M-Braves Beat The Wahoos

July 20, 2019

The Blue Wahoos knew there might be few scoring chances Friday if Mississippi Braves’ ace Ian Anderson was on top of his game.

When they missed on early opportunities, it became costly again at the end.

The Blue Wahoos’ bats remained in a slumber and their record continued its slide after a 4-2 loss against the M-Braves at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss.

Anderson, the No. 3 ranked player by MLB Pipeline in the Atlanta Braves system, struck out 10 Pensacola hitters to improve his season strikeout total to 129. That leads the Southern League and ranks fourth in all of minor league baseball.

For the Blue Wahoos, this is the first time since the first game of the season their overall record (49-49) is even at .500. They fell into last place (11-17) in the Southern League South Division second-half standings, after losing for the 12th time in 14 games.

On July 3, the Blue Wahoos swept a four-game series at home against the M-Braves for a sixth consecutive win. Friday, they were saddled with a seventh loss in eight games.

The same issue has been the culprit. It’s been a week since they have scored more than two runs in any game.

But before Anderson settled into a seven-inning masterpiece, the Blue Wahoos had a couple chances. They had a runner on base with less than two outs in three of the first four innings.

In the first, leadoff batter Ivan De Jesus Jr. singled. But Anderson got Alex Kirilloff to hit into a double-play and struck out Trevor Larnarch.

In the second inning, the Blue Wahoos got their first run when loading the bases with one out. Lewin Diaz was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Mark Contreras, who went 2-for-4 as the Blue Wahoos only player with multiple hits, followed with a single.

Joe Cronin then singled to load the bases. Diaz scored on Aaron Whitefield’s force out. With runners on second and third, Jordan Gore grounded out to end the inning.

In the fourth inning, Ben Rortvedt had a one out single, but Anderson struck out Contreras and Cronin. The next three innings, the Blue Wahoos had only one baserunner against Anderson, who improved to 7-5, after allowing just five hits, no walks to go along with his 10 strikeouts.

The Blue Wahoos again got their own solid starting pitching. Charlie Barnes worked into the fifth inning, allowing just three hits, one run and struck out six. He had just one walk.

Tom Hackimer, pitching for the first time since June 26, entered in relief and worked 1.2 scoreless innings. In the seventh, however, Adam Bray began the inning and had his roughest relief appearance.

The first three M-Braves batters reached base. William Contreras’ double scored two runs and gave the M-Braves a 3-1 lead. Trey Harris hit a one-out double to score Contreras.

That was the game. The M-Braves’ Claudio Custodio entered in the eighth and gave up a leadoff double to Gore. Larnach’s two-out single scored Gore, then Lewis struck out to end the inning.

Jordan Harrison retired the Blue Wahoos in order in the ninth to get his second save.

The two teams will play again Saturday night in the third game of their weekend series.

Northview Chiefs To Host Youth Football Camp Next Week

July 19, 2019

The Northview Quarterback Club will host their annual youth football camp Monday, July 22 and Tuesday July 23 from 5-7 p.m.

The cost of the camp is $50 and includes a camp t-shirt. The camp is open for any child entering Kindergarten through 8th grade. The participants will receive instruction from the Northview High School coaches and players in offensive and defensive positions, as well as agilities and speed training.

Click here to download a required registration form and waiver.

For more information, email Coach Derek Marshman at DMarshman@escambia.k12.fl.us.

Dobnak’s Memorable Performance Spoiled In Blue Wahoos’ Loss

July 19, 2019

One of the top pitching performances in club history Thursday night was unfortunately not enough to shake the Blue Wahoos from current doldrums.

Randy Dobnak continued his remarkable season, along with his potential future, by working eight innings, allowing just two hits, one run and matching a career-high with nine strikeouts, but became a hard-luck recipient of the Blue Wahoos 1-0 loss against the Mississippi Braves to start a road series in Pearl, Miss.

In part, the reason was M-Braves lefty starter Tucker Davidson, a Southern League All-Star and No. 18 overall prospect in the Atlanta Braves system, was equally masterful. Davidson also went eight complete innings with nine strikeouts, scattered five hits and did not walk a batter.

