High School Football Scoreboard
September 7, 2024
Here is this week’s North Escambia area football scoreboard:
Florida
Tate 27, PHS 22 [More...]
Jay 35, Lighthouse Private Christian Academy 8
Fort Walton Beach 14, West Florida 0
Washington 12, Milton 7
Niceville 36, Pine Forest 14
Baker 42, Central 7
BYE: Pace
Alabama
Fort Dale Academy 42, Escambia Academy 7
Jackson 43, Escambia County (Atmore) 13
T.R. Miller 50, Monroe Co. 0
St. Michael Catholic 46, W.S. Neal 28
Excel 28, Flomaton 22 (Thursday)
Snelling Leads Wahoos To 3-0 Win Over B’ham Barons
September 7, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos got back in the win column on Friday night, riding a strong Robby Snelling pitching performance to a 3-0 shutout win over the Birmingham Barons.
Snelling (W, 2-1) worked 5.2 scoreless innings of four-hit ball, striking out six to earn his second win since being acquired by the Marlins at the trade deadline. The 20-year-old lefty threw 99 pitches, his most in a Blue Wahoos uniform.
With the win, the Blue Wahoos kept pace with the Biloxi Shuckers in the hunt for a wild card playoff spot. The Blue Wahoos trail the Shuckers by 3.5 games and the Mississippi Braves by 1.0 game with eight to play in the regular season.
The Blue Wahoos loaded the bases in the first inning against Barons starter Tyler Schweitzer (L, 4-5), but couldn’t cash in. They broke through in the third inning, turning an Andrew Pintar single and Nathan Martorella walk into a 2-0 lead on a two-run double from Jared Serna. Joe Mack brought home Serna on an RBI fielder’s choice two batters later to put Pensacola ahead 3-0.
Snelling pitched into the sixth inning, departing with two outs and two runners aboard. Josh White, entering for his Double-A debut, needed only one pitch to coax an inning-ending popout.
White followed with three strikeouts in the seventh, and Dale Stanavich (S, 4) struck out five more Barons batters in a six-out save to seal the win.
The series continues Saturday in Birmingham, with a 6:30 CT first pitch from Regions Field.
UWF Football Beats McKendree 38-6 In Season Opener
September 6, 2024
by Bill Vilona, Argos correspondent
For openers, UWF’s football team produced a desired performance.
The nationally ranked Argos quickly jumped to a sizable lead, got a shutdown effort from their defense, shined on special teams and cruised their way to a 38-6 win Thursday night against the Mckendree Bearcats at PenAir Field in the season’s first game for both teams.
A crowd of 4,305 got an early start with a massive turnout by students in a pregame tailgate and also featured UWF’s expanded marching band, which has doubled in size.
“Very excited about the team and what we did (Thursday),” said UWF head coach Kaleb Nobles, after starting his second season at the helm. “Doing some really good stuff in all three facets of the game. I thought we played pretty well on offense… and defense? I thought we played lights out. I thought we finished the game really strong. I didn’t want to give up a touchdown there at the end. McKendree had the ball at the UWF 4, which we didn’t. But there are so many things to clean up. Obviously as a head coach, I wrote a whole list of things down.”
The good news for UWF is there is plenty of time to shore up that list.
The Argos, ranked No. 12 in American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II coaches poll, No. 14 in the D2 Football.com poll, won’t play their next game until Sept. 21 when hosting West Alabama in their Gulf South Conference opener.
It’s the longest gap between games in UWF’s eight-year history.
“It will be something new that we’ve never done before at UWF,” Nobles said. “But we kinda set this up on purpose to make sure we could try and get a good win (Thursday) and then give ourselves a really good chance to start prepping for teams like West Alabama.”
Thursday’s game was a return half of UWF’s series with McKendree, located in Lebanon, Illinois, just east of St. Louis, and a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Argos traveled there in 2023 and got a 35-3 win in their second game of the season.
Part of the rematch intrigue was which UWF quarterback would start the game.
Redshirt freshman Marcus Stokes from St. Augustine-Nease High School, earned his way to the top of the depth chart and was solid in his first start. He completed 20 of 27 passes for 231 yards.
