Wahoos Take Series With Narrow 3-2 Win
June 8, 2018
Wyatt Strahan (W, 5-4) overcame his Blue Wahoos Stadium woes and delivered a wonderful pitching performance that guided the Wahoos to a 3-2 game and series win.
It looked like an ugly start early for Strahan after Corey Ray pounced on the first pitch of the game with his ninth home run of the season. However, the University of Southern California product composed himself and retired the next three batters in order and escaped further trouble.
Offensively the Wahoos had their starter’s back with a swift response. After a leadoff single by C.J. McElroy, Nick Longhi scored McElroy with his eighth double of the season. With two outs in the inning, Luis Gonzalez singled home Longhi and later stole a base and scored on Narciso Crook’s first career Double-A RBI. When the dust in the first inning settled the Wahoos led 3-1.
Strahan cruised over the next three innings until he ran into Jake Hager in the fifth. The Shuckers shortstop jumped all over the 1-0 pitch and launched his sixth homer of the year to cut the deficit to 3-2. Again, Strahan rebounded and did not allow a run over his final 1.1 innings.
Jody Davis turned to his bullpen for a large portion of Thursday’s finale and once again the bullpen delivered. Victor Payano worked around a bases-loaded jam in the sixth and finished his night with two scoreless innings. Alejandro Chacin replaced Payano with one out in the eighth and finished off the frame with the lead intact. In the ninth, the skipper called upon Alex Powers and the Massachusetts-native finished off the Shuckers in dramatic fashion. With the tying run on second, Tyler Heineman hit a groundball to shortstop that was mishandled by Gonzalez. However, the Wahoos shortstop made a heads-up throw to third base, which caught Trent Grisham well off the bag and stuck in a rundown. After a couple throws, Gonzalez—who made the original error—caught the throw from Cassidy Brown to tag out Grisham and seal the win.
Pensacola will hit the road Friday morning towards Pearl, MS, for a five-game series against the M-Braves. LHP Seth Varner (2-0, 3.03) will make his third start of the year against former first-round pick Kyle Wright (3-6, 4.37). The upcoming series is the second-to-last series for the Blue Wahoos prior to the All-Star break
Cantonment Diamond Dolls Win 8U All-Star Tournament
June 7, 2018
The Cantonment Diamond Dolls won first place in a recent 8U all-star tournament in Navarre. The team also won a mid-season tournament, the Blue Angel Classic tournament and placed second in two additional tournaments.
The Cantonment Diamond Dolls are Lily Speight, Kenzee Tanner, Miley McMullan, Natalee Sherouse, Cheyenne Paul, Chloe Engle, Addison Wilson, Kaylyn Relstab, Kalleigh Jarman, Tessa Kendrick, Giovanna Barnes and Jamaria Cook. Head coach is Kenny Tanner and assistant coaches are Chris Sherouse, Scott Relstab, Justin McMullan, Joey Paul, Matt Speight and Adam Wilson.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Beat The Shuckers
June 7, 2018
The Wahoos shook off last night’s rough outing with a solid win 5-1 against the Shuckers Wednesday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Vladimir Gutierrez (W, 2-8) set the tone for the Wahoos from the get-go. Gutierrez, who began the game with a walk on Biloxi’s Corey Ray, picked up the slack and retired the next three batters. In the bottom of the first, Brian O’Grady smashed a triple that scored Shed Long and Nick Longhi. Luis Gonzalez followed with a single that scored O’Grady that gave the Wahoos a quick 3-0 lead.
The Wahoos would score two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning with an O’Grady solo home run and an Alberti Chavez single that scored Gonzalez to increase the lead at 5-1.
Gutierrez pitched six brilliant innings, with his only blemish being a solo home run surrendered to Jake Gatewood in the fourth. He finished with seven strikeouts, one shy of his season-best. Gutierrez’s walk to Ray was his only free pass of the game on his way to his second win of the year. Carlos Navas (S, 2) was excellent in his relief of Guiterrez. Navas allowed only one hit over three innings of shutout ball for his second save of the year.
The Wahoos will try to get their second consecutive series win against the Shuckers Thursday night. RHP Wyatt Strahan (4-4, 6.70) will get the start for the Wahoos against Biloxi RHP Trey Supak (0-1, 8.00).
Five West Florida Jaguars Baseball Players Sign To Play College Ball
June 6, 2018
Five West Florida High School baseball players have signed to play at the next level.
