Stars Answer Wahoos Rally
August 5, 2012
In a game that only had two combined runs through the first 10 innings, nine runs were scored in the 11th by the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Huntsville Stars combined. The Stars plated five of those in the bottom of the inning to down the Blue Wahoos 6-5 at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville, Ala. on Saturday night. After the Wahoos plated four in the top of the inning, including two on a pinch-hit home run by Andrew Means, the Stars plated five capped by a three-run walk-off home run by Hunter Morris. It was his 21st home run of the season.
The Wahoos claimed an early 1-0 lead when Beau Mills doubled home Josh Fellhauer in the top of the first inning. It stayed that way until the seventh.
The Stars put together several threats against Blue Wahoos starter Tony Cingrani through his five innings of work, but the lefty was finished after five scoreless frames and more than 100 pitches. He walked four and fanned four while giving up four hits but he kept the Stars scoreless. He didn’t end up factoring into the decision.
Drew Hayes took over in the sixth and worked a perfect inning. In the seventh, T.J. Mittelstaedt blasted a pinch-hit solo home run over the right field fence off Hayes to tie the game at 1-1.
The two teams traded zeros until Pensacola’s four-run 11th. It all started with a two-out single by Brodie Greene to keep the inning going. He stole second base, which allowed him to score on a single by Tucker Barnhart breaking the 1-1 deadlock. A batter later, Means blasted his pinch-hit homer to left extending the lead to 4-1. Billy Hamilton followed with a base hit and advanced around the bases on a series of three throwing errors by the Stars to make it 5-1.
Huntsville answered in the bottom of the inning. It all started with a leadoff walk to pinch hitter Adam Weisenburger. After a strikeout, Mittelstaedt singled home Weisenburger to make it a three-run game. Josh Prince and Jean Segura followed with back-to-back singles plating Mittelstaedt. With runners at first and second, Morris hammered the game winner over the left-center field wall giving the Stars the 6-5 win to even the series at a game apiece.
Despite allowing all four Blue Wahoos runs in the 11th, Kyle Heckathorn (4-10) was credited with the win. Of the four runs he allowed, three were earned. Mark Serrano (6-4) allowed all five Stars runs in the 11th to suffer the loss.
Greene’s hit in the 11th was his third hit of the game closing out a 3-for-4 game. Fellhauer (2-for5) and Barnhart (2-for-4) also contributed a pair of hits in the contest.
The two squads will square off in the third game of the series on Sunday. RHP Kyle Lotzkar (4-5, 5.30) will take the hill for Pensacola against RHP Josh Stinson (11-6, 3.25) for Huntsville. First pitch is set for 4:03 p.m. from Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville.
By Tommy Thrall
Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Perdido Gators Eliminated From World Series
August 4, 2012
The Perdido Gators were eliminated Friday from the USSSA World Series 14U in Orlando.
Area girls from Northview, Tate, West Florida, Escambia, Pace, and Gulf Breeze high schools make up the Perdido Gators softball team.
On Friday, the Gators lost to Texas Turn 5-3. Lauren Brennan went 3-4 and scored one run for Perdido. Texas Turn took the lead in the fifth, scoring three runs on three errors.
On Thursday, The Perdido Gators beat Cheetahs Gold 3-0. Mallory Ryan pitched seven, allowing no earned runs on three hits. Olivia Printiss was 3-3 at the plate for the Gators with singles, including a single in the fourth to bring home Lauren Brennan.
Members of the Perdido Gators are Ashley Young, Kota Berry, Sara Spears, Kristin Gunter, Morgan Peppers, Lauren Brennan, Angel Lathan, Olivia Printiss, Sydney Ezelle, Ali Cutaio and Mallory Ryan. Coaches are Tracey Ezelle, Greg Spears, Eddie Ryan, and Jeff Cutaio.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Open Series With Huntsville With 8-5 Win
August 4, 2012
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos earned an 8-5 win over the Huntsville Stars at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville, Ala. on Friday night to open the five-game set. The Wahoos cranked out 12 hits in the winning effort while shortstop Billy Hamilton inched closer to the Minor League stolen base record with three steals giving him 122 for the season. He is now 23 shy of matching Vince Coleman’s 1983 record.
Pensacola claimed an early lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second. David Vidal doubled home Donald Lutz for the game’s first run. Vidal scored later on an RBI groundout by Miguel Rojas. It was one of three runs Vidal scored in the game.
Huntsville answered with a run in the bottom of the inning when Adam Weisenburger singled in Hunter Morris, part of a three hit game for Weisenburger.
The Blue Wahoos made it 3-1 in the fourth when Vidal came home on an RBI single by Hamilton. Vidal extended the Wahoos lead to 4-1 with his seventh home run of the season. It was a solo shot to center field.