Both of his interceptions were on tipped passes and he was sacked twice. Backup Michael Rich Jr. made his only play count when he rushed on 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
“I thought he played very well, I thought he played pretty efficient,” Nobles said. “Two hundred some yards passing in his first college game win (start). I thought he handled himself very well. He was very calm, very composed. He’s a high energy guy, but he was very relaxed, very calm, which I think is great for him.”
The Argos first two touchdowns came on one-play drives, following outstanding punt returns by senior defensive back Virgil Lemons, who finished with 147 yards on two returns, one of those 86 yards to the 1-yard line that was advanced by teammate McGrew Fortune.
The first one of 61 yards midway in the first quarter resulted in Jamontez Woods rushing in from the 4-yard line. Woods then finished the second one on a hand off from the one. He finished as UWF’s leading rusher with 38 yards on 13 carries.
“We have iPads on the sidelines now and we get to watch (punt returns) what happens and I watched both of them and said, wow, this is phenomenal blocking. This is what it should look like,” Nobles said. “I told Virgil, if you can give me every offensive possession starting inside the (opponents) 5, I become the best player caller in the world. I’m excited about how we performed on special teams and think we have a lot of momentum moving forward.”
Said Lemons of his two returns, “Heart stopping. Thank God. I was just happy. I just had trust in my guys. This is my second year returning and I got two of my corners out there blocking.”
Three of UWF’s first four offensive possessions resulted in touchdowns. Jay Sharp’s 1-yard run in the second quarter finished a 13-play, 90 yard drive that was UWF’s best offensive sequence.
A 21-0 halftime lead was further expanded on Cade Lombardo’s 29-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
Rich’s touchdown run answered McKendree’s only score of the game on a short run that capped a 14-play 74 yard drive.
Linebacker Ralph Ortiz, one of the team’s best defensive players, had a big night. In addition to six solo tackles and a pass breakup, he returned an interception 27 yards late in the fourth quarter for the game’s final points.
Defensively, UWF kept forcing punts early in the game. The Bearcats longest play went for 35 yards. They were limited to just 49 rushing yards and 5-of-15 on third down conversions.
“We had a good start, but we still have a lot of work to do,” Lemons said.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: West Alabama Tigers vs. UWF Argos.
WHEN: Sept. 21, 6 p.m.
WHERE: Pen Air Field.
GAME THEME: Family Weekend
TICKETS: www.goargos.com/tickets
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Silenced by Carela, Barons in 4-1 Loss
September 6, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos saw their newfound momentum halted on Thursday night, falling 4-1 to the Birmingham Barons in their first loss of the series.
After 5-1 wins on Tuesday and Wednesday, Pensacola managed only one run on six hits as Juan Carela (W, 2-3) led a dominant performance from the Birmingham pitching staff.
With the loss, the Blue Wahoos lost ground to the Biloxi Shuckers in the hunt for a wild card playoff spot. The Blue Wahoos trail the Shuckers by 3.5 games and the Mississippi Braves by 2.0 games with nine to play in the regular season.
Jacob Miller (L, 1-1) was perfect through two innings, but ran into trouble in the third. Five singles, including RBI knocks from Rikuu Nishida and Wilfred Veras, gave the Barons a 2-0 lead. All eight of Birmingham’s hits in the game were singles.
The Blue Wahoos got a run back in the fourth when Nathan Martorella doubled off the top of the right field wall and scored on Graham Pauley’s RBI single. That would be all the damage done against Carela, who worked 5.0 innings of four-hit, one-run ball.
Terrell Tatum added to the Birmingham lead with an RBI single in the fourth, and Jason Matthews scored on a wild pitch from reliever Nigel Belgrave in the seventh to bring the score to 4-1.
Caleb Freeman (S, 4) worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn a save and lock down the Barons win.
The series continues Friday in Birmingham, with a 7:00 CT first pitch at Regions Field.
