Northview’s Elliott, Kyles Qualify For State Weightlifting Meet
April 10, 2013
Northview’s Arkelle Elliott and LaMikal Kyles have qualified for the 1A State Weightlifting Meet in Kissimmee later this month.
Kyles finished second in the 183-pound class at the regional meet on recently at Arnold High School with a total of 535 pounds. Elliott finished fourth in the 199-pound class with a total of 565 pounds.
Also at the regional meet, Luke McDaniel and LaDerious Franklin finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 238-pound class.
Pictured: LaMikal Kyles at the recent regional state weightlifting meet. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Lady Chiefs Claim No. 1 Seed For District Tourney
April 9, 2013
The Northview Lady Chiefs claimed the No. 1 seed in the upcoming district tournament with a win over Bonifay Monday night.
The Lady Chiefs, now 10-1 in the district shut out Bonifay 11-0. Senior Morgan Payne had a home run for the Lady Chiefs.
The district tourney begins Monday in Chipley. The Chiefs will likely start with a bye and then play the winner of a Bonifay and Chipley game.
Pensacola Clips Tennessee 2-1 To Win Series
April 9, 2013
The Blue Wahoos used a strong start from Daniel Renken and timely hitting to defeat the Tennessee Smokies 2-1 on Monday night in front of 4,328 fans at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. The win gave Pensacola its first series victory of the season.
Renken (1-0) tossed a spectacular seven frames, yielding just a first-inning run on a sac fly from Justin Bour. The right-hander needed only 86 pitches to get through seven innings, retiring the final seven he faced and 13 of the final 15 overall. Logan Ondrusek and Lee Hyde allowed a single but nothing more in their two combined innings of relief. Hyde picked up his first save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Pensacola’s offense was silent through four innings but got on the board in the fifth against Tennessee starter Dae-Eun Rhee and reliever Brian Schlitter. Rhee loaded the bases with one out and was lifted for Schlitter who gave up an RBI single to Devin Lohman, the first batter he faced. Schlitter was able to avoid further damage by inducing a double play from Steve Selsky.
An inning later, Pensacola took the lead off Schlitter. Donald Lutz reached on an error by the second baseman and Travis Mattair drove him home with a double just inside the chalk down the right field line. Mattair’s hit snapped an 0-for-12 skid since a homer in his first at bat of the season on Thursday night.
Brodie Greene continued his hot start for the Wahoos, going 2-for-2 to extend his hitting streak to eight games dating back to the end of last season.
The Wahoos will take the day off on Tuesday before they travel to Mobile on Wednesday night for the first installment of the Bay-to-Bay series with the BayBears. Chad Rogers (1-0, 3.60) will toe the rubber for Pensacola against Mobile southpaw David Holmberg (0-0, 0.00). First pitch from Hank Aaron Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday.
Story by Kevin Burke
Photos by Gary McCraken, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Slip Past Smokies 5-4
April 8, 2013
After two days of struggling at the dish, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos used a balanced attack in a 5-4 win over the Tennessee Smokies on Sunday afternoon in front of the fourth straight sellout crowd to start the 2013 campaign at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. It wasn’t without stress, however, as Tennessee had the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the ninth before Curtis Partch got Jonathan Mota to ground out to end the game.
The Wahoos broke out of their semi-dry spell by pounding 10 hits, highlighted by a three-run home run in the last of the sixth from Donald Lutz that put Pensacola up 5-2. It was Lutz’s second dinger of the year.
Pensacola jumped on top early in the first with a two-out, two-run double from Steve Selsky, scoring Ray Chang and Bryson Smith. Selsky was one of six Wahoos with at least one base knock in the ball game. Chang and Smith accrued three hits and two runs apiece to lead the Wahoos offense.
Ryan Dennick (1-0) picked up the win in his first start of the season. The left-hander, acquired from the Royals organization in the offseason, went 5 innings and yielded two runs on four hits. The only two tallies he gave up were in the third. With two outs, Jae-Hoon Ha walked and scored on a double by Justin Bour, who was then promptly brought home on an RBI single by Mota.
Tennessee added single runs in the eighth and ninth, but weren’t able to scratch across the tying run. Partch picked up his first save of the season by pitching the final two frames.
Smokies starter Kyle Hendricks (0-1) was handed the loss after giving up five runs on eight hits in five frames, including the Lutz blast.
