Northview Football Holds Wash, Plans Another One Next Saturday
April 29, 2018
The Northview High School football linemen held a car wash Saturday at an Atmore auto parts store. But don’t worry if you missed it, they’ll do it all again next Saturday with a car wash from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Highway 29 in Molino. (Saturday was National Superheroes Day, just in case you are wondering about that top photo.) Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Shrimp Sink The Wahoos
April 29, 2018
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp belted two solo home runs, while the Blue Wahoos could muster just one in a 2-1 final Saturday night at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
Aristides Aquino belted his first home run of the season off Cody Poteet (W, 2-1) in the second inning. It was the Wahoos first hit of the game and it put Pensacola up 1-0. That would prove to be the only offense of the game for the visitors as Poteet settled in to work seven innings for the Shrimp while allowing just two hits and the one run.
Vladimir Gutierrez (L, 0-4) made a strong start for the Blue Wahoos also, but he made two mistakes which proved to cost him and the Wahoos the game. In the third inning he served up a leadoff home run to Brian Schales which tied the game at 1-1. In the seventh, it was a lead off blast from John Norwood that was the difference maker.
Gutierrez took the loss despite allowing just the two runs with six strikeouts over 6.1 innings. It was his fourth consecutive start without a walk.
The Blue Wahoos will look to bounce back and even the series on Sunday afternoon with RHP Jesus Reyes (0-4, 5.65) on the mound. The Jumbo Shrimp are still undecided on their starter.
Wahoos Beat Jumbo Shrimp
April 28, 2018
Brian O’Grady launched a solo home run into the back of the right field bleachers to break a scoreless tie in the top of the eighth on Friday night at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The blast supported Keury Mella (W, 3-0) who pitched seven spectacular innings to earn his third win of the season as the Blue Wahoos beat the Jumbo Shrimp 1-0.
Mella was locked with Jacksonville starter Pablo Lopez in a pitcher’s duel through five innings. When Lopez was lifted, Jorgan Cavanerio (L, 0-1) picked up where he left off. The Blue Wahoos had a couple of chances throughout the game, but couldn’t get a run across until O’Grady came up leading off the eighth.
O’Grady wasn’t in the starting lineup, but came in when Shed Long was removed from the game in the fifth inning. O’Grady broke the tie lifting a fly ball over the right-centerfield fence off Cavanerio in almost the exact same spot where he had homered the night before. His two homers in the last two games are his only two of the season, but they tie him for the team lead.
Mella was excellent on the hill in his fifth start of the season. He threw 89 pitches over seven shutout innings. The Shrimp scattered just three hits against him as he struck out a season-high nine batters without issuing a walk. Carlos Navas (S, 1) backed him up out of the bullpen by shutting down Jacksonville over the final two innings to get his first save of the year.
Taylor Sparks was held hitless on the night to snap his hit-steak at a team-best 12 games. It was the longest active streak in the Southern League.
Tate Lady Aggies Win Fifth Consecutive District Championship
April 27, 2018
The Tate Lady Aggies won their fifth straight straight championship Thursday night, 11-1 over the Pace Patriots.
Hannah Brown earned the win for the Lady Aggies in six innings, allowing just one hit, one run and striking out six.
For Tate: Shelby Ullrich 3-4, R, 2RBI, Belle Wolfenden 2-4; Deazia Nickerson 2-2, RBI, R; Ryleigh Cawby 2-2, 2 RBI, 2R; Sydni Solliday 1-3; Shelby McLean 1-3, R; Amber Decous 1-3, 3RBI.
Up next, Tate will host Milton Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the 1-7A regional quarterfinals.
Jay Royals Top Northview For District 3-1A Championship
April 27, 2018
The Jay Royals defeated the Northview Chiefs Thursday night 8-5 in the 3-1A district championship game in Jay.