Heading into the ninth inning, the Wahoos were leading 5-3 searching for insurance runs. Two batters after Ryan LaMarre doubled home Hamilton, Bryson Smith drove in two more with a two-run single, which scored Josh Fellhauer and LaMarre and extended the lead to 8-3.
The Stars added some suspense with a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth, but Chris Manno (1) came in out of the bullpen and retired the final two batters of the game to preserve the win for Pensacola. He retired both batters he faced to earn his first save of the season.
On his 23rd birthday, Chad Rogers (1-0) earned the win in his Blue Wahoos debut. He surrendered just one run on seven hits over five innings. Johnnie Lowe (1-2) took the loss for the Stars after giving up four runs, two earned, on six hits over six innings. He fanned seven and walked two.
Offensively, five Blue Wahoos had multi-hit games. Hamilton (2-for-4), Fellhauer (2-for-4), LaMarre (2-for-5), Smith (2-for-2) and Vidal (2-for-4) all had a pair of hits in the winning effort. Smith, a late inning replacement, finished with three RBI while Vidal finished with a pair of RBI.
The series continues from Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville on Saturday. LHP Tony Cingrani (5-3, 2.15) gets the nod for the Fish against RHP Ariel Pena (0-0, 9.00). First pitch is set for 6:43 p.m.
By Tommy Thrall
Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Top Tennesee 6-1
August 3, 2012
Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Wirfin Obispo struck out a career-high ten batters and gave up just two hits, while third baseman David Vidal homered and shortstop Billy Hamilton stole two more bases as Pensacola topped the Tennessee Smokies 6-1 on Thursday night at Smokies Park in Kodak, Tennessee.
The victory snapped Pensacola’s four-game losing streak and improved their second half record to 21-19, while Tennessee fell to 19-21 since the All-Star Break. The win also ended the Smokies’ hopes of sweeping the five-game series.
Obispo (6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 SO) retired each of the first ten batters he faced and gave up the lone earned run on just two hits, along with just one walk. It was the first time the right-hander had last six innings, as he improved to 3-0 on the year.
The bullpen duo of Wilkin De La Rosa and Justin Freeman shut down the Smokies the rest of the way by combining for the final three perfect frames. De La Rosa (1.1 IP, 2 SO) received his fourth hold of 2012, while Freeman (1.2 IP, 2 SO) notched his 12th save.
The Blue Wahoos got the scoring started in the opening frame, plating two tallies. Hamilton began the inning with a walk before swiping both second and third to increase his total to 119 this year, moving him to within 26 of Vince Coleman’s single-season record of 145 set in 1983. Hamilton came home on RF Josh Fellhauer’s RBI double to left, while Fellhauer later came home when 1B Beau Mills reached on an error.
Pensacola then added an additional score in the third to extend the margin to 3-0. CF Bryson Smith reached on a base knock, subsequently stole second and took third on LF Donald Lutz’s single, before Vidal brought home Smith with a single to left.
The two clubs would then trade solo shots, with the Smokies getting on the board with a longball from 2B Logan Watkins, his fifth of the year. Vidal would then push Pensacola’s advantage back to three with a solo blast to left, his sixth roundtripper of the year.
Two insurance runs would then come plateward in the final frame for the Fish. 2B Miguel Rojas led off with a single, before Hamilton’s free pass and Fellhauer’s bunt single loaded the bases for Smith. The center fielder would drive in both Rojas and Hamilton with his two-run single into center, making it 6-1.
Vidal (2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI) and Fellhauer (2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI) each recorded multi-hit efforts in the victory for the Blue Wahoos, while Watkins collected the only two hits for Tennessee in the defeat. In total, Pensacola stole a total of four bases, one shy of their single-game season-high.
Tennessee starter Jake Brigham (3.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) suffered the loss in his Smokies debut after giving up three runs, two of which were earned on five hits in his three innings of work. RHP Zach Rosscup (5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) fired five frames in relief, yielding a lone earned run on just two hits.
The Fish will now head to Huntsville to finish their 10-game road trip with a five-game series against the Huntsville Stars, the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. RHP Chad Rogers, who was promoted from High-A Bakersfield earlier on Thursday is scheduled to make his Double-A debut for Pensacola, while RHP Johnnie Lowe is expected to get the nod for the Stars. First pitch is scheduled for 6:43 p.m. in Huntsville.
By Andrew Green
Pictured: Wirfin Obispo struck out a career-high 10 in his six innings on Thursday night for the Wahoos. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Lady Astros Take Second In Southern Nationals
August 2, 2012
The Molino Lady Astros finished second in the Southern Nationals recently. The Lady Astros won all pool and bracket games to head into the championship game at 8-0.
The 16U Astros finished as runner-ups after a 3-2 loss to Mississippi Blast in a grueling game with heat indices well over 100 degrees.