Northview Chiefs Boys Golf Defeats West Florida, Washington And Escambia
September 5, 2024
In high school golf action on a wet Wednesday afternoon, the Northview High School Chiefs boys defeated West Florida, Washington and Escambia high schools at the Osceola Golf Course in Pensacola
Four Northview golfers placed individually:
- 1st place: Jack Boutwell, with a score of 38 overall.
- 2nd place: Jackson Bridges, finishing with a score of 39.
- 4th place: Luke Godwin, with a 41.
Pictured: The Northview High School golf team: Luke Godwin, Jack Boutwell, Kelan Jurey, Jackson Bridges, Jayden White, Miles Smith, and Coach Nicholas Shivers. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Here’s Where To Watch College Football This Weekend
September 5, 2024
Here is this week’s college football schedule and where to watch the games.
All times are Central.
Week 2
Thursday, Sept. 5
South Dakota Mines at Michigan Tech | 5 p.m. CST | FloSports
Central State (Ohio) at Grand Valley State | 5 p.m. CST | FloSports
Friday, Sept. 6
Western Illinois at Indiana | 6 p.m. CST | Big Ten Network
BYU at SMU | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN2
Mass Maritime at SUNY Maritime | 6 p.m. CST | FloSports
Western New England at Springfield | 6 p.m. CST | FloSports
Duke at Northwestern | 8 p.m. CST | FS1
Saturday, Sept. 7
Arkansas at No. 16 Oklahoma State | 11 a.m. CST | ABC/ESPN+
No. 3 Texas at No. 10 Michigan | 11 a.m. CST | FOX
Rhode Island at Minnesota | 11 a.m. CST | Peacock
Bowling Green at No. 8 Penn State | 11 a.m. CST | Big Ten Network
Akron at Rutgers | 11 a.m. CST | Big Ten Network
No. 23 Georgia Tech at Syracuse | 11 a.m. CST | ACC Network
Pitt at Cincinnati | 11 a.m. CST | ESPN2
No. 17 Kansas State at Tulane | 11 a.m. CST | ESPN
Troy at Memphis | 11 a.m. CST | ESPNU
Army at Florida Atlantic | 11 a.m. CST | CBSSN
Lafayette at Monmouth | 11 a.m. CST | FloSports
South Carolina State at The Citadel | 11 a.m. CST | ESPN+
Wagner at Lehigh | 11 a.m. CST | ESPN+
Georgetown at Marist | 11 a.m. CST | ESPN+
Widener at Lyoming | 11 a.m. CST | FloSports
Shippensburg at American International | 11 a.m. CST | FloSports
McNeese at Texas A&M | 11:45 a.m. CST | SEC Network
Campbell at Western Carolina | 12 p.m. CST | ESPN+
St. Anselm at Sacred Heart | 12 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Bowie State at Lenoir-Rhyne | 12 p.m. CST | FloSports
St. Andrews at Anderson (SC) | 12 p.m. CST | FloSports
Bucknell at VMI | 1:30 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Tennessee Tech at No. 1 Georgia | 1 p.m. CST | ESPN+/SECN+
Missouri State at Ball State | 1 p.m. CST | ESPN+
New Hampshire at Holy Cross | 1 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Valparaiso at Youngstown State | 1 p.m. CST | ESPN+
St. Francis (PA) at Kent State | 2:30 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Utah Tech at UNLV | 2 p.m. CST | Mountain West Network
Cal at Auburn | 2:30 p.m. CST | ESPN2
South Carolina at Kentucky | 2:30 p.m. CST | ABC/ESPN+
Iowa State at No. 21 Iowa | 2:30 p.m. CST | CBS/Paramount+
Michigan State at Maryland | 2:30 p.m. CST | Big Ten Network
Eastern Michigan at Washington | 2:30 p.m. CST | Big Ten Network
South Dakota at Wisconsin | 2:30 p.m. CST | FS1
Northern Illinois at No. 5 Notre Dame | 2:30 p.m. CST | NBC
UMass at Toledo | 2:30 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Duquesne at Boston College | 2:30 p.m. CST | ESPN+/ACCNX
Jacksonville State at No. 22 Louisville | 2:30 p.m. CST | ESPN+/ACCNX
Charlotte at North Carolina | 2:30 p.m. CST | ACC Network
Baylor at No. 11 Utah | 2:30 p.m. CST | FOX
Temple at Navy | 2:30 p.m. CST | CBSSN
Wofford at Richmond | 2:30 p.m. CST | FloSports
Stone Hill at Stony Brook | 2:30 p.m. CST | FloSports
Tennessee State at North Dakota State | 2:30 p.m. CST | ESPN+
UTSA at Texas State | 3 p.m. CST | ESPNU
Franklin Pierce at Bryant | 3 p.m. CST | FloSports
Virginia State at Norfolk State | 3 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Carleton State at Pomona Pitzer | 3 p.m. CST | FloSports
Middle Tennessee at Ole Miss | 3:15 p.m. CST | SEC Network
Marshall at Virginia Tech | 3:30 p.m. CST | CW Network
Idaho at Wyoming | 3:30 p.m. CST | truTV/Max
UVA Wise at East Tennessee State | 4:30 p.m. CST | ESPN+
UAlbany at West Virginia | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Florida A&M at No. 12 Miami (Fla.) | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+/ACCNX
