Blue Wahoos Continue Hitting Struggles, Fall To Smokies In Series Opener
May 22, 2024
written by Bill Vilona
The Blue Wahoos spent the past week in Montgomery unable to find steady production at the plate.
Their return home Tuesday didn’t bring good fortune, either.
Five pitchers combined on a shutout as the Tennessee Smokies took a 3-0 victory Tuesday night, thus keeping a crowd of 3,845 with few moments of cheer.
The game on a “Doggone Tuesday” began a six-game homestand against the Smokies, the Chicago Cubs affiliate, making their only appearance this season at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The crowd included a group of 287 mothers and their sons from Elberta (Ala.) Elementary School who attended the game on a “Mother-Sons Date Night.”
It was also a night where ticket holders could bring their beloved dogs to attend the game.
The Blue Wahoos (22-18) had six hits, four of those singles. They were only able to get the leadoff batter on base twice in the game. The second time occurred when Jacob Berry led off the ninth with a line-drive single. But Smokies reliever Frankie Scalzo Jr, their fourth used in the game, retired the final three batters in order to gain his fifth save.
The Smokies (23-17) boast 12 of the Chicago Cubs’ Top 30 prospects, including three of the top four batters in their lineup Tuesday night.
This game also marked a return of both teams’ last meeting in Pensacola when the Smokies clinched the Southern League title to end a drought of 45 years without an outright championship. The Blue Wahoos won the league title at Tennessee in 2022 in their 10th anniversary season.
Just as they struggled in Montgomery, scoring only 13 runs in the six-game series against the Biscuits, the Blue Wahoos couldn’t generate base runners for a big inning.
Nathan Martorella had a first-inning double with one out and Joe Mack drew a two-out walk, but that became the only time Smokies starter Chris Kachmar allowed two baserunners until the sixth inning. Bennett Hostetler led off that inning with a single and Jacob Marsee followed with a one-out, perfectly-placed, bunt single.
But reliever Blake Weiman entered and induced a pair of ground balls to end the threat. Trey Supak followed with two scoreless innings to earn his first win.
The teams will play the second game of the series on Wednesday – the first mid-week Fireworks Wednesday – with area schools now out for the summer.
GAME NOTABLES
— The group from Elberta Elementary followed the school’s participation in one of the Blue Wahoos’ two Education Day games.
“We had a connection with the school and they mentioned they do a mother-son event every year at their school or somewhere else,” said Steven Unser, a Blue Wahoos group sales executive. “Their assistant principal reached out and said they would like to do that event here.”
“They originally planned to buy 150 tickets, because they said that is usually the show rate for this kind of event. But the day they had the cutoff, 285 tickets were sold. Because of it being one price day on Tuesday, they also were able to each receive a hot dog, chips and a drink.”
— The Foley (Ala.) High School Choir performed the National Anthem.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Tennessee Smokies vs. Blue Wahoos
WHEN: Wednesday, 6:05 p.m.
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
Tate High’s Ward O’Brien Commits To University Of Memphis Track And Field
May 21, 2024
Tate High Schools’ Ward O’Brien has committed to University of Memphis Track And Field. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Three Tate Aggies Track And Field Athletes Place At State
May 20, 2024
Three Tate High School track and field athletes placed in the FHSAA 4A state championships Saturday in Jacksonville.
In women’s shot put junior Tina Lett placed third in Florida with a distance of 12.30 meters.
In men’s javelin, senior Ward O’Brien placed third in the state with 55.76 meters.
In the men’s 400m hurdles, senior Lattrell Dukes placed 10th in the state with a time of 55:58.
Pictured top: Tate High School held a send-off for Lett, O’Brien, and Dukes on Friday. Photo by Tate High School Yearbook for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Campbell’s Gem Lifts Blue Wahoos To Series Finale Victory
May 20, 2024
written by Erik Bremmer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos ended their second series of the year versus the Montgomery Biscuits with a 2-0 victory on Sunday. Despite an overall series loss for Pensacola, Sunday’s win assures that the Wahoos (22-17) begin next week with a share of first place in the Southern League’s South Division.
In a game dominated by pitching, early Pensacola offense ultimately proved to be the difference. Three straight singles by the Wahoos began the top of the second versus Montgomery starter Cole Wilcox (L, 2-2), including an RBI single from third baseman Bennett Hostetler that scored second baseman Cody Morissette.
Blue Wahoos starter Paul Campbell (W, 5-1) made the lone run stand up over the course of a dominant outing. The righthander’s fourth quality start of the year (6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K) stymied the Biscuits all afternoon. In the fifth inning, the Wahoos tacked on another run of support for Campbell when designated hitter Joe Mack doubled to right-center to score center fielder Jakob Marsee.
The Wahoos’ bullpen held its 2-0 lead the rest of the way thanks to work from Angel Macuare and Austin Roberts (S, 8), who entered the game to strand runners at the corners in the ninth inning. The shutout win marked the fourth time the Wahoos have blanked an opponent so far this year.
Two Northview Shot Putters Place At State
May 19, 2024
Two Northview High Chiefs senior shot putters recently placed at the state level in Class 1A competition in Jacksonville.
In men’ shot put, Jacob Spence placed 13th in the state with 13.99 meters.
In women’s shot put, Amber Irby placed 11th in the state with 10.71 meters.
Pictured: (L-R) Amber Irby, coach Wanca Gafford, coach Doug Godwin and Jacob Spence. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Wait Out Rain, But Biscuits Win 4-3
May 19, 2024
written by Erik Bremmer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Montgomery Biscuits endured a long mid-game rain delay on Saturday night, but it was the Biscuits who emerged victorious with a 4-3 win to take sole possession of first place.
