Tate Lady Aggies Beat Chiles In Regional Play
April 25, 2014
The Tate Lady Aggies beat Tallahassee Chiles 7-3 Thursday night in regional softball playoff action. With the win, the Lady Aggies advanced to the Region 1-7A semifinals on Tuesday as they host Navarre.
NorthEscambia.com file photo by Timothy Dunsford.
West Florida Jaguars Claim District 1-4A Title Over Catholic
April 25, 2014
The West Florida Jaguars defeated the Catholic Crusaders Thursday night to claim the District 1-4A championship.
West Florida (14-12) earned home field advantage, hosting Taylor County at 6 p.m. next Thursday, while Catholic will hit the road to play Tallahassee Godby at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Region 1-4A quarterfinals.
Ashton Linton pitched the win for the Jaguars, allowing two runs, seven hits and striking out one in seven innings at the plate.
For West Florida: Joey Baker 2-3, RBI; Dakota Milstead 1-4, RBI; R.J. Lewis 2-2, double, run; Chad Simmons 1-4; Kyle Harrison 1-4; James Antoine 1-4; Branson McCombs 1-3; Nick Henderson 1-3, 2 runs.
Reader submitted photo, click to enlarge.
Chipley Downs Northview For District 3-1A Title
April 25, 2014
Chipley took the District 3-1A baseball title Thursday night with a 6-2 win over the Northview Chiefs.
The Chiefs are still alive headed into the regionals, but the loss will cost them the home field advantage as they hit the road next Thursday against a to be announced team.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Wahoos Drop Third Straight
April 25, 2014
A sellout crowd turned out at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium Thursday night as the Blue Wahoos honored two-time Master’s champ Bubba Watson. Once the celebration was short lived as the Blue Wahoos dropped the first game of the series 11-9 to the visiting Mississippi Braves. The Wahoos (8-13) had a season-high five errors, which led to six unearned runs for the Braves (8-13).
RHP Carlos Contreras started for the Wahoos but had to leave the game due to an injury after just 1.2 innings of work. RHP Mikey O’Brien (0-2) came on in relief of Contreras and pitched 2.0 innings while allowing 5 R/3ER. RHP Brooks Pinckard made his first appearance with the Blue Wahoos this season and pitched 1.1 innings in relief.
Left fielder Donald Lutz led the way for the Wahoos. Lutz went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run and two doubles. Lutz’s fifth home run of the season tied teammate Rey Navarro for the league lead. Brian Anderson hit his third home run of the season just two batters after Lutz in the bottom of the sixth. Travis Mattair continued his hot streak with a 2-for-5 night with two RBI and a double. Yorman Rodriguez extended his hit-streak to nine games, which is a team best this season. The Wahoos scored at least five runs so use the promo code WAHOOS and receive 50% off your entire order Friday at PapaJohns.com.
Braves’ RHP Ryan Weber got the surprise start Thursday evening and went just 2.0 innings while giving up eight hits and 5 R/ER. John Cornely (2-0) pitched well and earned the win in relief for the Braves; he went 3.2 innings and gave up 2 R/ER with four strikeouts. RHP Shae Simmons earned his fifth save of the season and struck out five batters through 2.0 innings.
Emerson Landoni and Elmer Reyes had two RBI each for the Braves. Seth Loman had a 4-for-6 night with a couple of doubles. Former Wahoo Matt Kennelly went 0-for-1 but had four walks and scored two runs.
The Wahoos will send RHP Daniel Corcino (1-2, 4.35) to the mound on Friday. The Braves will send Major League rehabber Mike Minor (0-1, 13.50) to the bump to oppose Corcino.
by Tommy Thrall
Pictured top and bottom: The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lost to the Mississippi Braves Thursday. Pictured inset: The first pitch was tossed by two-time Master’s champ Bubba Watson. Photos by Michael Spooneybarger/ Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
West Florida Downs Godby To Advance To 1-4A Semifinals
April 24, 2014
The West Florida Lady Jaguars beat Tallahassee Godby Wednesday in Region 1-4A regional quarterfinal playoff action.