Central Michigan at Florida International | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Gardner-Webb at James Madison | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
East Carolina at Old Dominion | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
South Alabama at Ohio | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Elon at North Carolina Central | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Morgan State at Towson | 5 p.m. CST | FloSports
Villanova at Colgate | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Virginia Union at Hampton | 5 p.m. CST | FloSports
Miles College at Alabama State | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Charleston Southern at Furman | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Western Oregon at Idaho State | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Kentucky Christian at Morehead State | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Warner at Stetson | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Shaw at Albany State | 5 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Sam Houston at UCF | 5:30 p.m. CST | ESPN+
South Florida at No. 4 Alabama | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN
Samford at Florida | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+/SECN+
Buffalo at No. 9 Missouri | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+/SECN+
No. 19 Kansas at Illinois | 6 p.m. CST | FS1
William & Mary at Coastal Carolina | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Eastern Kentucky at Western Kentucky | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Chattanooga at Georgia State | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Cal Poly at Stanford | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+/ACCNX
Virginia at Wake Forest | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN2
Louisiana at Kennesaw State | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
San Jose State at Air Force | 6 p.m. CST | CBSSN
Georgia Southern at Nevada | 6 p.m. CST | truTV/Max
Tulsa at Arkansas State | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
UAB at UL Monroe | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
SE Louisiana at Southern Miss | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Texas Southern at Rice | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Northern Colorado at Colorado State | 6 p.m. CST | Mountain West Network
Winston-Salem at North Carolina A&T | 6 p.m. CST | FloSports
Central Arkansas at Lindenwood | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Southern Illinois at Austin Peay | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
UT Martin at SE Missouri State | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Illinois State at North Alabama | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Indiana State at Eastern Illinois | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Butler at Murray State | 6 p.m | ESPN+
Montana at North Dakota | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
UIW at South Dakota State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Prairie View A&M at Northwestern State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Mississippi Valley State at Lamar | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Tarleton State at Houston Christian | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Drake at Eastern Washington | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Catawba at Davidson | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/FloSports
Presbyterian at Erksine | 7 p.m. | FloSports
Mercyhurst at Howard | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Missouri S&T at Delta State | 7 p.m. | FloSports
Valdosta State at Newberry | 7 p.m. | FloSports
Tusculum at West Alabama | 7 p.m. | FloSports
Nicholls at No. 18 LSU | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+/SECN+
No. 14 Tennessee vs. No. 24 NC State (in Charlotte, North Carolina) | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Alcorn State at Vanderbilt | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU
Colorado at Nebraska | 7:30 p.m. | NBC/Peacock
Western Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State | 7:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Stephen F. Austin at North Texas | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Houston at No. 15 Oklahoma | 7:45 p.m. | SEC Network
