Early Deficit Dooms Blue Wahoos Thursday
September 3, 2021
The Blue Wahoos struggled in all three phases of the game as the Montgomery Biscuits soundly defeated the Wahoos 8-3 on Thursday.
For the third night in a row, Montgomery took the lead in the bottom of the first inning. After the first two batters reached, Jonathan Aranda delivered an RBI single with nobody out off Zach McCambley (L, 1-5) to put Montgomery ahead 1-0.
In the third inning with two outs, Demetrius Sims misplayed a ground ball that allowed Jim Haley to reach. Two batters later, Ruben Cardenas hit a ground ball to Sims, but his running throw sailed past Lazaro Alonso for his second error of the inning. Biscuits ultimately scored three runs to take a 4-0 lead.
The closest Pensacola came in Thursday’s contest came in the top of the fifth. Riley Mahan belted a two-run homer off Easton McGee (W, 5-1) to cut Montgomery’s lead in half.
Unfortunately, after the homer, Montgomery outscored Pensacola 4-1 over the final four innings of play. The bullpen, which had been excellent in the first two games of the series, struggled on Thursday, allowing four runs on six hits in four innings. Offensively, the Wahoos did not fare much better as they were outhit 13-5.
With the loss, Pensacola now sits three games behind the Biscuits for the second and final playoff spot for the Double-A South Championship series.
Navarreto’s Late Homer Fuels Unlikely Wahoo Win
September 2, 2021
Trailing 6-5 in the top of the seventh, Brian Navarreto hit a two-run home run off Adrian De Horta (L, 2-3) to dead center, which fueled the Wahoos to an unlikely 8-6 on Wednesday night at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium.
After De Horta recorded two quick outs to start the seventh, Griffin Conine walked just before Navaretto belted a two-run home run to dead center, which gave Pensacola their first lead of the night. Prior to that, Pensacola practically spent the entire came playing catch-up.
After a tough showing from their starter last night, Pensacola ace Max Meyer did not fare much better in his outing against the Biscuits. He surrendered three runs in the bottom of the first, including back-to-back home runs to Jonathan Aranda and Ruben Cardenas.
Trailing 3-0, Pensacola had an immediate response in the top of the second. After Chris Chinea led off the inning with a single, Griffin Conine belted a two-run homer to right off Jayden Murray, cutting the lead down to 3-2. It was Conine’s 12th homer with Pensacola and his MiLB-leading 35th of the season. Later in the inning, Riley Mahan delivered an RBI single, which tied the game at 3-3.
That lead was short-lived, and the Wahoos committed a pair of errors in the second, ultimately leading to more runs for Montgomery. After an RBI double from Xavier Edwards, Aranda followed with an RBI single to make it 5-3. Meyer was lifted after three innings, and for the first time in his career allowed more than one home run in a start.
Trailing 6-3 in the fifth, the Wahoos drew back-to-back walks with one out before JJ Bleday roped a two-run double into the right-field corner, scoring Kameron Misner and Peyton Burdick. After five innings of play, the Wahoos once again found themselves down by just a run. Neither team scored in the sixth before the heroics from Navarreto in the seventh.
The Wahoos tallied one more insurance run in the eighth after Burdick walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and then scored on a throwing error from catcher Ford Proctor on a play at third.
Despite the shaky outing from Meyer, Pensacola’s bullpen did their part to keep the Wahoos in the game. Matt Pobereyko (W, 1-0) hurled two shutout innings in which he struck out three. Cody Carroll made his Blue Wahoos debut with two shutout innings on his own, which included him striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh. Finally, Colton Hock (S, 16) secured his Double-A South-leading 16th save of the year, with a scoreless bottom of the ninth.
With Pensacola’s win over Montgomery and Birmingham losing a pair of games to the Chattanooga Lookouts on Wednesday, the Wahoos find themselves two games out of the playoffs once again.
Coastal Alabama Warhawks Baseball Coach Darrell Blevins Passes Away
September 1, 2021
Coastal Alabama Community College Warhawks head baseball coach Darrell Blevins has passed away. He was 53.
Blevins was entering his 16th season leading the Warhawks at the college’s Brewton campus and spent more than 30 years in organized baseball at the collegiate and high school levels. He also taught microcomputer applications full time as a faculty instructor.
“The three most important things in his life were his relationship with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his family, especially his boys Kyle and Craig, and baseball. He tried to use the game of baseball to teach lifelong skills to young men, that would help them be successful both on and off the field,” said his wife, Denise Blevins
“Darrell was a standup guy and a pillar in our community,” said Dennis Fuqua, director of Coastal Alabama Community College’s Brewton campus. “He was very respected both personally and professionally, and one of his greatest attributes was that he was a man strong in his faith and he was an extremely hard worker.”
As a coach, he helped more than 90 players get the opportunity to play baseball at the next level, including NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and the NAIA.
Blevins is survived by his wife Denise and their two sons Kyle and Craig. The family attends First Baptist Church of Brewton, where Coach Blevins was a deacon who taught Sunday school classes.
Blue Wahoos Offense Stalls In 6-1 Loss To Montgomery Biscuits
September 1, 2021
Chris Chinea’s solo home run was all the offense the Wahoos could muster as they fell 6-1 to Montgomery on Tuesday night at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium.
Kyle Nicolas (L, 3-1) suffered his worst outing in his short tenure in Double-A. After going three starts without allowing a run, Nicolas surrendered a three-run home run to Ford Proctor in the bottom of the first, which set the Wahoos behind 3-0. He allowed another run in the fourth, after a walk and an RBI double from Niko Hulsizer, which made the score at the time 4-1. He was lifted from the game after four innings, which was the first time Nicolas was unable to pitch more than four innings since July 7th when he was still a member with the Beloit Snappers.