The Royals took a 2-0 lead after one inning, adding two more in the second and one in the third. The Chiefs added a run in the fifth, with the Lady Royals answering with two for a 7-1 lead after five. In the sixth, Northview had a four-run streak, but Jay went on to an 8-5 final.
Alyssa Baxley pitched the win for Jay in a complete game, striking out 11. At the plate, Christa Sanders was 3-4, and Haylee Watson, Sarah Barnhill and Alyssa Baxley each had a hit.
For Northview, Tori Herrington was 1-2, Ashley Ragsdale had a double as she went 2-4 and Valen Shelley was 1-4.
Regional play begins next Thursday with Bozeman at Jay at 7:00 and Northview at Wewahitchka.
Photos by Diann Tagert for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Track And Field Athletes Qualify For State Finals
April 27, 2018
Several Northview High School track and field athletes qualified for the upcoming 1A state meet May 3-6.
They are:
Brandon Spencer 100 and 200m
Crystal Douglas and Nene Findley 100m
Girls 4×100m Crystal Douglas, Nene Findley, Myisha Syria, Celeste North, Lexi Broadhead
Boys 4×100m Quay Thomas, Joseph Wright, Tim Bush, Jarius Moorer, Brandon Spencer
Boys High Jump Tim Bush
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Beat The Barons
April 26, 2018
Pensacola recorded 14 hits in Wednesday’s series finale, and they needed every one of them. The Wahoos fended off a late surge from the Barons to hold on for a 9-8 win.
Birmingham struck early for the second consecutive game with a three-run fourth inning. The first five Barons reached in order, and three came to score to give Birmingham a 4-0 lead.
The Wahoos were quick to respond in the bottom of the fourth with a rally of their own. After a walk and a single, Chadwick Tromp doubled home Aristides Aquino and Luis Gonzalez to cut the deficit to 4-3. But if the fourth inning was just the appetizer, then the fifth inning’s rally was the main course.
Gavin LaValley led off the fifth with his second home run of the season, which tied the game at four. Pensacola’s next five batters all reached with hits, which chased Barons starter Ian Clarkin (L, 1-1) from the game. Nick Longhi’s two-run single capped a fourth inning that resulted in seven hits and six runs, giving the Wahoos a 9-4 lead. By the end of the inning, every Wahoos starter had recorded at least one hit for the game.
Despite the lead, Wyatt Strahan (W, 3-1) wasn’t at his sharpest. He pitched five plus innings and allowed a career-high 10 hits but limited the damage to only six runs (five earned). Pensacola manager Jody Davis used four different relievers to pitch the final four innings.
In the ninth inning with the Wahoos leading 9-8, Davis called on Alex Powers to finish the game. The 26-year old didn’t disappoint as he retired the side in order to seal the win.
Pensacola will head east on I-10 tomorrow to take on the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in a rematch of last season’s Southern League South Division Championship series. Pensacola swept all three games last season in the playoffs to capture the franchise’s first Southern League title. Defending Southern League Pitcher of the Week, Daniel Wright (2-1, 4.29) will open the series for the Wahoos.
District Softball: Tate Tops Washington; Wins For Northview And Jay
April 25, 2018
Tate, Northview and Jay recorded wins Tuesday to advance to their respective district softball championship games Thursday.
Northview 2, Freeport 0
Jay 6, Chipley 3
Jay and Northview will meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. in the District 3-1A softball championship game after both picked up wins Tuesday.
Tuesday, Aubree Love hit a home run as the Northview Lady Chiefs beat Freeport 2-0. And the Jay Lady Royals beat Chipley 6-3.
For Northview, Tori Herrington recorded nine strikeouts. At the plate, Ashley Ragsdale went 1-3, Valen Shelley was 1-3, Loves was 1-2 with her home run and a RBI and Lydia Smith was 2-3.
Jay will host Northview Thursday at 7:00 in the district championship game. Both teams were 3-2 in district play during the regular season.
Tate 10, Washington 0
The Tate Lady Aggies beat Washington 10-0 Tuesday to advance to the District 1-7A championship game on Thursday.
