Cats Even Series With Pelicans
September 3, 2009
Though the Pelicans took an early 1-0 lead on an Antoin Gray home run, the Cats would claim victory 8-2 on Wednesday night. Led by starter Joel Kirsten, Fort Worth won game two of the South Division Championship Series.
In the top of the first inning, Antoin Gray went deep for his second home run of the postseason. The solo shot gave the Pelicans an early 1-0 lead. However, the Cats came back strong.
Fort Worth tied the game in the bottom of the first. Brian Fryer singled off Pelicans starter Randy Beam and stole second base. Cameron Blair put down a sacrifice bunt and Fryer moved up to third, scoring on a sacrifice fly to center by Pat O’Sullivan.
The Cats knocked Randy Beam out of the game in the second inning. Bell, Patterson, Gulledge, and Backman all scored, two of them coming on an Isa Garcia double. Dane DeValk came on to record the final two outs of the inning.
Cameron Blair hit a solo bomb in the fourth inning to give the Cats a 6-1 lead. Michael Bell walked to start off the bottom of the fifth inning, and scored when Ryan Patterson doubled.
Down 7-1, the Pelicans added another run in the top of the eighth. Against Ryan Trytten, Antoin Gray walked with two out. Marshall McDougall doubled to drive him in. The next two Pelicans walked, but the Pelicans left the bases loaded.
The Cats added their final run in the last of the eighth, scoring Fryer on a John Allen RBI single.
The Pelicans used five pitchers in the 8-2 loss. Randy Beam took the loss allowing five runs in 1.1 innings, walking two and yielding five hits. Dane DeValk pitched until the end of the fifth, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks. He struck out one. Ron Hill tossed a scoreless sixth, allowing a hit and a walk. Francisco Butto allowed two hits in the seventh, notching a strikeout. Ulysses Roque gained three outs via strikeout in the eighth, but the strikeouts were spaced around two walks and a hit that allowed a run to score.
The Pelicans were limited to six hits, comprised mostly by Gray and McDougall. Gray went 2-3 with the homer and two runs scored, and McDougall hit two doubles in four at-bats, driving in Gray once.
Game three is scheduled for Friday at 7:05 p.m. in Pensacola. The Pelicans are scheduled to start Kieran Mattison against the Cats’ Jae Jung.
Pelicans Shutout Cats in Game One; Three Pelicans Go Deep in 7-0 Win
September 2, 2009
The Pelicans blanked the Cats 7-0 to claim game one of the best-of-five South Division Championship Series. Pensacola was supported by another strong Aaron Jackson outing, earning the win after seven scoreless innings of work. Tyler Wilson and Bubba Nelson paired up to retire the final six Cats in order, and three Pelicans hit home runs in the Pensacola victory.
Pensacola took an early 1-0 lead by scoring Francisco Leandro in the top of the first. The Pelicans’ leadoff hitter knocked a groundball that hit third base to give Leandro an infield single. Kevin Reynolds dropped down a beautiful bunt that Reynolds beat out to give the Pelicans runners at first and second and nobody out. Antoin Gray recorded RBI number 85 by hitting a single, and the Pelicans were up early.
The Pelicans added another run in the top of the second, when Dallas Christison led off with a solo shot over the left field fence. The blast was Christison’s second of the year, and the Pelicans’ second run of the night.
Kevin Reynolds started the third inning with a single, and moved to third when Gray hit his second base knock of the night. Marshall McDougall skied a ball to the centerfielder, and the sacrifice fly plated Reynolds to give the Pelicans a 3-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth inning, Marcos Rodriguez connected for a single, and Dallas Christison had a bunt single as well. Lou Palmisano placed a sacrifice bunt down the third base line, and both runners moved up a bag. With two outs, Leandro walked to load the bases, and Kevin Reynolds made his third hit of the night a big one: a ground-rule double that bounced over the right field fence and forced home Rodriguez and Christison, the Pelicans fourth and fifth runs of the night.
Marshall McDougall started the fifth inning by crushing his first homer in a Pelicans uniform, and Antoin Gray added a little extra in the top of the ninth with a leadoff homer of his own, Gray’s fifteenth long-ball of the year.
The Pelicans’ 7-0 lead would hold up under seven solid innings by Aaron Jackson in which he scattered five hits, did not allow a walk, and struck out two. Tyler Wilson pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, striking out one, and Bubba Nelson retired the Cats in order in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the Pelicans’ shutout. The ninth Pelicans’ shutout was also their second against Fort Worth.
At the plate, Kevin Reynolds led all Pelicans going 3-4, with the two-RBI ground-rule double. Antoin Gray went 3-5 with a solo homer and two RBI. Francisco Leandro and Marcos Rodriguez went 2-4, and Dallas Christison went 2-5 with a homer and two runs batted in. Marshall McDougall hit his first round-tripper as a Pelican to drive in one of his two RBI.