Billy Kaser (outfield), JJ Pease (pitcher) and Quint Rayburn (pitcher)signed with Coastal Alabama Community College. Dylan Pitts (short stop) signed with Southern Union State Community College, and Dalton Wise (catcher) signed with Bishop State Community College.
The Jaguars were District 6A champions.
Pictured above: (L-R) Dalton Wise, JJ Pease, Quint Rayburn, Billy Kaser and Dylan Pitts, (back L-R) Jaguar varsity coaches Joe Rieland, Marc Conti and Mike Wallace. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
All-Star Baseball, Softball Games Thursday, Includes Century Little League Equipment Drive
June 5, 2018
The 2017-18 Subway High School All-Star Series concludes Thursday, June 7 with the baseball and softball games at UWF’s Jim Spooner Field and Softball Complex in Pensacola.
New at this year’s event, Pensacola Sports is holding an equipment drive. Fans are encouraged to bring used / new baseball and softball equipment to be donated to the Century Little League. Recently, the Pensacola Sports Foundation donated $3,000 to the league (pictured above).
Donations can include balls, bats, gloves, bags, cleats, catchers gear, trainings aids, etc. Century Little League officials will be on-site collecting the equipment.
Century Little League will also gladly accept donations of monetary value.
Everyone who donates will receive a $10 Academy Sports and Outdoors Coupon.
“We are looking forward to seeing the response we get from the community in our effort to help the Century Little League,” said Pensacola Sports President Ray Palmer. “Our intent is to make this a component of all our all-star games moving forward and will find deserving leagues and organizations to be the benefactor.”
The head coaches for the west teams, comprised of Escambia County schools, are West Florida Tech’s Mike Kent coaching softball and Sonny Reedy of Catholic High School coaching baseball.
Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County Schools make up the east team. John Carlisle of Baker High School will lead the east softball team while Laurel Hill’s Catfish Hill will coach the east baseball team.
West Softball
Catholic — Donovan Whibbs — 2B
Catholic — Griffin Reedy — Pitcher
Catholic — Cole Moore — C/P/OF
Catholic — Hunter Chipman — P
Catholic — Gabe Faucheaux — OF
Catholic — Trey Whitehead — 1B/LHP/OF
Catholic — Evan Dominguez — P/OF
Escambia — Dominick Miller — LHP/1B/OF
Escambia — Bryce Keever — LHP
Northview — John Chivington — 3B/SS
PCA — David Mundt — CF
Pensacola — Damyis Olds — 3B/P
Pine Forest — Kyler Hultgren — C
Tate — Reid Halfacre — OF
Tate — Jesse Sherrill — 2B/SS
Tate — Trent Jeffcoat — 3B/SS
Tate — Blake Anderson — 1B
Washington — Jaxson Messer — C
Washington — Josh Stanton — OF/2B
West FL Tech — Billy Kaser — OF
West FL Tech — Bryant Johnecheck — OF
West FL Tech — Dalton Wise — C
West FL Tech — John Pease — RHP
West FL Tech — Wyatt Whyner — 1B
West FL Tech — Quint Rayburn — RHP
Head Coach: Sonny Reedy, Catholic High School
East Softball
Baker — Lane Boone — OF
Central — Chrystian Westfall — OF, IF
Choctaw — Drew Mercier — SS/2B
Choctaw — Kyle Johnson — C
Choctaw — Zach Nash — 1B
Crestview — Blake Vann — OF/C
FWB — Tobias Ward-Boulden — RHP/SS
FWB — Waylon Steele — CF/3B
Gulf Breeze — Brandon Schrepf — CF/P
Gulf Breeze — Carson Reeder — P/1B
Gulf Breeze — Stephen Halstead — P/SS
Jay — Reid Kelley — OF
Laurel Hill — Bryan Pursley — C/IF/P
Laurel Hill — Justin Rosen — IF/P
Milton — Caleb Mincks — P/2B/OF
Milton — Zach McKnight — 3B/2B/P
Navarre — Cade Taylor — 1B/2B
Navarre — Ryan Cocker — 3B/SS/P
Niceville — Chance Huff — P/OF
Niceville — Noah Bailey — LF/P/3B
Pace — Bennett Shell — CF
Pace — Blake Cordova — SS/2B
Pace — Dalton Childs — C
Pace — Izzy Ham — 1B
Rocky Bayou — Jack Wolgast — P/OF
Head Coach: Catfish Hill, Laurel Hill
West Soft
Catholic — Savanna Nobles — P/1B/3B
