NWE Spring Clinic Saturday For Football, Cheerleading
May 11, 2017
The 2017 Northwest Escambia Spring Clinic Kick Off will be this Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon at the First Baptist Church of Bratt.
NWE is kicking off 2017 registration with a cheer clinic and a punt, pass and kick competition.
The punt, pass and kick competition will be for boys and girls, $5 to participate. The greatest total yards from each age group will win a trophy. In Cheerleading ($15), cheerleaders will learn a new cheer, jumps and different stunts.
Registration will be held for both football players and cheerleaders for the upcoming 2017 season.
The First Baptist Church of Bratt is located at 4570 Highway 4, just west of Northview High School. For more information, call Greg Gibson at (251) 234-4716 or Tonya Lloyd at (251) 363-1885.
Blandino Walk-Off Homer Win In Wahoos Win
May 11, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Luis Castillo earned a career-high 10 strikeouts and Alex Blandino hit a walk-off home run to lead their team to a, 2-1, victory over the Birmingham Barons.
For both Blandino and Castillo, their performances Wednesday were sweet redemption. Castillo was chased after 1.2 innings in his last start and Blandino has been mired in a season-long slump, hitting .195.
But Castillo gave the Blue Wahoos seven strong innings, allowing one run on five hits and walking none. Blandino blasted a solo homer, his first of the season, over the fence in left center.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said it was the type of game both players needed.
“(Castillo) had a super slider,” Kelly said. “The best I’ve seen all year.”
He said he thought that Blandino was due for a breakout game. Although, the Pensacola second baseman is now hitting .200 on the season he does have 18 walks this season for an on-base percentage of .419.
“He started slow,” Kelly said. “But last four or five days he has been swinging much better and getting his walks. He just hasn’t gotten his base hits.”
For the Blue Wahoos it was their second walk-off this season, after setting a record 12 last season. Blandino said he is staying positive at the plate with just 81 at bats so far in 26 games.
“The Wahoo Way lives on,” said an excited Blandino after the game. “I’m being aggressive early in the counts and staying with my approach. That’s the key to success over the long haul.”
Pensacola left fielder Tyler Goeddel crushed a lead-off home run to left field to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 1-0, in the first inning.
In the second inning, Goeddel showed off his arm as well fielding a hit by Birmingham left fielder Courtney Hawkins and gunning down right fielder Mason Robbins at home plate.
But the Blue Wahoos would be shutout by Birmingham starter Jordan Guerrero over the next four innings and by relievers Robinson Leyer and Aaron Bummer over the next three innings. Guerrero was trying to earn his first victory of the season but left with a 1-1 tie after working five innings, allowing five hits, walking three and striking out seven.
“Guerrero has a really good change up and mixes up his delivery,” Kelly said. “He had us off balance.”
Meanwhile, Castillo overcame his last start against the Chattanooga Lookouts when he gave up five runs and lasted 1.2 innings. He threw 38 pitches in the second inning in the cold, dreary weather.
But in Pensacola, the 24-year-old Dominican pitched like the 17th best prospect in the Cincinnati Reds’ organization. Although he has not won a game since April 13, he is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA.
Pensacola now leads the five-game series against the Barons, 2-1, and improved to 17-16 to tie Mississippi Braves for first place in the South Division.
“It was good to pull out a close game, we ‘ve had a lot of close losses,” Blandino said. “Hopefully, we’ll win the series and keep moving forward.”
Tate Softball Out, Tate Baseball Advances In Regionals
May 10, 2017
SOFTBALL
The Tate Lady Aggies fell to Niceville 4-3 in the 1-7A region semifinals Tuesday night in Niceville.
Hannah Brown took the loss for Tate Aggies. p three runs, five hits, and striking out eight. Hannah Brown took the loss for Tate Aggies Varsity. She pitched six and a third innings, allowing four runs, five hits, and striking out four.
Belle Woldfenden was 2-3 with 3 RBI; Hannah Brown 1-3, R; Hayden Lindsay 1-3, 2R; Shelby McClean 1-3.
The Lady Aggies finished the season at 20-8.
BASEBALL
Tate 5, Niceville 3
The Tate High School Aggies beat Niceville 5-3 in the 1-7A region quarterfinals Tuesday night.
Castro pitched a complete game for the Aggies, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out five.
For Tate — Land 2-3, 2B, 3B, 2R; NeSmith 1-3, 2 RBI; Helton 1-1, 2 RBI.
The Aggies (23-4) will be at Milton on Tuesday in the regional semifinals. Milton (15-12) is coming off a 8-1 win Monday over Pine Forest.