Pensacola and Fort Worth will play game two of the South Division Championship Series on Wednesday in Texas, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The battle of southpaws will feature Pensacola’s Randy Beam, against Fort Worth’s Joel Kirsten. Fans can hear all the action on NewsRadio 1620, and online via SportsJuice.com.
NWE Football Takes On Pace (With Photo Galleries)
August 30, 2009
The 2009 regular season for Northwest Escambia Football got underway Saturday with two wins and a loss for NWE against the Pace Patriots.
The NWE Mites shutout Pace Blue. Luke Ward rushed for a touchdown, and Jarrod Aliff hit the end zone for the point after for the NWE Eagles.
The Northwest Escambia Midgets beat Pace Blue 18-12, and the NWE Mini-mites fell to pace 26-18.
Northwest Escambia will be off on Saturday, September 5 and back in action on September 12 at Myrtle Grove.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from NWE Mites game, click here.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the NWE Midgets game, click here.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery of the NWE cheerleaders, click here.
Pictured above and below: Action from the NWE Mites game against Pace Saturday at Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photos: Flomaton Beats Calhoun
August 30, 2009
Calhoun was no match at all for the Flomaton Hurricane in their season opener Friday night. The Canes blew past Calhoun 48-0 in Flomaton. Flomaton kept the scorekeeper busy in the first, taking an 27-0 lead heading into the second.
Click here for more photos submitted by Mike Newton Photography.
The Canes were led by Niko Robinson with two TD’s, including a 17-yarder on the game’s second play. Robinson had 94 yards on only five carries. He also had a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Ryheem Bixon had 83 yards on the night on a half dozen carries — including a five-yard touchdown run.
The Hurricanes will be under the lights at Hurricane Field next Friday night against Red Level.
Click here for more photos from Mike Newton Photography.
Pictured above: Action as Flomaton beat Calhoun Friday night. Submitted photo by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Wins 48-0 Over Calhoun; Atmore Loses To T.R. Miller 27-12
August 29, 2009
The 2009 football season kicked into full gear Friday night in Alabama, with the Flomaton Canes claiming a huge victory and Escambia County falling to a cross-county powerhouse.
Flomaton 48 Calhoun 0
Calhoun was no match at all for the Flomaton Hurricane in their season opener Friday night. The Canes blew past Calhoun 48-0 in Flomaton. Flomaton kept the scorekeeper busy in the first, taking an 27-0 lead heading into the second.
The Canes were led by Niko Robinson with two TD’s, including a 17-yarder on the game’s second play. Robinson had 94 yards on only five carries. He also had a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Ryheem Bixon had 83 yards on the night on a half dozen carries — including a five-yard touchdown run.
The Hurricanes will be under the lights at Hurricane Field next Friday night against Red Level.
T.R. Miller 27 Escambia County (Atmore) 12
Alabama football powerhouse T.R. Miller took an early lead Friday night in Brewton, with a 7-0 first quarter lead. Miller expanded their lead to 13-0 in the second. That’s when the Escambia County Blue Devils answered with six and a missed extra point. The Blue Devils managed half a dozen more during the night, but it was no match for Miller. T.R. Miller beat Escambia County 27-12.
Ricky Hartley had a couple of TD’s for the Blue Devils. One was a one-yard pass from Rico Stallworth and the other was a one-yard run. Stallworth had 78 passing yards and 72 rushing Friday night against the T.R. Miller Tigers.
Escambia County will travel to Vigor next Friday night.
Go Chiefs: Girls Of All Ages Learn At NHS Mini-Cheerleading Clinic
August 29, 2009
The annual Northview Mini-Cheerleading Clinic was held Friday evening, giving girls three-years old through the eighth grade the chance to learn cheers from the NHS varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders.
The girls will have the opportunity to cheer at halftime of next Friday night’s Northview Chiefs football game.
Click here for a photo gallery.
Pictured above and below: The Northview Mini-Cheerleading Clinic Friday night at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pelicans Clinch Playoff Spot With 8-3 Win Over the Captains
August 29, 2009
The Pensacola Pelicans are the 2009 Second Half South Division Champions. With an 8-3 victory in front of 2,292 fans in Pensacola, the Pelicans return to the playoffs for the first time since 2005. The Pelicans will make their first entry into the American Association playoffs with Randy Beam’s tenth victory of the year.
The Captains entered the ballgame with a record of 26-14 when scoring first, and pushed a run across in the first inning. With two outs, Chris Garcia hit a line drive over the left field fence for his fifth home run of the year.
The Pelicans retaliated in the bottom of the first, scoring two runs of their own. Kevin Reynolds reached first on a fielder’s choice. After Antoin Gray walked and Chase Burch drew a base on balls as well, Marcos Rodriguez stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. Rodriguez delivered with a single that scored Reynolds and Gray, and the Pelicans took a 2-1 lead.
With a run in the top of the second inning, the Captains pulled even. Jose Torres walked with one out, and scored when Luis Guance followed with a double.