Catholic — Kayla Carrell — SS/P
Escambia — Skye Lanham — OF
Escambia — Aleka Anglin — 2B/OF
Escambia — Madeline McCollum — C
Escambia — Peyton Anglin — CF
Milton — Kelsey Hodges — 1B/3B
Pace — Brooke Shelby — CF/P
Pace — Autumn Dunlap — C
Pine Forest — Cierra Morits — 3B/2B
Pine Forest — Halee Nagem — 1B
Tate — Belle Wolfden — C/SS
Tate — Hannah Brown — P/OF
Tate — Sydni Solliday — RF
Tate — Deazia Nickerson — LF
Tate — Taylor Hedgepath — 2B
Tate — Madisen Nelson — 1B
Washington — Brennah Coffin — P/2B
West Fla Tech — Keyana Norman — OF
Head Coach: Mike Kent, West Florida Tech
East Softball
Baker — Makina Potter — 1B/DP/DH
Central — Kira Holley — P
Central — Alex Simmons — 2B
Central — Jackie Jernigan — CF
Crestview — Taylor Bumgardner — CF/P
Crestview — Hannah Dukes — C
FWB — Virginia Elsperman — P
Gulf Breeze — Reagan Raley — SS
Gulf Breeze — Taylor Baker — C
Gulf Breeze — Kamryn Hearn — OF
Gulf Breeze — Alyssa Lewter — 2B/OF
Jay — Kolby Bray — 3B
Jay — Haylee Watson — C
Jay — Sarah Barhill — 1B
Navarre — Britney Silver — 2B/MI/OF
Navarre — Morgan Marquis — P/1B/2B
Navarre — Emma Thomas — 3B/MI
Navarre — Nathalie Holbrook — OF/1B
Niceville — Sydney Bird — 3B/OF
Niceville — Raiven Bryant — SS
Niceville — Katelynn Inness — P
Rocky Bayou — Kaylee Orr –
Head Coach: John Carlisle, Baker High School
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Wahoos Beat Biloxi
June 5, 2018
The Blue Wahoos tied the series against Biloxi with a 5-1 victory Monday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The ballgame would become a pitchers’ duel between Pensacola’s Daniel Wright and Biloxi’s Luis Ortiz as both starters pitched a combined 10 scoreless innings before turning things over to their respective bullpens.
The Blue Wahoos took control of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Chris Okey hit a three-run double off the top of the wall with the bases loaded, which gave the Wahoos the lead 3-0. The Pensacola added its final two runs on a Daniel Sweet RBI triple and a C.J. McElroy sacrifice fly.
Wright dominated over six shutout innings. He allowed only two hits, two walks, and struck out a season-high 10 batters. The Shuckers threatened in the ninth with a run off Alex Powers before Alejandro Chacin (S, 2) slammed the door on the threat by coaxing Keston Hiura into a fly out to end the game.
Robinson Leyer (W, 3-2) picked up the win with a scoreless inning out of the bullpen. Ortiz pitched four innings and allowed no runs, one hit, no walks, and four strikeouts in a no-decision. The Blue Wahoos did all their damage against Shuckers reliever Cody Ponce (L, 2-4). He worked four innings and was saddled with all five runs on three hits.
The series continues with the middle game Tuesday night. Right-hander Keury Mella (4-2, 3.16) will pitch for the Wahoos against Biloxi right-hander Zach Brown (4-0, 2.76).
Wahoos Double Header Washed Away
June 3, 2018
In series marred by bad weather, Saturday’s scheduled doubleheader has been canceled due to inclement weather. The Wahoos and Jumbo Shrimp will finish the first half of the season with Jacksonville having won six of the eight matchups.
The two teams hoped to squeeze a pair of games in on Friday, but after a three-hour, forty-seven-minute delay, both teams agreed to push the second game to Saturday. The first game nearly met the requirements of an official game, but with one out in the top of the fifth inning, the rains came down and halted played with Jacksonville leading 3-2. The weather would not cease, and by rule, the game was officially canceled and all prior stats were erased.
Almost every game at the Baseball Ground of Jacksonville dealt with soggy weather in some form or fashion. Wednesday’s 6-4 win was the only exception. Prior to the cancellation of today’s doubleheader, only one other Southern League game had been canceled.