With the Wahoos scoring five runs, fans can take advantage of Papa John’s special offer. All fans can get 50% off online orders tomorrow by going to papajohns.com and entering promo code: WAHOOS to redeem their offer.
The five-game series concludes tomorrow as Pensacola right-hander Daniel Renken battles with Tennessee righty Dae-Eun Rhee in the rubber game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. It is FSU day at the park with former Seminole kicker Graham Gano on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Story By Kevin Burke
File photo by Gary McCraken, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flag Football Tourney Benefits NWE Football, Cheerleading Programs
April 7, 2013
The Second Annual NWE Adult Flag Football Tournament was held Saturday at Ernest Ward Middle School. Proceeds from the event will benefit Northwest Escambia football and cheerleading this fall.
Pictured: Action Saturday morning at Ernest Ward Middle School during the Second Annual NWE Adult Flag Football Tournament. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Riley, Lee Win Northview Hit-A-Thon (With Gallery)
April 7, 2013
The Northview Chiefs baseball program held a Hit-a-thon Saturday morning.
Each player was allowed 10 hits, with the longest hits belonging to Winston Riley for the varsity at 335 feet and Mark Lee for junior varsity with a 269 foot hit. A silent auction was also held to raise additional funds for the teams.
Pictured top: Northview Hit-a-thon winners Winston Riley and Mark Lee. NorthEscambia.com photos by Ramona Preston, click to enlarge.
Play Ball! Opening Day For Molino Ballpark (With Photo Gallery)
April 7, 2013
Saturday was Opening Day for Molino Recreation Association and the Molino Ballpark.
For photo galleries, click the links below:
Pictured: Opening Day action Saturday at the Molino Ballpark. NorthEscambia.com photos by Bethany Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Late Smokies Rally Downs Wahoos In 12 Innings
April 7, 2013
The Tennessee Smokies broke up a 1-1 tie with eight runs in the top of the 12th to beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 9-1 in front of the third straight sellout to start the season at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
A pitchers duel through 11 frames, Tennessee exploded for the eight runs courtesy of five base hits, four walks (one intentional), a hit batter and two Pensacola errors. The first eight men in the inning reached before an out was recorded. Matt Szczur broke the 1-1 tie with a bases-loaded two-run single through the drawn-in infield to make it 3-1. Jae-Hoon Ha added a two-run single to make it 5-1 before a bases loaded hit by pitch against Christian Villanueva made it 6-1. Rafael Lopez, the 10th batter of the frame, drove home two more with a bases loaded double prior to Szczur tallying his second run-scoring base knock of the inning to provide the final margin.
The inning skewed what was a fantastic pitching matchup throughout the contest. Pensacola starter Tim Crabbe was brilliant over five innings, yielding just a solo homer to Rubi Silva in the fifth and a second-inning single to Villanueva. Crabbe struck out five in his first outing of 2013.
Yohan Pino, Drew Hayes, and Curtis Partch combined for five scoreless frames before the 12th. Lee Hyde (0-1) took the loss for Pensacola giving up 7 runs (6 earned) in an inning plus seven batters of work.
Frank Batista (1-0) picked up the win with two innings of scoreless relief for the Smokies. He had two of Tennessee’s 15 strikeouts as a staff.
Pensacola’s lone run of the contest came in the last of the fourth. With two outs and Ryan LaMarre on second, Steve Selsky sent a line drive into center field to score LaMarre just ahead of the throw from Silva in center. Selsky had the lone multi-hit game with a 2-for-4 performance. The Wahoos struggled on offense yet again, mustering just five singles for the second consecutive night.
The Wahoos look to even the series tomorrow at 4 p.m. behind southpaw Ryan Dennick. Tennessee will counter with righty Kyle Hendricks. It’s the first Family Sunday of the season sponsored by McDonald’s. Kids will have the chance to run the bases after the game and there will be a family toss in the outfield postgame.
Story by Kevin Burke
Pictured top: Tim Crabbe allowed one run on two hits for Pensacola in his first start of the season. Courtesy for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tennesee Shuts Down Wahoos With 8-2 Victory
April 6, 2013
A night after mashing four home runs, the Pensacola offense was quieted by Tennessee starter Alberto Cabrera in a 8-2 loss to the Smokies on Friday night in front of another sellout crowd of 5,038 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. It was the second straight sellout to open the season.Smokies pitchers had the Wahoos stymied all night, fanning 15 Pensacola hitters in the game.