“Our pitching was great from Jessica Briggs, Meagan Green, Heather Thomason and Korina Rosario, who led in strikeouts,” Coach Donnie Nicholson said. “I was very proud of everyone giving it all they had.
Pictured top: The Molino 16U Lady Astros (front, L-R) Caitlyn Hagan, Gracie Kilcrease, Jessica Briggs, Abby Spivey, Meagan Green, (back row) Coach Donnie Nicholson, Kat Griffin, Heather Thomason, Kathleen Smile and Terri Andrews. Not pictured are Coach Nick Rosario and Shawn Green. Pictured below: The Lady Astros in action. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Smokies Take Two From The Pensacola Blue Wahoos
August 2, 2012
The Tennessee Smokies picked up a pair of wins over the Blue Wahoos on Wednesday night at Smokies Park in Kodak, Tenn. Tennessee won the continuation of Tuesday night’s suspended game 4-2 before walking off with a 1-0 win in the second game.
After waiting out a rain delay to start the continuation, the Blue Wahoos quickly tied the score in the top of the fifth. After David Vidal doubled to begin the inning, Billy Hamilton singled him home from second with two outs to even the score at 2-2. Shortly after his single, Hamilton broke for second and dove into the bag safely with his 117th stolen base of the season. He is now just 28 steals shy of Vince Coleman’s 1983 record of 145.
The Smokies were quick to respond in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs and a man on, Nate Samson hit a two-run homer to left field off Brian Pearl to give the Smokies a 4-2 lead. Tennessee kept the Wahoos off the scoreboard the rest of the way as the Smokies won 4-2. Pearl (1-2) suffered the loss for Pensacola after working 2.1 innings and allowing just the two runs. Trey McNutt (6-8) worked the first three innings of the resumption and allowed one run on two hits on his way to the win. Kevin Rhoderick (8) worked a scoreless eighth and ninth to earn the save.
In the second game, Fish starter Daniel Corcino traded zeros with Smokies starter Dallas Beeler through the first five innings before each team went to their bullpen in the sixth.
Corcino allowed just three hits over five innings. He walked one and fanned four. Dallas Beeler allowed just three base runners over his five shutout innings for the Smokies. Neither starter recorded a decision.
The Smokies broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the seventh when Justin Bour hit the first pitch he saw over the right field fence for a walk-off home run giving Tennessee the 1-0 win. After working a 1-2-3 sixth inning, Curtis Partch (4-4) allowed the homer to Bour to suffer the loss. Brian Schlitter (2-2) worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Smokies to earn the win.
The Blue Wahoos have now dropped four straight. It matches the team’s longest losing streak of the season. It is the first time since June 1-3 that the Blue Wahoos have lost four in a row.
Pensacola will try to salvage the final game of the four-game set with the Smokies on Thursday. Right-hander Wirfin Obispo (2-0, 2.63) will get the nod for Pensacola. The Smokies haven’t announced their starter. First pitch is set for 6:15 p.m. CT at Smokies Park in Kodak, Tenn.
By Tommy Thrall
Pictured: Daniel Corcino worked five shutout innings in the Blue Wahoos’ 1-0 loss in game 2 against the Smokies Wednesday night. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos, Smokies Suspended Due To Weather
August 1, 2012
A severe thunderstorm storm hit Smokies Park in the bottom of the fourth inning with Tennessee leading the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 2-1 on Tuesday night. The game was delayed for 45 minutes before it was officially suspended.
All the offense came in the first inning for each team. Pensacola picked up a run in the top of the first inning before the Smokies responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning. After a Josh Fellhauer triple, Ryan LaMarre singled him home giving the Wahoos an early lead.
Matt Szczur was hit by a pitch to leadoff the bottom of the first inning. He was followed by a walk to Logan Watkins, and both came home to score. Justin Bour singled home Szczur to tie the game before Greg Rohan doubled home Watkins to give the Smokies the lead.
Wahoos starter Kyle Lotzkar gave up the two runs in the first inning before retiring the next nine batters. After collecting two first inning hits and a run, the Blue Wahoos picked up just one more single over the next three innings against Smokies starter Dae-Eun Rhee.
It stayed 2-1 Tennessee until the storm hit in the fourth. The game was suspended with the bases loaded for the Smokies in the bottom of the fourth with two outs and a 1-1 count on Matt Szczur. The game will be completed as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday. The resumption of Tuesday’s game will be a nine-inning conclusion followed by a seven-inning game.
By Tommy Thrall
Olympics: Women’s Cycling (With NorthEscambia Gallery)
July 31, 2012
American Shelley Olds (Groton, Mass.) finished in seventh place in the women’s cycling road race at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
A Molino family living in England was there for the women’s cycling road race with photos for NorthEscambia.com. To view the photo gallery, click here.