Appalachian State at No. 25 Clemson | 8 p.m. | ACC Network
Long Island University at TCU | 8 p.m. | BESPN+
Maine at Montana State | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
West Georgia at Abilene Christian | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Portland State at Weber State | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Sul Ross State at Eastern New Mexico | 8 p.m. | FloSports
Southern Utah at UTEP | 9 p.m. | ESPN+
Boise State at No. 7 Oregon | 10 p.m. | Peacock
Northern Arizona at No. 20 Arizona | 10 p.m. | ESPN+
Texas Tech at Washington State | 10 p.m. | FOX
Texas A&M-Commerce at UC Davis | 10 p.m. | ESPN+
George Fox at Redlands | 10 p.m. | FloSports
Liberty at New Mexico State | 10:15 p.m. | ESPN2
Mississippi State at Arizona State | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
Oregon State at San Diego State | 10:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Utah State at No. 13 USC | 11 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Montana at North Dakota | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
UIW at South Dakota State | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Prairie View A&M at Northwestern State | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Mississippi Valley State at Lamar | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Tarleton State at Houston Christian | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Drake at Eastern Washington | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Catawba at Davidson | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+/FloSports
Presbyterian at Erksine | 6 p.m. CST | FloSports
Mercyhurst at Howard | 6 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Missouri S&T at Delta State | 6 p.m. CST | FloSports
Valdosta State at Newberry | 6 p.m. CST | FloSports
Tusculum at West Alabama | 6 p.m. CST | FloSports
Nicholls at No. 18 LSU | 7:30 p.m. CST | ESPN+/SECN+
No. 14 Tennessee vs. No. 24 NC State (in Charlotte, North Carolina) | 7:30 p.m. CST | ABC
Alcorn State at Vanderbilt | 7:30 p.m. CST | ESPNU
Colorado at Nebraska | 7:30 p.m. CST | NBC/Peacock
Western Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State | 7:30 p.m. CST | Big Ten Network
Stephen F. Austin at North Texas | 7:30 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Houston at No. 15 Oklahoma | 7:45 p.m. CST | SEC Network
Appalachian State at No. 25 Clemson | 7 p.m. CST | ACC Network
Long Island University at TCU | 7 p.m. CST | BESPN+
Maine at Montana State | 7 p.m. CST | ESPN+
West Georgia at Abilene Christian | 7 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Portland State at Weber State | 7 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Sul Ross State at Eastern New Mexico | 7 p.m. CST | FloSports
Southern Utah at UTEP | 8 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Boise State at No. 7 Oregon | 9 p.m. CST | Peacock
Northern Arizona at No. 20 Arizona | 9 p.m. CST | ESPN+
Texas Tech at Washington State | 9 p.m. CST | FOX
Texas A&M-Commerce at UC Davis | 9 p.m. CST | ESPN+
George Fox at Redlands | 9 p.m. CST | FloSports
Liberty at New Mexico State | 9:15 p.m. CST | ESPN2
Mississippi State at Arizona State | 9:30 p.m. CST | ESPN
Oregon State at San Diego State | 9:30 p.m. CST | CBSSN
Utah State at No. 13 USC | 10 p.m. CST | Big Ten Network
Wahoos Gain Ground With 5-1, 10-Inning Win Over Barons
September 5, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos continued to chip away at their wild card deficit with a 5-1, 10-inning win over the Birmingham Barons on Wednesday night.
With the game deadlocked from the fourth inning on, the Blue Wahoos finally pulled ahead in the top of the 10th when a wild pitch from Eric Adler (L, 2-2) scored Johnny Olmstead from third base. Nathan Martorella followed with a booming three-run homer, adding insurance and continuing the Pensacola first baseman’s hot streak at the plate.
With the win, the Blue Wahoos gained ground on both the Biloxi Shuckers and Mississippi Braves in the hunt for a wild card playoff spot. The Blue Wahoos trail the Shuckers by 2.5 games and the Braves by 1.5 games with 10 to play in the regular season.
The game began with command issues for Blue Wahoos starter Evan Fitterer, who walked in a run in the second inning before wriggling out of a bases-loaded jam. Fitterer settled into a groove, ultimately working 5.0 innings of one-run ball.
