Wahoos Edge Past BayBears 3-2
July 11, 2018
Pensacola halted a late-game comeback to defeat the BayBears, 3-2, Tuesday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Wahoos got off to a quick start in the game. With TJ Friedl on base, Shed Long smashed a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning that gave the Wahoos an early 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the second inning, Aristides Aquino belted his 10th home run of the season on a fly ball to left field to increase the lead to 3-1.
Wahoos starter Wyatt Strahan (W, 6-8) had a solid outing. Strahan pitched six innings and allowed one walk, seven hits, and three strikeouts. His only blemish of the game came from a Brennon Lund sac fly to center field that scored Luis Rengifo in the first inning that gave the BayBears the early lead in the game at 1-0.
The BayBears would make Alejandro Chacin (S, 5) and the Wahoos sweat as he earned the save in suspenseful fashion. With bases loaded, Rengifo grounded into a force out at second base to score Jose Rojas, cutting down the BayBears deficit to 3-2. Rengifo would then steal second base, and Chacin walked Jahmai Jones to load up the bases again. With Mobile threatening to tie or take the lead with only one out, Chacin struck out Brennon Lund, and got Jared Walsh on a groundout to third, ending the game.
Pensacola has a chance to tie a franchise record with its seventh straight series win in Wednesday night’s series finale. Southpaw Seth Varner (4-0, 2.43) will start for the Wahoos against RHP Joe Gatto (2-3, 8.13).
Ready For Aggie Football? Tate Season Passes On Sale
July 10, 2018
Tate High School football season passes are now on sale.
A limited quantity are available on a first come, first served basis. Passes included admission to all regular season home games for the freshmen, junior varsity and varsity teams, plus VIP parking. (Kickoff classic, spring game and playoff games are not included per FHSAA rules.)
To purchase or for more details, click here.
BayBears Trounce Wahoos 8-2
July 10, 2018
Pensacola struggled to keep the ball in the park against the BayBears as they fell to Mobile, 8-2, in Monday night’s ballgame at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola starter Daniel Wright (L, 4-6) had a rough night. Wright pitched four innings and was charged with six runs (five earned) on seven hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. Wright also allowed a career-high four home runs, three of which came in the fourth inning. Robinson Leyer, Juan Martinez, and Jose Rafael De Paula totaled two runs on six hits, four walks, and four strikeouts over the final five innings.
The Wahoos avoided the shutout in the bottom of the eighth inning. Trailing 7-0, a Mitch Nay groundout scored T.J. Friedl and Brian O’Grady tripled to center field to score Jose Siri that cut the deficit to 7-2.
Jeremy Beasley (W, 1-0) impressed in his Double-A debut for Mobile. Beasley pitched five shutout innings on three hits, one walk, and nine strikeouts.
Designated hitter Jose Rojas also had a good night for the BayBears. He reached base in all five plate appearances and went a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored. He belted two home runs to account for two of the runs and three RBI. He singled home Mobile’s final run in the ninth inning for his fourth hit.
Pensacola will look to bounce back in Wednesday night’s matchup. Right-hander Wyatt Strahan (5-8, 6.87) will start for the Wahoos against RHP Alex Klonowski (5-1, 3.86) who will take the hill for the BayBears.
Tate Aggies Softball Camp Is This Week
July 9, 2018
The Tate Summer Softball Camp will be held on Thursday, July 12.
The cost is $40 for a softball and hitting skills clinic from 9 a.m. until noon, plus $10 additional for a pitching clinic from 12:30 until 1:30 p.m. at the Tate softball field.
The clinic will be presented by the Tate Aggies coaching staff assisted by current and former Aggie players.
Click here for a registration form for ages 7 through the eighth grade. The form can be returned with payment to any board member or on the day of camp from 8:30 until 9:00 a.m.
For more information, call Brian at (850) 393-6587
Wahoos Beat Mobile
July 9, 2018
Tony Santillan (W, 1-0) had an outstanding debut on the mound in the Wahoos 2-1 victory Sunday night against the Mobile BayBears at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Keury Mella was called up to Triple-A Louisville and Pensacola relied on Santillan to fill the All-Star’s void. Santillan did not fold to the pressure and displayed his effectiveness in his outing. In six innings, the Reds prospect struck out five, allowed seven hits and just one walk. His only blemish of the game came in the top of the third inning as Brennan Lund hit a solo homer to right field.