Barons Even Series With Win Over Blue Wahoos
May 10, 2017
The night after the Pensacola Blue Wahoos lineup broke out of its season-long hitting woes with six runs and 11 hits, they faced Birmingham Barons ace Michael Kopech.
Pensacola managed two hits off Kopech in six innings Tuesday and lost, 4-1, in front of 3,302 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The five-game series is now tied, 1-1.
Blue Wahoos reliever Domingo Tapia made his first start Tapia since 2014 with the St. Lucie Mets. He was being groomed as a starter but then had Tommy John surgery in 2015.
He kept pace with Barons’ right-hander Kopech, considered the No. 32-ranked prospect in all of minor league baseball. Tapia allowed just one run through the first four innings, giving up a solo blast to Birmingham center fielder Hunter Jones in the third inning.
Tapia was relieved in the fifth inning after giving up a lead-off solo shot to Birmingham third baseman Trey Michalczewski, his second homer of the season, and then walking Barons left fielder Courtney Hawkins.
“I thought he looked good,” Kelly said. “We tried to stretch him one more inning. He’s shown he’s capable of doing it. That’s what he did before hurting his arm, so he probably likes it.”
Tapia, who signed with Cincinnati Reds as a minor league free agent in November, ended up working four innings, allowing three hits, giving up three runs, walking one and striking out five. He is now 1-2 on the season with a 3.79 ERA.
Pensacola reliever Alex Powers came in for Tapia and gave up a double to Barons shortstop Eddy Alvarez that scored Hawkins. Jones then crossed the plate on second baseman Jake Peter’s high-arcing sacrifice fly to center field to put the Barons ahead, 4-0.
Kopech pitched masterfully for the Barons. The former first rounder had a one-hitter through five innings, retiring 14 of the first 16 batters he faced. Pensacola right fielder Gabriel Guerrero broke up the no-hitter in the fourth inning with a line drive single to center field.
Pensacola catcher Adrian Nieto launched a deep homer to right field to lead off the sixth inning against Kopech and put the Blue Wahoos on the board, 4-1.
But the 21-year-old Kopech, ranked the fifth top prospect in the Chicago White Sox organization, then walked Pensacola center fielder Brian O’Grady. But he got Blue Wahoos left fielder Tyler Goeddel to ground into a double play, and then retired Pensacola shortstop Blake Trahan on a swinging bunt fielded by the catcher.
Nieto’s first homer of the season was preceded Monday by catcher Joe Hudson leading the Blue Wahoos at the plate with two clutch two-out singles that drove in three runs.
“They had a tough stretch with(Devin) Mesoraco here,” said Kelly about the Cincinnati Reds catcher who spent the first 20 games in Pensacola doing his rehab for hip and shoulder injuries. “They were not getting a lot of playing time. Now, they are starting to swing their bats.”
Kelly said Kopech kept the Blue Wahoos lineup off balance with his two-seam fastball.
“That’s a power arm,” Kelly said. “He threw a two-seam fastball with some movement that we hadn’t seen in the past. It was very effective. We just ran into a good pitcher.”
This season, the 21-year-old righty has held opponents to a .155 batting average and held Pensacola to 2-18 or .111. Kopech’s only flaw has been his control. He allowed only two Tuesday, but has the second most walks in the Southern League with 18 total. Kopech improved to 2-2 with a 2.70 ERA this season.
Pensacola dropped to 16-16 and fell out of first place in the South Division for the first time this season. The Mississippi Braves won and now lead the division with a 17-15 record.
Blue Wahoos Top Barons Ending Five Game Losing Streak
May 9, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos have struggled since Tyler Mahle threw a perfect game against the Mobile BayBears April 22.
The Blue Wahoos have won just two games and lost 12 since then, including its last five games to the Chattanooga Lookouts.
The antidote? Playing a home series against the Birmingham Barons with the worst record (11-20), worst ERA (4.52) and tied for the worst in hitting (.210) in the Southern League.
But it didn’t get easy Monday until the fifth inning when Pensacola batted around to score five runs on its way to a 6-2 victory in front of 3,647 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Both catcher Joe Hudson and left fielder Tyler Goeddel came up with clutch two-out singles that drove in pairs of runs.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly joked that the team scored more than five runs for the first time since April 20 because they left their bat bags in Chattanooga.
“The last 15 games we’ve had to scramble to score two runs,” Kelly said. “I talked to them in Chattanooga. I said, ‘I’m not going to chew you out but we have to take advantage of the opportunities we get.’ To me it wasn’t a lack of effort. We were trying to get them to relax.”
Hudson ripped a single into the left center gap that drove in both first baseman Angelo Gumbs and DH Eric Jagielo for a, 3-1, Blue Wahoos lead. Goeddel, who spent 2016 with the Philadelphia Phillies, hit a chopper that made it into center field and scored Hudson and center fielder Brian O’Grady to put Pensacola up, 6-1.