This sensational arms race led to a game completed in just one hour, 54 minutes Thursday before a crowd of 2,218 at Trustmark Park. It was the seventh time in Dobnak’s last nine starts that he has allowed just one or zero earned runs.

The loss became the Blue Wahoos’ 11th in the past 13 games. They are now just one game above .500 overall (49-48) and fell to 11-16 in the second half. They will try and reverse the trend beginning Friday in the second game of a four-game weekend series.

Rarely in minor league baseball does a game feature both starting pitchers going eight complete innings. Dobnak (4-2) threw 90 pitches and got 12 ground ball outs. Davidson stayed in the game with 97 pitches, 64 for strikes.

In what has typified the Blue Wahoos’ recent downfall, they had runners in scoring position in each of the final three innings, but couldn’t get a game-tying hit. They finished with seven hits in the game, all singles.

In the ninth inning, former major league infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr. led off with a single against reliever Jordan Harrison. Alex Kirilloff then hit into a force play at second base.

Trevor Larnach, who joined the team Tuesday in promotion from High-A Fort Myers, followed with a one-out single. Lewin Diaz worked a 2-2 count, fouled off a pitch, then hit a hard grounder that shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder converted into a game-ending double play.

In the eighth inning, the Blue Wahoos’ Mark Contreras led off with a single. He moved to second on Brian Navaretto’s sacrifice bunt. But Davidson retired Aaron Whitefield on a fly ball to center, then struck out Jordan Gore to end the threat.

In the seventh, Kirilloff had a one-out single, Larnach hit into a force play, but Diaz followed with a single. Again, Davidson worked out of it by getting Caleb Hamilton to pop out.

Those three innings were the Blue Wahoos’ best scoring opportunities. The other was in the first inning when Kirilloff, who went 2-for-4, hit a one-out single. Larnach followed by hitting into a double play.

The game’s only run was scored in the fifth inning. Greyson Jenista led off with a double against Dobnak. Carlos Martinez followed with a one-out, RBI single, but was erased on the cutoff throw by Diaz to De Jesus at second.

Dobnak, who was pitching in a Michigan-based Independent League two years ago, retired the M-Braves in order the next three innings.

The M-Braves (44-52, 11-16) entered the game with four consecutive series’ losses. They lost four of six games against Jacksonville, a team now just one game back of Biloxi in the second-half division race.

Deer Hunters: QDMA Escambia Field Day Program Set For Saturday

July 18, 2019

The Quality Deer Management Association Escambia Branch Field Day will be held Saturday, July 20 in Cantonment.

The free event will feature speakers Keith Swilly on 12 Years of Quality Deer Management and Ben Westfall on QDM Coops, research from UF/IFAS and regulation updates from  the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The event will take place from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Langley Bell 4-H Center at 3730 Stefani Road. Admission is free, and there will be door prizes.

FWC Hunter Safety Courses Offered In Molino And Jay

July 15, 2019

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety courses in Molino and Jay.

Hunter safety courses are designed to help students become safe, responsible and knowledgeable hunters and learn about conservation.

Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.

All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.

Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have ahunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.

Courses will be held:

Escambia County

July 31 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & Aug. 31 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Molino Community Center
6450 Highway 95A in Molino

Santa Rosa County

July 17 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & Aug. 3 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Jay Community Center
5259 Booker Lane in Jay

July 24 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & Aug. 3 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Santa Rosa County Extension Services
6263 Dogwood Drive in Milton

Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at 850-265-3676.

Biscuits Blank The Wahoos

July 15, 2019

They went to rival colleges in the Pac-12 Conference, entered professional baseball in the same year, so Caleb Hamilton was well-familiar with Montgomery Biscuits pitcher Matt Krook.

“I had an idea of what he was doing, but he was still pretty nasty,” said Hamilton, the Blue Wahoos’ versatile catcher-infielder.

So nasty, in fact, that Krook struck out four of the six batters he faced in order Sunday, including Hamilton, in his role to pitch the first two innings as an “opener.” This is a concept the Biscuits’ parent club, the Tampa Bay Rays, introduced to baseball a year ago.