Cabrera (1-0) was in control from the onset, consistently touching the mid-90s with his sinking fastball, keeping Wahoos hitters off balance all evening. The Dominican righthander set down all but four batters he faced over six frames, needing just 77 pitches to halt the potent Pensacola attack. Cabrera retired 12 of the final 13 hitters in his outing, compiling nine strikeouts overall en route to his first win of the season.
Zac Rosscup continued the trend out of the bullpen for Tennessee, retiring six of the seven hitters he faced, including five on strikeouts in two innings.
Tennessee got all the offense it needed in the fourth off Pensacola starter Josh Smith. Entering the inning trailing 2-1, the Smokies sent nine men to the plate, scoring five times to take a commanding 6-2 lead. The inning featured three doubles, two singles, a sac bunt and a fielder’s choice that resulted in a run. Jay Fernandez, Matt Szczur, Jae-Hoon Ha, Justin Bour and Christian Villanueva each picked up an RBI in the five-run frame. Villanueva led the Tennessee offense, going 3-for-5 with a double and 4 RBI.
Smith (0-1) took the loss for the Wahoos as he gave up six runs (all earned) on nine hits in 3.2 frames.
Tucker Barnhart led the Blue Wahoos offense, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored. Barnhart is now 5-for-7 at the dish to start the 2013 campaign.
Pensacola’s only runs in the game came in the last of the second. With runners on first and third, David Vidal brought in a run with a groundout to tie the game at one. A batter later, Brodie Greene drove home a run with an infield single to give Pensacola a 2-1 advantage.
The series continues tomorrow with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch. Tim Crabbe gets the call for the Wahoos opposed by Tennessee southpaw Eric Jokish. Tomorrow will be 1920’s night at the ballpark and it’s the first fireworks show of the season presented by Highpointe Hotels, Marcus Pointe Baptist Church and United Airlines.
Story By Kevin Burke
Pictured: The Blue Wahoos fell to Tennessee Friday night. Photos by Gary McCraken, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Ride Homers To Opening Day Win
April 5, 2013
The Blue Wahoos opened up their 2013 season with a bang, smacking four home runs en route to a 7-3 triumph over the Tennessee Smokies. The sellout crowd of 5,038 was the first of the season and 41st in 69 home dates in the history of the Pensacola franchise.
Pensacola was in control for nearly the entire game thanks to its balanced attack and powerful hitting. Travis Mattair started the show launching the first pitch he saw in Double-A deep over the left field wall in the second inning. Bryson Smith followed suit a frame later, sending a line drive shot over the left field fence to square the game at two. In the fourth, it was Tucker Barnhart who crushed on 0-1 pitch off the batter’s eye in center field to put the Wahoos on top 3-2, a lead they would never relinquish. Donald Lutz joined the home run party in the seventh, lifting an opposite field shot to left to open the score up to 5-2.
The Wahoos also had RBI’s from Ryan LaMarre, with an RBI groundout in the fourth, and Devin Lohman, who added a two-RBI single in the eighth to cap the scoring.
Tennessee’s offense centered around shortstop Arismendy Alcantara. The Dominican native accounted for all three of the Smokies’ RBI’s, including a two-out, two-run tater in the top of third that gave Tennessee it’s only lead of the game at 2-1.
Chad Rogers (1-0) earned the win for Pensacola, tossing five innings of four-hit ball while strking out four and allowing two runs. Yohan Pino, Drew Hayes, and Lee Hyde all earned holds in relief, with Hyde getting the powerful Justin Bour to ground out with the tying runs in scoring position in the top of the eighth.
Tennessee starter Dallas Beeler was harmed by three home runs in 5.1 innings and took the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season.
The balanced Wahoos attack saw eight of the nine starters record at least one base hit, including the pitcher Rogers. Barnhart and Brodie Greene attributed two base hits apiece while Lohman had the lone multi-RBI game.
The series continues tomorrow as Josh Smith takes the hill for the Wahoos against Alberto Cabrera for the Smokies. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.
Story By Kevin Burke
Pictured: The Blue Wahoos opened their season Thursday night with a win over the Tennessee Smokies. Photos by Gary McCraken, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
