin Floyd and Conner Hassell added on hit each for Tate.
The Aggies will host West Florida on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mesa Jr. Hits For Historic Cycle Wahoos 10-4 Loss
April 19, 2023
Little went right Tuesday for the Blue Wahoos, except for a special night by Victor Mesa Jr.
The 21-year-old centerfielder, rated No. 14 among the Miami Marlins’ top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline, attained one of baseball’s rarest achievements by hitting for the cycle in the Blue Wahoos’ 10-4 loss against the Birmingham Barons at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Mesa Jr., a Havana, Cuba native, matched the Blue Wahoos franchise feat first attained by Donald Lutz on April 21, 2014 while part of the Cincinnati Reds minor league system.
Ironically, Mesa’s magnificence followed the Miami Marlins’ Luis Arraez, who played for the Blue Wahoos in 2019 as Minnesota Twins prospect, becoming last week the first Marlins player in franchise history to hit for the cycle.
In this case, Mesa Jr. hit the cycle in the natural order of single, double, triple and homer on a 4-for-5 night at the plate. He struck out with the bases loaded in the ninth to end the game, but now has a team-high .395 average.
He drove in the game’s first run in the first inning with his two-out single, then followed with the extra base hits. With two outs in the eighth inning, Mesa Jr. clubbed the first pitch he saw and launched it 407 feet over the right-center wall.
Before a crowd of 3,456, his game was the boost on a tough way for the Blue Wahoos to begin their first full-week homestand.
Erratic pitching created a deep, early-inning hole.
It was the first “Doggone Tuesday” promotion, sponsored by Anderson Subaru, giving fans ability to bring their beloved pets into the ballpark and take in the game together.
The Barons (3-7) quickly took over, expanding a 2-1 lead by scoring four runs in the fourth inning on one hit.
Through five innings, three Blue Wahoos pitchers had combined to issue six walks, hit three batters, a wild pitch and another that was a passed ball. The Barons took advantage for an 8-1 lead. The Blue Wahoos wound up using five pitchers in the game.
The two teams will play Wednesday on Education Day — the first mid-week, matinee game in Blue Wahoos history. It will include school children ages kindergarten through fifth grade at the ballpark as part of special educational field trip. The Blue Wahoos will do it again on May 3 in their other Education Day game.
First pitch from Blue Wahoos Stadium is scheduled for 11:05 p.m.
by Bill Vilona, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Northview Rallies With 11-Run 6th To Run-Rule W.S. Neal (Gallery)
April 18, 2023
The Northview Chiefs rallied with an 11-run sixth inning to run-rule W.S. Neal Monday night in Bratt.
The Chiefs were down 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth when Kaden Odom doubled with a 2-2 count to score two runs.
Tyler Shaw pitched a complete game for the Chiefs, allowing just two runs on four hits and striking out four.
For more photos, click or tap here.
The Chiefs were led at the plate by Josh Landis who went 3-5. Shaw, Odom, Jamarkus Jefferson, Rustin Pope, Ethan Collier, Trent Knighten and Cason Burkett each added a hit for Northview.
The Northview Chiefs will travel over to Flomaton Tuesday to take on the Hurricanes at 5:30 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com photos by William Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Get 4-2 Win Over Shuckers In Series Finale
April 17, 2023
Nasim Nuñez showcased surprising power for the second time in four days, hitting a go-ahead homer in the fifth inning to lead the Pensacola Blue Wahoos to a 4-2 victory over the Biloxi Shuckers on Sunday afternoon.
Nuñez, who had homered twice in his professional career entering the week, took Justin Jarvis (L, 0-1) deep off the right field scoreboard to break a 2-2 tie and sent the Blue Wahoos to a split in their six-game road series.
Biloxi struck first against Blue Wahoos starter M.D. Johnson, as Tyler Black hit a two-run homer in the first inning. The Pensacola righty settled in after that, completing 4.0 innings without another run allowed.
Paul McIntosh got the Blue Wahoos on the board in the third with an RBI single, and scored on a Troy Johnston double two batters later to tie the game 2-2. After Nuñez’s homer in the fifth inning, the Blue Wahoos added an unearned run in the sixth on a Victor Mesa Jr. double, pickoff error, and Will Banfield sacrifice fly.
Four Pensacola relievers covered the final five innings, as Josan Méndez (W, 2-0) was followed by Austin Roberts, Cristian Charle and Sean Reynolds (S, 1). Reynolds fanned three in a perfect six-up, six-down appearance to close out the win.
After an off day Monday, the Blue Wahoos welcome the Birmingham Barons to town for a six-game series starting Tuesday.
by Erik Bremer
Blue Wahoos One-Hit Shuckers In 7-1 Win
April 16, 2023
Patrick Monteverde backed up a dominant 2023 debut with an even more impressive performance on Saturday night, firing the first seven innings of a one-hitter in a 7-1 Blue Wahoos win over the Biloxi Shuckers.
Monteverde (W, 1-0), who allowed only a hit over 6.0 innings last Sunday against Montgomery, repeated his performance over 7.0 scoreless frames against the Shuckers while adding eight strikeouts. Biloxi’s only hit, a Tyler Black single in the fourth, was immediately erased on a pickoff.
Patrick Murphy and Jefry Yan got the final six outs to complete the 12th one-hitter in Blue Wahoos history, and the first since Zach King and Justin Evans combined for a one-hit effort in a 2-1 loss to the Mississippi Braves on August 17, 2022. Eury Pérez and three relievers also one-hit the Shuckers at MGM Park last April 29.
Pensacola opened up the scoring in the third against Carlos Rodriguez (L, 0-1) as J.D. Orr laced a triple into the right field corner and scored on a José Devers single. Paul McIntosh and Joe Rizzo each hit two-run homers in the late innings, padding out the lead against the Biloxi bullpen.
The Shuckers scored an unearned run against Yan thanks to an error and three walks, but the lefty finished off the performance with a popout just as the Biloxi crowd was coming to life.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Shuckers on Sunday at MGM Park.
by Erik Bremer
Lady Aggies Celebrate Senior Night With 11-1 Run-Ruled Win Over Escambia
April 15, 2023
The Tate Lady Aggies run-ruled the Escambia Gators with a big senior night 11-1 Friday night in five innings.
Before shutting down the Gators, the Tate Aggies honored seniors Charlie Vinson and MacKenzie Cook.
Jordan Smith pitched a complete game for the Aggies, allowing two hits and one run while striking out five.
Kate Balagbagan led the Aggies at the plate going 3-3. Amburleigh Laird went 2-2, and K Wine was 2-3. Cook, Lacy Wilson, Tristen Showalter, Olivia Latner, Peyton Womack, and Kylea Gibbs each added one hit.
The Aggies will host Gulf Breeze on Tuesday and travel to West Florida on Thursday.