Goeddel got on base four out of his five times at the plate, with a double and two RBIs. The 24-year-old has provided a spark to Pensacola’s lineup in his six games with the club going 8-21, or .381 with four RBIs.
Hudson hit a two-out double in the fourth inning to drive in second baseman Alex Blandino to tie the game, 1-1. Hudson was 2-4 with a double, run scored and three RBIs.
For Hudson, the difference at the plate was changing his walk up song to “Believer” by Imagine Dragons released earlier this year. He heard it on the radio on his way to Monday’s game.
“I was listening to that song on my way to the field today,” Hudson said. “I thought, ‘What do I have to lose?’ Baseball is a really odd game. Changing your walk-up song can get you thinking a different way.”
The star of the game, though, had time to sign a baseball and take a photo with wheel-chair bound Bernice Crain, who turned 85 today, after attending her first Blue Wahoos baseball game.
Although, Hudson is batting .212 this season, Hudson’s on-base percentage is .333.
“Those are two huge situations,” Kelly said. “That’s how you win ball games.”
Birmingham scored first to go up, 1-0, in the first inning when DH Cameron Seltzer hit a weak fly ball off the handle into short left field to drive in second baseman Jake Peter, who doubled into the right field corner.
“They got that cheap run in the first inning,” Kelly said. “But (Mahle) kept pitching.”
Meanwhile, Mahle enjoyed getting the most run support in his seven starts from the Blue Wahoos offense.
The 22-year-old right-hander worked six innings, allowed five hits, two runs, a walk and struck out seven. He now leads the Southern League in wins at 5-0 and strikeouts with 48 in 43.2 innings pitched.
Mahle’s only blemish was giving up his second home run of the season to Birmingham first baseman Keon Barnum. He pulled a solo homer – his seventh of the year that ties for first in the Southern League – over the right field fence just above the glove of a leaping Gabriel Guerrero.
Pensacola relievers Ariel Hernandez and Geoff Broussard who pitched a final three scoreless innings combining for four Ks and one hit.
Pensacola remains tied with the Mississippi Braves for first place in the South Division with a 16-15 record.
Kelly is thankful the team won a franchise record eight games to start the season.
“One of the advantages of winning eight straight is you can absorb a streak like the games we’ve been through,” he said.
Chattanooga Sweeps Wahoos
May 8, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lost a doubleheader against the Chattanooga Lookout and was swept in the five-game series for the second time in franchise history to the Lookouts since 2013.
Chattanooga won the doubleheader against Pensacola Sunday, 4-2, and, 3-2, at AT&T Field.
Pensacola has lost 12 of its last 14 games and is now 15-15 this season, which is tied for first with the Mississippi Braves in the Southern League South Division.
In the first game, Chattanooga scored three runs in the sixth inning to overcome a 2-1 Pensacola lead to win, 4-2.
Chattanooga first baseman Travis Harrison hit a two-run single in the sixth inning, leading the Lookouts to a 4-2 win over the Blue Wahoos in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday.
A single by DH Travis Harrison, part of a three-run inning, gave the Lookouts a 3-2 lead before third baseman Ryan Walker hit an RBI triple later in the inning.
The Blue Wahoos had taken a 2-1 lead when center fielder Tyler Goeddel hit an RBI single, bringing home right fielder Aristides Aquino in the second inning.
Deck McGuire dropped to 1-2 on the season when he gave up four runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings. McGuire gave up one walk and struck out six in his outing. He is now 1-2 on the year with a 4.01 ERA.
In the second game, Blue Wahoos reliever Brennan Bernardino gave up a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to allow Chattanooga to sweep the double header with a 3-2 victory. He gave up a single to DH LaMonte Wade to center field that drove in right fielder Edgar Corcino.
In the second game, Austin Ross worked seven innings, allowed two runs, one earned on five hits, walked four and struck out six. His ERA is now 0.87, which leads the Southern League.
The Pensacola pitching staff leads the league in earned-run average at 2.69.
Blue Wahoos center fielder Tyler Goeddel was 4-7 in the double header with one run scored and two RBIs to lead Pensacola at the plate. Meanwhile, shortstop Blake Trahan was 3-7 with one RBI and a double, his third of the season.
Northview Runners Place At State Meet; Spencer In Fifth
May 7, 2017
A Northview runner was on the winner’s stand Saturday at the state meet in in Bradenton, FL.
Brandon Spencer placed fifth in the state Saturday in the boy’s 200 meters.