On the same day when the Rays used an opener (Ryne Stanek), then starter Ryan Yarbrough to nearly pull off the first combined, perfect game in baseball history, the Biscuits used their own tandem to help blank the Blue Wahoos in a 4-0 win at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

Krook threw two perfect innings, then scheduled starter Kenny Rosenberg followed to work the next six, improving to 9-1 – tied for the most wins in the Southern League — after allowing just three hits and three walks.

It gave the Biscuits (59-35, 15-9 second half) their third win of a six-game series which concludes Tuesday. The Blue Wahoos (49-45, 11-13 second half).

As an organization, Tampa Bay is credited for starting a baseball trend that the Blue Wahoos and Minnesota Twins have tried at times.

The Rays’ perfect game bid was broken up in the ninth inning of their 4-1 win against the Baltimore Orioles, spoiling a feat that has never happened with two pitchers in MLB history.

”From my perspective, it’s you throw a closer role out there to open up the game to face the lineup’s best hitters, so the starter doesn’t have to face them three or four times,” said Hamilton, a Southern League All-Star and former Oregon State player, who went 2-for-3 Sunday and walked in another at-bat.

“So it’s always tough when you have a dude that’s pretty nasty up there… and in the beginning of the game… to go through once or twice,” said Hamilton, who was part of the 2016 draft with Krook. “It’s pretty tough to hit and then the actual starter comes in. You have to adjust and as hitters, we don’t want to adjust.”

It’s the 10th time this season that Krook, a former Oregon Ducks star, has worked as an opener. The Biscuits are 9-1 in those games.

Since returning July 6 from the injured list, Krook has struck out eight of 12 batters in two games and not allowed a baserunner in two appearances.

The two Biscuits pitchers held the Blue Wahoos to four hits and three walks. Neither team made an error. A night earlier, the Blue Wahoos broke out with 12 hits in their 5-3 win.

Sunday’s loss spoiled a second consecutive quality start by the Blue Wahoos Jorge Alcala. He worked into the sixth, allowing five hits and three earned runs. Alcala gave up a mammoth, solo home run blast to Brett Sullivan into the wind at right field in the fifth inning.

In the sixth, Alcala ran into trouble after issuing a leadoff walk, then giving up a one-out single that brought Blue Wahoos manager Ramon Borrego to summon reliever Andrew Vasquez.

But Alcala’s outing was another positive sign that the touted, hard-throwing right hander is on the right track.

“He is commanding three pitches,” said Hamilton, who was Alcala’s catcher Sunday. “Command is what comes down to his success.

“If he has no command, he gets hit around and he walks guys. He just needs confidence. That comes from the first pitch, that comes from the (warmup) bullpen.”

Vasquez, who began this season with the Twins in their bullpen, struggled in his first Blue Wahoos appearance.

After an intentional walk with two outs, loading the bases, Vasquez then walked in a run and gave up a two-single by Lucius Fox.

That was all the scoring in the game.

Just like the previous three games in this series, the wind from Pensacola Bay was a factor. Sullivan’s homer was the only one of the series and would have left any ballpark.

But the Blue Wahoos Lewin Diaz had a fourth-inning shot to right field that got knocked down to allow a warning track catch. In the ninth, Joe Cronin drove a pitch deep in left-center, but it was curtailed by the wind.

“It is always tough when you have a ball that can’t get out of the ballpark, but you have to adjust to it,” said Hamilton, in summation for the team. “And it almost makes the stadium quiet, because all you hear is wind.

“You can’t hear anything else. But you have to adjust. Baseball is a game of adjustments, so we can’t control weather.”

The loss was the Blue Wahoos’ eighth in their last 10 games. Montgomery, meanwhile, has won nine of its last 12 games.

But Hamilton put the game in perspective, after signing autographs for a group of young children, when assessing the team’s position.

“We are just trying to have some fun. The moment you are not having fun playing baseball is when it all goes downhill. We’re just going out there every day… to do our best and making adjustments to different pitchers but at the end of the day it’s just having fun and playing a kids’ game.

Wahoos Beat The Montgomery Biscuits

July 14, 2019

Uncertain weather the past few days forced the Blue Wahoos to forego taking batting practice on the field.