Pensacola had an immediate response from Chinea in the top of the second when he led off the inning with a solo home run against Jack Labosky. Chine finished the night 2-for-4. Despite his homer making it 3-1, Pensacola’s offense had no further response to combat the Biscuits. Pensacola was limited to four hits on the night and struck out 15 times.
Tuesday’s contest was the first game for the Wahoos in the past week. After a 1-0 win over Mississippi on August 24th, the rest of their series was canceled due to positive COVID tests, and a need for contact tracing. The Wahoos and Biscuits were the only Double-A South teams to play on Tuesday, with two series paused to allow for contact tracing, while Birmingham and Chattanooga were postponed due to rain.
With the loss, Pensacola sits three games back of Montgomery for the second and final postseason spot in the 2021 Double-A South Championship Series.
RHP Max Meyer (6-1, 1.97) will start Wednesday’s contest for the Blue Wahoos, and he will be opposed by RHP Jayden Murray (1-2, 2.36). Meyer’s ERA is currently the lowest in all of baseball, just ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers ace Walker Buehler (2.02). Firs
Bonus Photo Gallery: Northview, Flomaton Cheerleaders And Bands
August 29, 2021
Here is a bonus photo gallery with cheerleaders and bands from Friday night Northview at Flomaton game. Click here to view.
For a game action summary and photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Hurricanes Storm Through Second Half To Beat Northview 38-14 (With Gallery)
August 28, 2021
The Northview Chiefs and Flomaton Hurricanes were tied headed into the half Friday night in Flomaton, but the Hurricanes blew away the second half with 24 unanswered points.
Northview’s Jamarkus Jefferson had two touchdowns for the Chiefs. He was in from 17-yards out in the first and added a 3-yard TD in the second.
The Hurricanes’ Damerion Findley had three touchdowns Friday night of 9-yards, 4-yards and a kick off return for 60-yarder. Quarterback Zeb Vickery found William Rolin for a 59-yard touchdown, and Deontay Averette added a 52-yard touchdown.
The Northview Chiefs will host Lighthouse Christian Thursday night Bratt, and the Flomaton Hurricanes will be on the road at Southern Choctaw.
For a photo gallery, click here. (Look for a cheerleader and band photo gallery on Sunday.)
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Beat The PHS Tigers
August 28, 2021
The Tate Aggies opened their season with a 9-0 win over the Pensacola High Tigers Friday night at Pete Gindl Stadium.
The game was scoreless until 6:20 in the fourth quarter when senior Zane Repine sacked the Tigers quarterback deep in the end zone for safety, putting the Aggies up 2-0. The Aggies scored again with 2:36 to go in the fourth on a handoff to senior Warren Henke
The Tate Aggies (1-0) will host the Gulf Breeze Dolphins (1-0) next Friday night. Gulf Breeze is coming off a 35-20 win over Pensacola Catholic.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Jennifer Repine, click to enlarge.
Area High School Football Scores
August 28, 2021
Here Friday night’s North Escambia area high school football scores
FLORIDA
- Flomaton 38, Northview 14 [Details, photo gallery...]
- Tate 9, Pensacola High 0 [Details, photo gallery...]
- South Walton 42, Jay 6
- Gulf Breeze 28, Catholic 20
- University Christian 37, Washington 27
- Crestview 27, Milton 14
- Navarre 28, Fort Walton 6
- Choctaw 41, Pace 35 (Thursday p.m.)
- Escambia at West Florida (Canceled/COVID concerns)
ALABAMA
- T.R. Miller 36, Escambia County (Atmore) 6
- Escambia Academy 59, Glenwood 47
Pictured: Northview’s student section supports their Chiefs Friday night in Flomaton. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
M-Braves Postpone Remainder Of Series Against Blue Wahoos
August 27, 2021
The Mississippi Braves have postponed their series against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
The M-Braves said the following in a released statement:
“As we continue testing and contact tracing for members of our organization, we have postponed our games against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos through Sunday. We will continue to use caution, follow health and safety protocols, and listen to medical experts.”
There were no additional details provided.
Field Of Dreams: Greg Gibson Field Honors Late Youth Football Coach
August 25, 2021
If you build it, they will come.
Greg Gibson had a dream.
It was a field that was once cotton or peanuts and then overgrown with briars and weeds at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill.
But Greg Gibson saw something different.
With a tractor and bush hog, volunteers carved out a big rectangle to give the county guy an idea that a football field would fit. They agreed. But before the county guy came back to look again, Greg sent the volunteers out to make it bigger, hoping to get more space for the kids, and maybe bleachers and press box. A real field of dreams for youth football and youth cheerleading.
As president of Northwest Escambia (NWE) Chiefs Football and Cheer since 2013, Greg worked with Escambia County to see big improvements take shape over the past few months. There are bleachers, fences and a really nice scoreboard. Garnet and gold, you know, for Greg’s beloved NWE Chiefs. The “NWE” gold lettering glistens when the sun hits it just right.
It’s perfect.
This field is for the players. It wasn’t for Greg Gibson. It was all about his NWE teams and cheer squads.
But last week, for a short time, it did become about Greg Gibson. His funeral was held there after he passed away due to COVID-19, and it was forever dedicated as Greg Gibson Field.
There is probably just one remaining question to answer. Is this heaven?
No, it’s Walnut Hill. It’s where dreams will come true for the boys and girls that will play on that field.
But many would swear youth football on a Saturday in the south is probably almost as close as you can get. And most would betcha Greg Gibson will be looking down at that field from heaven.
“Touchdown Chiefs!”
This field, this game.
Ohhhh, people will come, Greg. People will most definitely come to your field of dreams.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