With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the third inning, Mitch Nay crushed a ground ball RBI single to left field that scored TJ Friedl, giving the Wahoos the lead at 2-1.
The BayBears had a chance to tie or take the lead in the top of the ninth inning, but Alex Powers (S, 9) halted the threat. Powers wiggled out of a jam with runners on the corners and one out in the inning thanks to Bo Way, who grounded into a double play to second baseman Mitch Nay to end the game and secure the win for the Wahoos.
The Wahoos will look to carry their momentum in game two of the series and RHP Daniel Wright (4-5, 4.12) will start for Pensacola, and RHP Jeremy Beasley will take the hill for Mobile, making his Double-A debut.
FWC Hunter Safety Courses Offered In Cantonment And Jay
July 8, 2018
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering a free hunter safety internet completion course this week in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.
Firearm use, ammunition and all 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 a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
The locations and times are:
Escambia County
July 10 (6 to 10 p.m.) & July 14 (7 to 10 a.m.)
Langley Bell 4-H Center
3730 Stefani Road in Cantonment
Santa Rosa County
July 11 (6 to 10 p.m) & July 14 (7 to 10 a.m.)
Jay Community Center
5259 Booker Lane in Jay
Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety.
Wahoos Win Sixth Consecutive Series
July 8, 2018
No amount of rain could cool down Vladimir Gutierrez (W, 6-8) on Saturday night. After a two-hour rain delay, Gutierrez took a no-hit bid in the sixth inning and held the Biscuits to one-run over seven innings as Pensacola won the series finale at Riverwalk Stadium by a 3-2 final.
It was another fabulous outing for Pensacola’s starter. He retired the first eight batters of the game before Jake Cronenworth walked with two outs in the third inning. That didn’t phase Gutierrez as retired the next batter to end the inning. The right-hander cruised through the fourth and the fifth without allowing a hit before Cronenworth wrecked the no-no bid with a one-out single. The shutout bid evaporated soon after when Tommy Milone singled, Gutierrez threw a wild pitch, and Peter Maris hit an RBI groundout to make it 3-1. However, that was all the Biscuits could muster against Gutierrez, who finished his night allowing three hits, one walk, and three strikeouts.
Offensively, the Wahoos jumped ahead early thanks to Mitch Nay’s solo home run in the first inning for a quick 1-0 lead. Pensacola doubled their advantage in the fifth after Luis Gonzalez singled, advanced to third on Chris Okey’s double, and scored on T.J. Friedl’s groundout to the second baseman Nick Solak.
The Wahoos third and final run came in the seventh after Gonzalez reached with his second hit of the night. The shortstop then stole second base and eventually came home on two wild pitches from Biscuits starter Sam McWilliams (L, 3-5).
Jesus Reyes (S, 2) replaced Gutierrez in the eighth and had to work early trouble. With one out and a runner at first, Milone hit what appeared to be a double-play ball, but Nay—in his first start at second base for the Wahoos—threw errantly to Gonzalez and the ball rolled into left field. That put Biscuits at second and third, and after a sac fly from Peter Maris to make it 3-2, Solak fouled out to Okey to end the threat.
The ninth inning was far less dramatic, with Reyes working around a two-out single from Nathan Lukes to earn his second save of the season. The Wahoos have now 12 of their last 14 games and six consecutive series, which is one shy of the franchise record set by last season’s team.
Pensacola returns home for another edition of the Battle of the Bay. The Wahoos and BayBears will play a quick four-game series with the teams having split the first 10 meetings this season. RHP Tony Santillan will make his Double-A debut tomorrow for the Wahoos and will be opposed by RHP Jason Alexander (0-1, 2.70). Santillan is the #4 prospect in the Reds organization according to MLB.com, and prior to his promotion was 6-4 with a 2.70 ERA in 15 starts. He was third in the Florida State League in both ERA and innings pitched (86.2).
Fall Football Registration Underway For NWE Chiefs, Cantonment Cowboys
July 7, 2018
Fall football registration is underway for the Northwest Escambia Chiefs and the Cantonment Cowboys.
The Cantonment Cowboys are holding registration each Tuesday and Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. at the Cantonment Sportsplex at 681 Well Line Road. The Cowboys are also seeking dedicated cheer coaches.