The gold medal went to the Netherlands’ Marianne Vos, who covered the route in 3:35.29. Elizabeth Armitstead gave host Great Britain its first medal of the London 2012 Olympic Games with her silver medal finish, while Olga Zabelinskaya of Russia won the bronze in 3:35:31.
Other American finishers were: Evelyn Stevens (Acton, Mass.), 24th, 3:35:56; Kristin Armstrong (Boise, Idaho), 35th, 3:36:16; and Amber Neben (Irvine, Calif.), 36th, 3:36:20.
Pictured top: Marianne Vos of the Netherlands (in orange, near the left) took the gold medal in women’s cycling during the Olympic Games in London. Pictured inset: Locals support the Great Britain team. Pictured below: The women’s cycling race winds through Box Hill in Surray England. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tennessee Smokes The Wahoos In Twin Bill
July 31, 2012
The Tennessee Smokies swept the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in the doubleheader at Smokies Park in Kodak, Tenn. on Monday night. The Smokies took game one 6-3 before edging out the Wahoos in game two 3-2. Billy Hamilton stole third base in the sixth inning for his 116th steal of the season, his 12th with the Blue Wahoos. He is now 29 steals shy of the record.
Tennessee wasted no time in the first game getting on the board first with five first-inning runs against Wahoos starter Mark Serrano. Matt Szczur plated the first run of the inning when he came home on a double by Junior Lake. Juntin Bour brought home Logan Watkins a batter later with a base hit to put the Smokies ahead 2-0. With two on, Greg Rohan cleared the bases with his fifth home run of the season opening up the score making it 5-0.
Mike Brenly made it 6-0 with an RBI single in the fifth scoring Lake from third. Pensacola would cut into the lead in ensuing frame. Hamilton singled home Andrew Means for the Blue Wahoos’ first run of the game in the sixth. Hamilton scored later in the inning with Ryan LaMarre on a Bryson Smith triple but that’s all the Blue Wahoos would get.
Serrano (6-3) took the loss after giving up a season-high six runs on 10 hits over four innings. He struck out five and walked one. Smokies starter Eric Jokisch (7-2) picked up the win after working a seven inning complete game. All three runs he allowed were earned. He faced the minimum and surrendered just one hit over the first five innings of the game.
In game two, the Blue Wahoos and Smokies traded zeros through the first three innings before the Smokies broke through in the fourth. Tony Cingrani uncorked a wild pitch to Mike Burgess allowing Nate Samson to score from third to give the Smokies a 1-0 lead. The Wahoo starter ran into problems again in the fifth. Dustin Harrington scored from third on an errant throw to the plate on a fielder’s choice groundball to the shortstop. The second run in the inning scored when a pickoff attempt at first base got away into foul territory allowing Szczur to score from third making it 3-0 Smokies.
Mark Fleury added some excitement in the seventh when he blasted his first home run of the season with a man on. His shot completely cleared the stadium just inside the right field foul pole. That made it 3-2, and that was as close as the Wahoos would get.
All three Smokies runs were charged to Cingrani (5-3), but only one was earned. He took the loss after going 4.1 innings. The lefty struck out three, walked two and allowed three hits. Casey Weathers (4-1) earned the win out of the bullpen for Tennessee. He worked a scoreless fifth to pick up his fourth win of the season. Despite allowing the home run to Fleury in the seventh, Frank Batista (19) still earned the save.
The two teams will continue the series on Tuesday. RHP Kyle Lotzkar will get the nod for the Blue Wahoos against Smokies RHP Dae-Eun Rhee. First pitch is slated for 6:15 p.m. central time at Smokies Park in Kodak, Tenn.
By Tommy Thrall
Pictured: Mark Fleury went 2-for-3 with his first home run of the year Monday night against Tennessee. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Olympics: Men’s Cycling (With NorthEscambia Photo Gallery)
July 30, 2012
In the men’s cycling road race at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Team USA’s Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo.) narrowly missed a podium finish as he place fourth.
A Molino family living in England was there for the men’s cycling road race with photos for NorthEscambia.com. To view the photo gallery, click here.
The gold medal went to Alexandr Vinokurov of Kazakhstan, who out-duelled Rogoberto Uran Uran of Colombia after the two had broken away from the lead pack in the final few kilometers. Alexander Kristoff of Norway edged Phinney at the front of the lead pack to win the bronze medal.
Tyler Farrar (Wenatchee, Wash.) finished 32nd, while Timmy Duggan (Nederland, Colo.) faded from second place earlier in the race to finish 87th. Chris Horner (San Diego, Calif.) ended up in 92nd place.
Pictured above and inset: The men’s cycling road race as seen from The Mall outside Buckingham Palace during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Pictured below: Team USA’s vehicle. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