Pensacola will head home in search of drier weather when they begin a five-game homestand against the first-place Biloxi Shuckers. RHP Daniel Wright (2-3, 4.98) will start the opener for the Blue Wahoos while RHP Thomas Jankins (6-3, 5.01) looks to secure his seventh win of the season.
Shrimp Beat The Wahoos
June 2, 2018
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp got out to a fast start with three first inning runs against Blue Wahoos starter Vladimir Gutierrez (L, 1-8) and never looked back on their way to a 4-0 win Friday night at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
The first four Shrimp reached in the first inning before Gutierrez struck out Eric Jagielo for the first out of the inning. Isan Diaz singled home Kyle Barrett for the first run, then Monte Harrison scored on a fielder’s choice before Diaz come home on a single from Brian Schales.
They added another run in the third with Sharif Othman hit a long single to centerfield which scored Jagielo from second. Gutierrez struggled with his control throughout his 2.1 innings on the hill for the Wahoos. He finished with four walks and a hit batter. Two of the walks and the hit batsman scored to account for three of the Jacksonville four runs. The Wahoos starter did get five strikeouts and allowed just three hits. Four Blue Wahoos pitchers combined to strike out 10 Jumbo Shrimp batters over the seven-inning game.
Kolton Mahoney and Major League rehabber Brett Graves (W, 1-1) worked seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. Graves pitched the final three innings for the win.
The contest was supposed to be the first game of a doubleheader, but the start was delayed for nearly three hours forcing the second game to be moved to Saturday as part of a doubleheader.
Saturday’s twin-bill will start at 4:05 c.t. when RHP Wyatt Strahan (4-4, 6.70) takes the hill against RHP Robert Dugger (0-0, 5.40). Game two will feature LHP Seth Varner (2-0, 3.33) against RHP Max Duval (1-5, 6.45).
FWC Hunter Safety Courses Offered In Molino
May 31, 2018
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety courses in Molino and Cantonment:
Online completion courses will be held as follows:
- June 6 (6 to 10 p.m.) & June 16 (7 to 10 a.m. )
- Molino Community Center
- 6450 Highway 95A N. in Molino
- June 12 (6 to 10 p.m.) & June 16 (7 to 10 a.m.)
- Langley Bell 4-H Center
- 3730 Stefani Road in Cantonment
- June 27 (6 to 10 p.m.) & July 14 (7 to 10 a.m.)
- Molino Community Center
- 6450 Highway 95A N. in Molino
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 a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
Contact Paul Averill, Florida Fish and Wildlife hunter safety instructor at (850) 982-8070m or visit MyFWC.com/HunterSafety for more information.
Wahoos Rally Past Shrimp
May 31, 2018
The Blue Wahoos rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to snap their three-game losing streak with a 6-4 win Wednesday night at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
The Blue Wahoos tied the game at 3-3 on an error in the seventh. Alberti Chavez led off with a pinch-hit single and scored from second on a routine ground ball past the Jumbo Shrimp third baseman.
In the eighth, the Blue Wahoos got singles from Luis Gonzalez, Daniel Sweet and Taylor Sparks to kick start the rally. Gonzalez went first to third on Sweet’s hit, then scored on an errant throw back to the infield from Cade Gotta in left field. Sweet scored on Sparks’s single, and Sparks came home on a wild pitch to make it 6-3 Blue Wahoos. Kyle Keller (L, 1-2) surrendered all the damage and suffered the loss for the Jumbo Shrimp.
The Shrimp got a solo home run from former Wahoo Eric Jagielo off Alejandro Chacin in the eighth, but that’s as close as they got. Each team belted two homers in the game, all four were solo shots. Despite suffering control problems on the mound, Keury Mella put the Blue Wahoos ahead with a solo homer in the third. C.J. McElroy hit his second of the season leading off the fifth.
Mella didn’t factor a decision after allowing three runs on just two hits over four innings. He fought his control all game with a season-high seven walks with six strikeouts. Kevin Canelon (W, 1-0) picked up the win. He joined the team before the game from high-a Daytona and worked a scoreless seventh inning. Alex Powers (S, 4) shut the Shrimp down in order in the ninth for the save.
The series continues with the middle game of five on Thursday night. The Blue Wahoos will turn to LHP Seth Varner (2-0, 3.33) for his second start against RHP Robert Dugger (0-0, 5.40).