NWE Chiefs players can register at www.nwechiefsfootball.com. The deadline to register July 20, or when the team maximum of 30 players is reached. Registration fee is $50 with NWE providing all necessary equipment and uniforms, except cleats. Call (251) 234-4716 for more information.
Wahoos Win in 11
July 7, 2018
After a sluggish performance Thursday night, the Wahoos showed their grit with a hard-fought, 8-7 win in Friday’s 11-inning contest at Riverwalk Stadium.
After neither team was able to score in the 10th inning, T.J. Friedl broke a 6-6 tie with an RBI triple that put the Wahoos ahead. He later scored on Brian O’Grady foul sacrifice fly that extended Pensacola’s lead to 8-6.
The bottom of the 11th was not without drama. Montgomery began with a runner on second base, and Victor Payano was brought in the game to try and close out the win. After Dalton Kelly grounded out, Peter Maris tallied a RBI single to make it 7-6 Pensacola. After Nick Solak flew out to center, Payano had a 1-1 count on Nate Lowe before grimacing on the mound. He was looked at by the Wahoos athletic trainer before lifted from the game. Alejandro Chacin became the fifth relief pitcher used by Jody Davis and was able to induce Lowe to foul out to Cassidy Brown to end a wild game.
Pensacola got off to a dream start against one of the premier pitching prospects in the Rays system in Genesis Cabrera. Friedl opened the game with a single, and after a walk to Jose Siri, Shed Long drove home Friedl with an RBI single to center. The Wahoos doubled their advantage after Narciso Crook’s sac fly to center scored Siri.
Seth Varner took the hill in the first inning with a 2-0 lead and did not squander it. Despite not having his “best” stuff, the Cincinnati-native battled his way through five innings and only yielded one run. Michael Brosseau tagged Varner with a triple in the fourth inning and later scored on David Rodriguez’s sac fly to make it 3-1.
The Wahoos quickly countered with three runs in the fifth. Crook picked up his second RBI with a single that brought home Siri, and after a wild pitch from Matt Krook, Taylor Sparks delivered a two-out RBI single that made it 6-1 Wahoos.
Montgomery slowly chipped at away the Wahoos lead over the final four innings. They scored one run in the sixth, and three runs in the seventh all of Rafael De Paula, which cut the Wahoos lead to 6-5. There was a scary moment in the top of the seventh inning when Long was hit in the helmet with a pitch from Matt Krook. After being checked by the athletic trainer for several minutes, Long was helped off the field and replaced by O’Grady.
Alex Powers entered the game in the ninth inning with a chance to wrap up his ninth save of the year, but he and the Wahoos watched their one-run lead evaporate with Nick Solak’s twelfth home run of the season that tied the game at 6-6.
The series concludes Saturday with the Wahoos hoping to clinch their sixth consecutive series win. RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (5-8, 4.95) has been stellar as of late for Pensacola and he will be opposed by RHP Sam McWilliams (3-4, 4.57)
Biscuits Roast Wahoos 8-2
July 6, 2018
Montgomery’s offense struck early and often against Wyatt Strahan Thursday night as the Biscuits cruised to an 8-2 win at Riverwalk Stadium.
After putting together one of his best outings of the season, Wyatt Strahan (L, 5-8) struggled to keep the Biscuits offense in check. After scoring a pair of runs in the second inning, the hosts exploded for six runs in the fourth. He was eventually replaced with two outs in the fourth inning by Joel Bender.
Four different Biscuit pitchers held the Wahoos to a pair of runs. Using a strategy similar to their parent club, Montgomery opened with Brandon Lawson who pitched three shutout innings before being relieved by Curtis Taylor (W, 2-1). Taylor worked the next four innings without giving up a run before Roel Ramirez entered the game in the eighth.
That’s where the Wahoos did their damage offensively. Aristides Aquino led off the frame for Pensacola, and after a great battle, he ripped a single up the middle to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Gavin LaValley followed with his seventh home run of the season to make it 8-2. After Luis Gonzalez reached with an infield single, Ramirez settled down and retired the next three batters in order to end the threat.
In the ninth, Travis Ott worked around a Brian O’Grady single to finish out the Biscuits win.
The series rolls along Friday with Seth Varner (4-0, 2.48) battling against LHP Genesis Cabrera (6-4, 3.83)