The Blue Wahoos tied things up in the fourth on an Olmstead two-out RBI infield single, and kept the game tied with effective relief from Tyler Eckberg and Justin King.
After Woo-Suk Go (W, 2-1) sent the game to extras with a scoreless ninth, the Blue Wahoos quickly mounted a threat against Adler. The placed runner, Olmstead, advanced to third on a wild pitch before Shane Sasaki walked and stole second. Andrew Pintar drew a walk to load the bases before another wild pitch brought home the go-ahead run. Martorella then unloaded with a three-run homer, his 13th of the year and ninth since August 4.
Go worked around Birmingham’s placed runner to work a scoreless bottom of the 10th and seal the win.
The series continues Thursday in Birmingham, with a 7:00 CT.
Wahoos Start Final Road Trip With Win Over Barons
September 4, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos began their final road trip of the regular season with a bang on Tuesday night, riding a four-run first inning to a 5-1 win over the Birmingham Barons.
Paul McIntosh blasted a three-run homer, his third long ball in the past three games, to cap the four-run first inning. Luis Palacios (W, 9-7) handled the rest, working 5.1 innings of one-run ball for his 19th career Blue Wahoos win to tie a career franchise record.
The first batter of the game, Andrew Pintar, reached on a missed catch error from Barons first baseman Shawn Goosenberg and scored on a Graham Pauley sacrifice fly. With two outs and two on in the inning, McIntosh launched his homer off the left field videoboard for a 4-0 Pensacola lead.
All four runs were unearned for Barons starter Riley Gowens (L, 1-3), who was handed the tough-luck loss.
The Barons got a run back in the first inning when Rikuu Nishida singled and scored on a wild pitch in his Double-A debut. That was all Palacios would allow, pitching into the sixth inning for his first winning decision since late July.
The Blue Wahoos added an insurance run in the sixth on a Johnny Olmstead RBI triple, and relievers Matt Pushard, Chandler Jozwiak and Dale Stanavich combined for 3.2 innings of scoreless relief to close out the win.
The Blue Wahoos gained a half game on Biloxi and a full game on Mississippi in the chase for a potential Southern League wild card spot. With 11 games remaining, they are 3.5 games back of the Shuckers and 2.5 games behind the Braves.
The series continues Wednesday in Birmingham, with a 7:00 CT.
Blue Wahoos Drop Series Finale In Last-Ever Meeting Against M-Braves
September 2, 2024
written by Bill Vilona
The Blue Wahoos knew that a revamped roster, pitchers getting elevated, plus an extended road trip in August could bring some difficult challenges in the season’s final weeks.
It’s proven steeper than imagined.
In a homestand where they hoped to improve their position in the second-half race, the Blue Wahoos’ 9-3 loss Sunday against the Mississippi Braves was their fourth in a tough week at Blue Wahoos Stadium. And it brought a three-week record to 4-14.
But the crowd of 4,325 mostly stayed for what Sundays have been following games. Children ran the bases. Parents took video and cellphone photos. Families stayed to toss baseballs in the outfield.
With 12 games now remaining, the Blue Wahoos (64-50 overall, 26-30 in second half) remain four games back of the Biloxi Shuckers and now trail the M-Braves by three games in the chase for the second qualifying playoff spot.
This game marked the final time the M-Braves and Blue Wahoos played. Next season, the M-Braves are moving to Columbus, Georgia and into a revamped 98-year-old stadium on the riverfront to form a new franchise and Double-A affiliate for the Atlanta Braves.
Once again, Sunday became a scenario where an opportunity for a mid-game rally didn’t happen and the M-Braves seized upon their chances to take the series 4-2.
Patrick Monteverde was set to make his second start Sunday, following his best outing of the season in a Tuesday win that snapped the team’s six-game losing streak.
But Monteverde was summoned to rejoin Triple-A Jacksonville and the Blue Wahoos’ pitching staff was further thinned.
The game started well for the Blue Wahoos. Andrew Pintar led off with a single, then scored on Jared Serna’s RBI ground out.