Hannah Brown tossed a shutout for Tate on the mound, allowing two hits and striking out eight.
Shelby Ullrich homered for the Lady Aggies.
For Tate: Ullrich 1-2, HR, RBI, 2R; Brown 3-4, RBI; Belle Wolfenden 1-3; Madisen Nelson 1-1, R; Sydni Solliday 2-2, 2RBI, R; Ryleigh Cawby 1-1, RBI, R: Kayliegh Cawthorn RBI; Ashley Lunquist R; Shelby McLean 1-3, RBI, R; Deazia Nickerson 1-2; Amber DeCoux 2-3, R; Katie Snyder 1-1, RBI; Hanna Halfacre R; Courtney Adams R.
Pace beat Escambia 2-1 Tuesday. That sets up a Pace at Tate district championship game Thursday at 7:00.
Photos by Diann Tagert for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Tops West Florida
April 25, 2018
The Tate Aggies scored four runs in the sixth inning on their way to a 7-1 win over West Florida Tuesday night.
Raymond Lafleur pitched the win for Tate in two innings, allowing one run, no hits and striking out four. Jace Dunsford and Reid Halfacre closed out the game in relief. Halfacre recorded the last three outs to earn the save for the Aggies.
Chase Stanhope took the loss for West Florida. He lasted four innings, allowing six hits and three runs.
For Tate: Blake Anderson 1-1, RBI; Ethan Bloodsworth R; Ryan Greene RBI; Reid Halfacre 1-4; Trent Jeffcoat 2-3, 2B, 2RBI, R; Kaden Kings 2-3; Raymond Lafleur R; Mason Land R; Hunter McLean 3-3, 2B, R; Darrien McDowell 1-3, R; Jesse Sherrill 2-3, 2RBI, R.
Wahoos Split Doubleheader With Birmingham Barons
April 24, 2018
When Sunday’s suspended game resumed on Monday night, the Wahoos turned in a strong offensive performance to win 9-5. In the second game, the Barons flipped the script and handed the Wahoos a 6-0 loss.
The opening game began in the bottom of the third inning with the Wahoos already ahead 4-0. Eloy Jimenez led off the fourth and launched his first Double-A homerun—and his first hit—to left to make it 4-1. It was the first of two home runs on the day for the Chicago White Sox top prospect.
Josh VanMeter, who already had two hits when play was suspended on Sunday, roped a bases-clearing double off Jorge Rondón, which extended Pensacola’s lead to 7-2. After Danny Mendick’s two-run home run in the bottom of the top of the fifth, Shed Long responded in the bottom of the inning with a two-out double to score Taylor Sparks to make it 8-4. Later in the game, Sparks extended his hitting streak to eight games with a leadoff triple, and eventually scored on Nick Longhi’s second hit of the game.
Seth Varner (W, 1-0) took the mound for the Wahoos in the opener and pitched four innings in relief to earn his first career Double-A win. Spencer Adams (L, 1-1), who started the game for the Barons on Sunday, was handed the loss.
In the second game, home runs generated all of the Barons offense. Trey Michalczewski hit a two-run homer in the second inning off Wahoos starter Vladimir Gutierrez (L, 0-3) to give Birmingham a quick 2-0 lead. Then Seby Zavala doubled the visitor’s advantage with a two-run shot in the fourth with his fourth homer of the season. Mendick finished the scoring with a two-run home run in the seventh, his third of the series, to make it 6-0.
Jordan Stephens (W, 1-3) showed why he is considered to be a top pitching prospect for the White Sox. The right-hander dealt six scoreless innings against the Wahoos and stuck out two. Even when it seemed like the Wahoos had rallies developing, Stephens would induce a double-play to end the threat. Pensacola grounded into three double plays, and only had two runners in scoring position on the night. Long finished the night hitless, and his on-base streak came to an end at 14 games.