Saturday, manager Ramon Borrego, who constantly checks a weather app on his phone, got the players out earlier and left nothing to chance.

The effect was noticeable throughout Saturday’s game, as the Blue Wahoos matched one of their season-best hitting performances in a 5-3 win against the Montgomery Biscuits.  A night after Biscuits’ pitchers flirted with a no-hitter, the Blue Wahoos had multiple hits by five of the top six guys in the batting order.

“Basically that was one of the points,” Borrego said. “For me, it’s better when those guys can hit on the field. They get a better view, they know how the ball carries.”

Alex Kirilloff saw it well. He went 3-for-4, drove in a run and scored twice as batting average climbed to .281.

“It’s different coming back here after being on the road, I think just having the reps on the field that we haven’t had the first two days helps,” said Kirilloff, the Minnesota Twins No. 2 overall prospect and No. 10 ranked overall by MLB Pipeline.

“To see pitches on the field… the wind was a little different (Saturday) which helps, too,” said the 21-year-old Kirilloff. “But you never want to make excuses, you just roll with the punches and deal with it.”

That’s the same way he reflects upon a season where he’s twice dealt with being on the injured list. Since being in the lineup every game since the second half began, his production has climbed.

“I haven’t thought about that,” he said. “For me, each year is its own year. This year has come with challenges as far as injuries, but this is the year that has been given me and I just try and make the best of it.”

Again Saturday, the wind was blowing in from Pensacola Bay as the side effects from Hurricane Barry’s landfall in Louisiana were evident.

This time, the Blue Wahoos drove pitches into outfield gaps. Kirilloff’s first-inning double was followed by an RBI double from Ivan De Jesus Jr., 32, a former major league player, including two seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, who the Twins signed earlier this week.

In the second inning, Mark Contreras’ run-scoring double made it 2-0. The Blue Wahoos added three runs in the fifth, all after two out, none-on. They had a triple, double and two singles in that inning.

Kirilloff, Lewin Diaz and Caleb Hamilton all had run-scoring hits.

“That is the Alex we expected,” Borrego said. “He’s a really good hitter. Obviously he was dealing with a lot of stuff. We lost him for couple weeks in the first half.

“But Alex is a very smart guy, he knows what to do. He knows how to make an adjustment. He made some really nice swings. He stayed through the ball Saturday, so that was good.”

On the mound, Charlie Barnes (2-2) earned the win with one of his best starts this season. He worked six innings, allowed six hits, struck out six and allowed just one walk.

Reliever Sam Clay followed Adam Bray in the eighth inning with the bases loaded, one out, and got out of the jam after catcher Brian Navarreto made a perfect throw on Josh Lowe’s attempted steal of second base.

In the ninth, Clay yielded a one-out walk and single, but retired the next two batters, ending the game on a strikeout. Clay has been consistent all season.

“We are so happy for him and the way he’s been pitching this season,” Borrego said. “He’s making a lot of improvements.. If something wrong, he fixes it. And he just gives you results right now.

“His ball has a lot of movement right now.”

The win slowed Montgomery’s movement. The Biscuits had won five in a row and eight of their last nine games. The Blue Wahoos, meanwhile, had lost six of their last seven.

“We know there are still a lot of games left to play and we try not to get too far ahead of ourselves now and take each day as it comes,” Kirilloff said.

Borrego is hoping to repeat the batting practice plan on Sunday in the fourth of six games in this series. The final two games will be Monday and Tuesday night.

“When they hit out on the field, they swing better, they know how the ball carries, so that was helpful,” Borrego said

Free Soccer Clinic For Kids Ages 5-12 Next Week

July 11, 2019

Pensacola Sports will hold its 8th Annual Kickstart Soccer Clinic July 16-18. It is a free, fun and safe introduction to the sport of soccer for kids ages 5-12.

All participants will receive free soccer instruction from local high school and club coaches, as well as a ball, shin guards, and other giveaways from event sponsors.

Kids ages 5-8 will check-in at 8:30 a.m. with instruction from 8:45-10:15 a.m., while kids ages 9-12 will be from 10:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m. This schedule will continue all three days, weather permitting.