Nathan Martorella blasted his 12th home run in the third inning for a 2-1 lead. After the M-Braves regained the lead on sacrifice fly and Bryson Horne’s solo homer off Pensacola starter Tristan Steves, the Blue Wahoos had their chance to answer.
They loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half of the inning. But newcomer Josh Zamora hit a roller back to the M-Braves’ pitcher Jhancarlos Lara, who went to the plate to trigger a pitcher-catcher-first base double play to end the inning.
The M-Braves then added two more runs in the fifth, another in the sixth and the Blue Wahoos had only two singles the rest of the way.
The Blue Wahoos’ Paul McIntosh and Johnny Olmstead each had a pair of hits in the game, getting the bulk of the team’s seven hits.
Stevens absorbed the loss on the mound after giving up three runs in four innings. Relievers Tyler Eckberg, Adam Laskey and Woo-Suk Go all yielded runs in relief.
The Blue Wahoos will have Monday off before traveling to Birmingham on Tuesday to begin a six-game trip against the Birmingham Barons.
Blue Wahoos Comeback Falls Short Saturday In Ninth-Inning Heartbreak
September 1, 2024
written by Bill Violona
The bases-loaded pitch exited off Andrew Pintar’s bat faster than it entered across the plate, instantly igniting a ninth-inning roar from Saturday’s capacity crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
A second later, however, a collective groan ensued.
Pintar’s rocket line drive was caught by Mississippi Braves shortstop Cal Conley, who then made an easy flip to second base for a game-ending double play in the M-Braves’ 7-5 win against the Blue Wahoos.
The solace for the crowd was fireworks, which soon lit the sky as the traditional post-game Saturday show – this one sponsored by Woodlands Medical Specialists – brought cheers after Pensacola’s disappointing loss.
The game was also designated as Star Wars Night, complete with 18 costumed characters who were part of the large crowd.
The Blue Wahoos rallied from another galaxy after trailing 6-0 in the second inning. They got within a run after chipping away, scoring their fifth run in the seventh inning. The M-Braves, as they have done all week, manufactured an insurance run in the eighth and let their bullpen handle the rest.
Saturday’s loss, coupled by the Biloxi Shuckers’ home win against the Montgomery Biscuits, drops the Blue Wahoos (64-59 overall, 26-29 second half) four games back with 13 games left in a three-team race for a second-half playoff spot.
It’s going to be a tall order from this point. First, the Blue Wahoos will try and split this six-game series with the M-Braves in Sunday’s homestand finale.
The game Saturday began with a thud. Blue Wahoos starter Robby Snelling, making his second home start, had his roughest outing since joining the team as part of a July 30 trade the Miami Marlins made with the San Diego Padres.
Five of the first six batters that Snelling faced all scored. Snelling plunked Conley, the game’s leadoff batter. Second baseman David Fletcher followed with a single. Fletcher is the two-way player who started Thursday’s game throwing his knuckleball.
Both players advanced on a double steal. Conley scored on an infield hit. A run-scoring single followed, then a two-run triple by Cody Milligan, who then scored on an infield groundout.
In the second inning, what could have been a double-play groundout was instead an error, allowing leadoff batter Brandon Parker to advance and score on Fletcher’s single for a 6-0 lead.
But from this point, Snelling settled into a groove and retired 14 of the final 16 batters he faced in order.
The Blue Wahoos got back into the game with Paul McIntosh. He blasted a two-run homer in the second, then a solo homer in the seventh inning that made it a one-run game.
An inning earlier, Nathan Martorella hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning.
In the ninth, trailing by two runs, an opportunity existed when Joe Mack led off with a single. Cody Morissette was hit by a pitch with one out, and Shane Sasaki walked.
M-Braves reliever Jorge Juan was struggling with command. And his pitch to Pintar was hit on the barrel and could have been the game-tying shot. Instead, it became the game-ender.
The Blue Wahoos will try to finish with a split of the series when Patrick Monteverde, who pitched so well in Tuesday’s win, returns for his second start in the second-to-last Sunday home game of the season.