Korina Rosario pitched the win in five innings for the Lady Jags allowing just two hits while striking out nine. At the plate, Rosario went 3-4 with a double, triple, three runs and three RBIs. Kristin Gunter was 3-4 for West Florida with three RBIs and a run. Emily Loring was 2-3 with two runs, and Nachelle Watson was 1-3 with a double and three runs.
West Florida (24-1) will host Tallahassee’s Florida High School next Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the regional semifinals.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Gary Carnley, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Lose Series Final To The Suns
April 24, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell 7-6 in the final game of the series against the Jacksonville Suns. The Wahoos (8-12) have now lost four out of their last five games. The Suns (10-10) are back to .500 for the first time since the second game of the season.
RHP Michael Lorenzen pitched 5.0 innings and gave up 2 R/1ER while striking out five in the game. RHP Daniel Renken came on in relief of Lorenzen and gave up three runs on four hits in 1.0 innings. RHP Tim Adleman (0-1) was saddled with the loss when he gave up an 8th inning home run to Rich Poythress.
Rey Navarro went 2-for-5 with two RBI and hit his league leading fifth home run of the season. Travis Mattair continued his hot streak and went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Mattair hit his second home run in as many days and added a double to his ledger. Yorman Rodriguez extended his hit-streak to eight games and went 2-for-5. The Wahoos scored at least five runs so use the promo code Wahoos and receive 50% off your entire order Wednesday at PapaJohns.com
Suns’ RHP Jose Urena gave up 6 R/ER on nine hits in 5.0 innings of work. Urena struck out four batters and walked none in his fourth start of the season. RHP James Nygren pitched well for the Suns and kept them in the game giving up no runs in 2.0 innings pitched. RHP Nick Wittgren (1-0) pitched 2.0 innings in relief and earned his first win of the season.
The Suns came all the way back from down 6-1 and took the lead in the eight inning on the Poythress solo home run. Third baseman Alex Berg had a good day for the Suns with 2 RBI and two hits. Austin Nola went 2-for-4 with two RBI on the day.
The Wahoos return home on Thursday to take on the Mississippi Braves in the first game of a five game set. RHP Carlos Contreras (1-1, 3.75) heads to the bump for the Wahoos and he will be opposed by David Bromberg (0-2, 2.70).
by Joey Truncale
Chiefs Advance To District Championship Game
April 23, 2014
The Northview Chiefs are headed to the District 3-1A championship game Thursday night. The Chiefs beat Holmes County 6-3 Tuesday night to advance to the finals at Chipley.
The varsity Chiefs finished the regular season at 15-5, 7-3 in the district.
Chipley shut out the Jay Royals Tuesday night, 4-0.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Ramona Preston, click to enlarge.
Suns Down Wahoos
April 23, 2014
The Jacksonville Suns and the Pensacola Blue Wahoos went back-and-forth Tuesday night at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, but in the end, it was the Suns that prevailed 6-5 to assure the series win with a game to play. Travis Mattair put the Wahoos in front with his first home run of the year, a solo shot in the seventh, but the Suns answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame to move ahead for good.
Mattair’s home run snapped a 4-4 tie, but the lead was short lived. The Suns capitalized on a leadoff walk and a hit batsman to move in front. Brady Shoemaker, who reached on the walk, scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Shortly after, J.T. Realmuto scored from third on a ground out to short giving the Suns all they needed for the win. Pensacola had the tying run at second with one out in the eight but couldn’t score, and left the tying run at first in the ninth after a two-out single.
The Blue Wahoos had three two-hit games. Mattair led the way with a 2-for-5 night. He scored twice and drove in two runs. Rey Navarro (2-for-5, R, RBI) and Bryan Anderson (2-for-4, 2 RBI) had the other multi-hit games.
Jon Moscot started but didn’t get a decision. He logged 6.0 innings allowing 4R/3ER on six hits. He walked four and fanned three. Mikey O’Brien (L, 0-1) was tagged with the Suns runs in the seventh, thus getting charged with the loss.
The Blue Wahoos chased Suns starter Justin Nicolino from the game after just 4.2 innings. He was charged with 4R/ER on seven hits with two walks and just one strikeout. Despite allowing Mattair’s go-ahead home run in the seventh, Edgar Olmos (W, 1-0) picked up the win in just one inning out of the bullpen. Grant Dayton (S, 2) held the Wahoos off over the last two innings to pick up the save.