Each team’s shortstop had a multi-homer game. Pensacola’s Harrison Spohn tied the game twice with a two-run homer in the fifth and a solo homer after the delay in the seventh, but Montgomery’s Carson Williams followed up a solo shot in the first with a go-ahead blast in the bottom of the seventh that proved to be the game-winner.
M.D. Johnson allowed three runs, two earned, over 5.0 innings in his start for the Blue Wahoos. After Williams opened the scoring with his home run in the first, Mason Auer circled the bases on a double, stolen base and obstruction call in the second to give the Biscuits a 2-0 lead.
Spohn’s two-run homer in the top of the fifth was the only blemish for Montgomery starter Ian Seymour, who finished a career-high 6.0 innings while striking out seven. With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Biscuits got back-to-back doubles from Dominic Keegan and Kenny Piper to take a 3-2 lead.
The game was halted just before the top of the seventh as severe weather rolled through downtown Montgomery. After waiting 2 hours and 12 minutes, Spohn’s game-tying homer in the seventh off Sean Hunley (W, 4-0) brought the score to 3-3. The tie game would only last a few moments, however, as Williams launched a solo homer of his own against Chandler Jozwiak (L, 1-1) to put the Biscuits up for good. The pair of homers gave Williams seven on the season, putting the Rays prospect atop the Southern League leaderboards just ahead of Spohn.
The Blue Wahoos couldn’t manage a hit in the final two innings, going down quietly against Keyshawn Askew and Austin Vernon (S, 2).
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series in Montgomery on Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 3:33.
Wahoos Battered by Biscuits In 18-1 Loss
May 18, 2024
written by Erik Bremmer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lost in lopsided fashion to the Montgomery Biscuits on Friday night, dropping game four of their series 18-1 and falling back into a tie for first place.
The loss tied for the widest margin of defeat in team history, and Montgomery’s 21 hits marked the most allowed by the Blue Wahoos in a single game since the team’s inception in 2012.
After a 39-minute pregame delay to help the field recover from afternoon thunderstorms, the Biscuits jumped ahead immediately. Pensacola starter Evan Fitterer (L, 3-2) saw his scoreless inning streak of 20.1 frames come to an end with a Dominic Keegan sacrifice fly in the first inning. Mason Auer added a two-out, two-run triple to extend the Montgomery lead to 3-0, beginning a 4-for-5 night for the Biscuits center fielder.
Montgomery added another run in the second on a Carson Williams RBI double, and then broke the game open in the fourth with a two-out, two-run single from Bob Seymour. Fitterer allowed a season-high six runs on nine hits over 4.0 innings before turning things over to the Pensacola bullpen.
Fitterer’s mound opponent, Adam Leverett (W, 3-0), turned in a career-high 7.0 innings in the best performance of his career. The righty allowed only two hits while striking out five without walking a batter. The only Pensacola run scored on a Jakob Marsee RBI groundout in the third inning, after which the Blue Wahoos were held hitless.
The Blue Wahoos bullpen struggled as the game got away late, surrendering a run in the fifth, four runs in the sixth, six runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth. The lone bright spot was lefthander Patrick Murphy, who got the final four outs in the blowout to mark his return to the mound after a yearlong stay on the injured list.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series in Montgomery on Saturday night. First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 6:05
Jay Royals Win 1A State Championship, Their First In 54 Years
May 17, 2024
It’s been 54 long years, but a state baseball championship trophy is on the way back to Jay.
The Jay Royals are FHSAA 1A state champions for the first time since 1970 after a 6-3 win over Bozeman Thursday night in Fort Myers.
Ethan McDonald was 3-4 with a double and two runs at the plate for the Royals. Nick Baxley was 2-3 with a double and three RBIs, and Grayson Shehan was 2-3 with a double and two RBIs. J Lowery, B Godwin, and W Peaden each added a hit.
McDonald went for three and two-thirds innings for Jay, surrendering three hits and two runs while walking four and striking out five. Godwin was on the mound for three and a third innings, giving up three hits and one run, striking out four and walking four.
The Bucks were the No. 1 seed headed into Thursday night’s rain-delayed game and took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning with a double. The Royals recovered by scoring a run in the fourth and three in the fifth inning to take the lead for good.
Photos courtesy FHSAA for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Hosts Central In Spring Game (With Gallery)
May 17, 2024
The Northview Chiefs hosted the Central Jaguars in a spring football game Thursday evening in Bratt.
There were no scores kept as the two rural schools met in Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium as the sun began to set and a tractor plowed a nearby field. The fans watched a little football, cheered, and swatted gnats. For Northview, the cheerleaders did the usual “N-H-S” cheers, and the band played the fight song from the stands.
But for the young men on the field, it was a chance to see what they are made of, and for the coaches, it was a first look at the teams in advance of those scorching hot summer practices and those Friday night lights.
For game action photos, click here.
For pictures of the cheerleaders, band, and fans, click here.
“We’ve got a long way to go,” Northview head coach Wes Summerford said. ‘But we played well; I really like our intensity. I’m glad they embraced that; We were on kind of the verge of hitting all spring, and I thought we hit the intensity tonight. There were mistakes and we’ve got a long way to go, but it is spring.
“We are going to hit it hard in the summer.”
The Northview Chiefs will host Destin on August 23 before traveling to Opp and Freeport. They’ll be back in Bratt on September 13 to face Central again. Central’s schedule was not available at publication time.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
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.