Participants must wear closed-toe shoes (cleats are not mandatory) and are encouraged to bring a water bottle, hat, and sunscreen.

In addition to the instruction, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will be providing several demonstrations for the participants.

Online registration is available through the start of camp. To register, or for more information, click here. Onsite registration is also available each morning before the clinic begins. The clinic will be held at the Brent Football Field located at 4711 N. “W” St.

Five Tate Cheerleaders Named All-American At UCF Camp

July 9, 2019

Five senior Tate High School cheerleaders were named UCA All-Americans during a recent camp at the University of Central Florida.

The full Tate varsity squad was awarded a trophy for Rally Routine – Best Incorporation of Transitions and Creativity as well as a trophy for Superior ratings all week.

The All-American cheerleaders are Bailey Carter, Shelby Fleming, Kensley Foley, Abi Manoso and Payton Simmons.

Pictured top: Tate High Schoo’s UCA All-American cheerleaders. Pictured below: The full Tate varsity squad. Pictured bottom: The 10 senior Tate cheerleaders at camp. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Alcala Shines, But Blue Wahoos Endure Fourth Walkoff Loss To Barons

July 9, 2019

The Blue Wahoos right now can’t seem to shake heartbreak.

Or new ways to experience it.

The latest unfolded Monday night when Birmingham’s Damek Tomscha, a former Auburn Tigers player, led off the ninth inning with a home run on the first pitch, giving the Barons a 2-1 victory and their fourth walkoff win against the Blue Wahoos in this series at Regions Field in Birmingham.

It added into a fifth straight defeat, all against the Barons, and dropped the Blue Wahoos (9-10 second half) under .500 for the first time in two weeks. The Barons (14-5) have won each game in different ways.

The teams will conclude a six-game series Tuesday in Birmingham, then an off day ensues Wednesday that now seems especially well-timed for the Blue Wahoos. Birmingham won its ninth straight home game and 13 wins overall in the past 15 games.

What did go right Monday for the Blue Wahoos was the longest and arguably the best outing of the season from starting pitcher Jorge Alcala. The Minnesota Twins’ No. 19 rated prospect by MLB Pipeline was sensational in a six inning, four hit, shutout performance against the Barons.

Alcala had worked into the sixth inning just four other times, but never pitched six complete innings. It was only the third time he held an opponent scoreless and the first time he did it since May 13.

His performance included seven strikeouts, no walks. Of the 82 pitches he threw, 57 were for strikes.

Unfortunately for Alcala and his teammates, Birmingham starter Matt Tomshaw, a 30-year-old lefthander, who faced the Blue Wahoos 10 previous times the past seasons while with the Miami Marlins organization, was equally superb.

Tomshaw worked seven complete innings without allowing a run. He scattered six hits. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter.

The Blue Wahoos scored the game’s first run in the eighth inning against reliever Kodi Medeiros (3-8), who wound up as the winning pitcher.

Alex Kirilloff, who finished 3-for-4, led off with a triple in the centerfield gap. Brian Schales followed with a sacrifice fly to center fielder Luis Gonzalez, scoring Kirilloff.

But in the bottom of the eighth, Blue Wahoos reliever Jeff Ames gave up a leadoff single to Joel Booker, who then stole second base and went to third when catcher Brian Navarreto’s attempted put-out throw sailed into center field.

With one out, Luis Gonzalez hit a grounder that briefly handcuffed Kirilloff at first base, allowing Booker to score on the put out.

In the ninth, Joe Cronin drew a one-out walk. He stole second with two out. But Jordan Gore struck out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, reliever Anthony Vizcaya faced Tomscha as the leadoff batter. Tomscha, who was signed by the Chicago White Sox on June 28, jumped on Vizcaya’s first pitch and lined the ball over the left wall to cause another walkoff celebration by the Barons.

Kirilloff’s three hits in the game raised his batting average to .285. Mark Contreras, Brian Navarreto, Caleb Hamilton and Joe Cronin each had one hit .

Jeff Ames pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Alcala. He got out of a situation in the seventh, following a triple by leadoff batter Ti’Quan Forbes and Tomscha being hit by a pitch.

Ames retired the next three batters in a clutch relief effort.

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