Last year, he attended the state meet as a spectator, and this year he is coming home with a medal,” said Northview coach Natalie Nall. “He worked over outside of the season to earn this. I’m proud of this work ethic and dedication.
Also for Northview,
– 800 meter — Brandon Korinchak placed 14th in the state
– Boys 4 x 100 – Brandon Spencer, Tim Bush, Keaton Solmonson, Joseph Wright – placed 11th
– Girls 4 x1 00 — Audriene Odom, Crystal Douglas, Nene Findley, Celeste North — placed 14th
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Lose To The Lookouts
May 7, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped Saturday’s game, 5-1, to the Chattanooga Lookouts and now have lost 10 of their last 12 games.
The team’s slump includes three straight losses to Chattanooga at AT&T Field. Pensacola’s losses come after winning a franchise record eight in a row.
Pensacola is now 15-13 and just one game ahead of the Mississippi Braves, who are 14-14, in the Southern League South Division.
Part of the reason for the losses are a lack of hitting. Pensacola’s one run Saturday came on just three hits.
Blue Wahoos second baseman Josh VanMeter was 1-4, DH Angelo Gumbs was 1-4, and first baseman Brian O’Grady was 1-3. Pensacola’s only run came when third baseman Alex Blandino, who was 0-2, smacked a fly ball to left field that scored Gabriel Guerrero, who reached first on an error by Chattanooga second baseman Nick Gordon. Gumbs singled Guerrero to third.
Chattanooga went up 5-0 in the first four innings. They scored twice in the second inning when Gordon singled to right field and drove in both DH LaMonte Wade and left fielder Travis Harrison.
In the fourth inning, Chattanooga’s right fielder Edgar Corcino doubled to centerfield scoring center fielder Tanner English and shortstop Engelb Vielma. The Lookouts tagged on another run when first baseman Jonathan Rodriguez singled to left field to score Corcino to go ahead 5-0.
Chattanooga starter Matt Tracy allowed all three Blue Wahoos’ hits in his six innings of work. He allowed one unearned run, didn’t allow a walk and struck out four. He improved to 2-2 with 2.60 ERA.
Meanwhile, Keury Mella allowed all five Chattanooga runs in 3.2 innings. He allowed six hits, walked five and struck out two. He fell to 0-3 on the season with a 4.76 ERA.
Pensacola’s bullpen – Ismael Guillon, Ariel Hernandez and Jimmy Herget – shutout Chattanooga the final 4.1 innings on two hits, four walks and nine strikeouts.
Aggie Nation on Top: Playoff Wins In Softball, Baseball
May 6, 2017
It was just good to be a Tate Aggie on Friday with the softball team winning a walk-off thriller in the regional quarterfinal and the baseball team winning two to claim the district championship.
SOFTBALL REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL
Tate 6, Milton 5
Tate Softball won the regional quarterfinal 6-5 on a walk-of homer over right center by Shelby Ullrich. Tate was down 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning when Ullrick drove in three runs.
For Tate – Hannah Brown 1-4, R; Hayden Lindsay 3-4, 3R; Belle Wolfenden 1-4; Shelby Ullrich 2-4, R, 4 RBI; Madison Nelson 1-3, 2 RBI; Sydni Solliday 1-3.
Hannah Brown earned the win for Tate. She pitched seven innings, giving up five runs, five hits, and striking out three.
Tate will take on Niceville at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Niceville in the Region 1-7A Semifinal game.
BASEBALL DISTRICTS
Tate 11, Escambia 1
In the 1-7A district semifinals, Tate easily beat Escambia 11-1 Friday.
Tate secured a strong 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
The fourth inning was a regular home run derby for the Aggies with homers from Hunter NeSmith, Logan Blackmon and Logal McGuffey.
Gabe Castro earned the win for Tate Aggies Varsity. He pitched five innings, surrendering one run, three hits, and striking out three.
Tate 4, Pine Forest 3
In the 1-7A championship game, Tate won their second straight district title 4-3 over Pine Forest.
Logan McGuffey tossed a complete game for Tate allowing three runs, six hits, striking out six, and walking zero.
For Tate – Mason Land 1-3, R, RBI; Mason Land 1-2, R, RBI; Logan McGuffey 1-3, RBI; Hunter NeSmith 2-3, R; Corben Young 1-2, R.
The Tate Aggies will host Niceville Tuesday at 7:00 in the Region 1-7A Quarterfinal.
Northview’s Ohijie Elliott Signs With Alabama Prep Birmingham
May 5, 2017
Northview High School senior Ohijie Elliott has signed to play football for Alabama Prep Birmingham. He is pictured at a signing ceremony Thursday afternoon at Northview with family, friends and fellow Northview Chiefs players.