The series concludes on Wednesday when the Blue Wahoos send RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-1, 1.45) to the mound against Suns RHP Jose Urena (1-2, 6.28). First pitch is set for 12:05 p.m. CT from the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
by Tommy Thrall
Atmore Man Finishes 148th In Boston Marathon (With Other Local Results)
April 22, 2014
An Atmore man who has ran marathons for less than an year finished 148th of about 36,000 runners in Monday’s Boston Marathon.
Alan Ash, 22, finished the 26.2 mile course in just over two and a half hours — 2:33:54. The Escambia Academy graduate was the 127th overall fastest malee. During college, he ran cross country at Vanderbilt, and was the top local finisher at 17th overall in Mobile’s recent Azalea Trail Run.
Monday’s overall winner was Meb Keflezighi of the United States with a time of 2:08:37.
North Escambia area runners completing the Boston Marathon on Monday were:
- Alan Ash, 22, Atmore – 2:33:54, Overall: 148
- Eric J Kujawski, 39, Pensacola – 3:03:00, Overall: 2,856
- Paul Epstein, 48 Pensacola – 3:07:36, Overall: 3,669
- Timothy J. Moser, 42, Pensacola – 3:15:08, Overall: 5,313
- Heather M, Asmar, 42, Pensacola – 3:16:22, Overall: 5,560 (82nd in division)
- Cherie Epstein, 46, Pensacola – 3:37:27, Overall: 11,612
- Veronica Brown, 43, Pensacola – 3:48:47, Overall: 14,964
- Brian K. Spencer, 56, Pensacola – 3:59:31, Overall: 17,964
- Gail Fry, 46, Pensacola – 4:13:57, Overall: 20,780
- Mindi G. Straw, Pensacola -4:15:11, Overall: 21,007
- Perry A. Palmer, Pensacola – 4:27:44, Overall: 23,111
- Mark Rice, 53, Atmore – 5:16:36, Overall: 28,602
Lutz Hits For Cycle In Wahoos Historic 17-1 Win
April 22, 2014
Donald Lutz hit for the first cycle in Blue Wahoos franchise history on a night where the team set records for runs (17) and hits (21) in a 17-1 win over the Jacksonville Suns at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The Blue Wahoos also snapped a five-game losing streak in the process.
The Wahoos jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back. Yorman Rodriguez launched the first of three Wahoos homers on the night, a two-run shot in the first inning. The game got carried away when Pensacola, already leading 6-1, plated five runs in the sixth inning to move in front 11-1. The Blue Wahoos went on to plate six more runs over the next two innings.
Besides Lutz, Wahoos starting pitcher Robert Stephenson (W, 2-1) also had a remarkable night with what he did on the mound and at the plate. Stephenson fanned seven while allowing just 1 R/ER over 5.0 innings, but he also went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI. He was one of three Wahoos to drive in three runs. The others were Rey Navarro (3-for-7, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) and Juan Duran (2-for-5, 2B, R, 3 RBI). Everybody in the starting lineup collected at least one hit, and seven Wahoos starters had multi-hit games.
Lutz finished the game 5-for-6 with two doubles, two RBI, four runs scored, a triple and a mammoth solo home run in the cycle. He waited until his final at bat for the triple. With nobody out and a runner at first, he drove a ball off the wall in right-center field, and it caromed away from the Suns centerfield Isaac Galloway, allowing Lutz to coast into third for the third cycle of his career (other cycles: 7/21/11 w/Dayton, 7/10/09 w/ GCL Reds). He later scored to set the team record for runs in a game. The previous record was 16 scored on August 2, 2013 in Birmingham. That same game the Wahoos set the previous hit record with 17.
Stephenson ended up earning the win, his second, with Suns starter Angel Sanchez (L, 0-4) taking the loss. Sanchez was charged with 5R/4ER over 3.1 innings. He allowed seven hits, two walks with three strikeouts.
The Blue Wahoos look to stay hot and even the series on Tuesday against the Suns. Pensacola will send RHP Jon Moscot (0-1, 2.20) to the mound against Suns LHP Justin Nicolino (1-2, 3.38). First pitch from the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville is set for 6:05 p.m. CT.
by Tommy Thrall