The Pelicans would take the lead again in the bottom of the second and never let it go. Adam Darby was hit by a pitch, Leandro was too, and Kevin Reynolds walked. That was the end for Captains’ starter Ronald Lowe, as Derek Miramontes took over. After a strikeout, Antoin Gray walked to push Darby home, and the Pelicans led 3-2.
Pensacola added three runs of insurance in the fifth inning, as Burch and Rodriguez each singled, and Dallas Christison walked. With the bases loaded Lou Palmisano hit a rocket groundball that ate up the Captains’ second baseman. Burch would score the Pelicans’ winning run on the play, but Adam Darby would follow with a single that plated Rodriguez and Christison. After five innings, the Pelicans were ahead by four.
The Captains scored their final run of the game in the top of the sixth after Ron Hill relieved Randy Beam. With two outs, Jorge Alavarez reached first base on an error by the third baseman. Jose Torres walked, and Luis Guance hit a single to drive in Alvarez. The run was unearned, as Hill would go on to pitch the sixth and seventh innings, allowing just two hits, a walk, and striking out two.
Starter Randy Beam yielded just three hits, walking two and striking out four in his five innings of work. After Hill, Francisco Butto closed out the Captains in the eighth and ninth. He didn’t allow a base runner, striking out two.
The Pelicans put a stamp on the game in their final two innings at the plate. Leandro led off the seventh with a single, and moved to second base on a pitch that escaped the catcher. After Kevin Reynolds singled, Leandro moved to third, and both men moved up a base when a pitch hit the backstop again, scoring Leandro.
The Pelicans iced the cake in the bottom of the eighth. Chase Burch started the frame with a walk, and Marcos Rodriguez doubled to push Burch to third. Dallas Christison hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that brought Burch home, and the 8-3 Pelicans’ lead would stand.
The Pelicans return to the playoffs for the first time since 2005, and will make their first appearance as part of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. First-year manager Talmadge Nunnari will put his Pelicans on a bus to Fort Worth following this weekends’ games in order to face the Cats on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. In the meantime, the Pelicans will close out the regular season with a game on both Saturday and Sunday. Both contests are slated for 6:05 p.m.
Northview Splits Preseason Volleyball Classic With Escambia, Walton
August 28, 2009
The Northview Lady Chiefs took to the volleyball court Thursday afternoon in Bratt, beating Escambia of Pensacola and falling to Walton, in a couple of preseason classic games.
Northview vs Walton
Northview beat Walton 25-17, 24-26, 15-11.
- Shawn Montgomery (junior) M Kills-6, Assists-2, Aces-3, Digs-18,Blocks-7
- Ashley Digmon (junior) Setter/DS Kills-1, Aces-4, Assists-5
- Caitlin Hall (senior) Setter Assists-15, Digs-1, Aces-4
- Angela Rodriguez (senior) Left/Middle Kills-3, Aces-2, Digs-2, Blocks-1
Northview vs Escambia
Northview fell to Escambia 25-23, 19-25, 15-17
Shawn Montgomery (junior) M Kills-4, Assists-1, Aces-1, Digs-5,Blocks-4
Raylin Spence (sophomore) Left Side Kills-2, Digs -6, Assists-2
Caitlin Hall (senior) Setter Assists-17, Blocks-2, Aces-4, Kills-1
Angela Rodriguez (senior) Left/Middle Kills-1, Aces-4, Digs-8
The Northview Lady Chiefs kick off their regular volleyball season on the road in Freeport on September 1. The junior varsity will play at 5:00, the varsity hits the court at 6:00.
For a Northview Volleyball schedule, click here (pdf).
Pelicans Lose, Captains Lose Too; Pels Need One Win to Clinch
August 27, 2009
The Pelicans lost to the Cats 1-0 Wednesday night, but will not lose any ground to the Captains. Though the first place Pelicans dropped the game, the Captains (three games back in second place) lost as well. The Pelicans maintain their three game lead entering the final four games of the regular season: at home against the Captains. Therefore, the Pelicans need to win just one game to clinch the division and consequently, a spot in the playoffs. Despite the loss Wednesday night, the Pelicans had a strong performance in the pitchers’ duel.
Pelicans’ starter Kevin Cooper pitched six scoreless innings, yielding just four hits and striking out two batters. Six total batters reached, as Cooper hit two batters with pitches. Bubba Nelson started relieving Cooper in the bottom of the sixth. Bubba would allow just one hit, but it was costly. After John Allen struck out (Nelson’s third K) as the first out of the bottom of the ninth, Nelson walked Michael Bell. After a wild pitch moved Bell to second base, he scored when Patterson singled to give the Cats the victory.
Pensacola threatened multiple times, but could never squeeze a run across. Antoin Gray led off the second inning with a single and ultimately advanced to third, but never came home. Marcos Rodriguez reached on an error by the third baseman in the fourth inning with two outs. He advanced to third base on a Dallas Christison single, but a fly out would end the inning scoreless. Marshall McDougall led off the top of the sixth with a single, but after two out, was stuck there. Rodriguez reached on an error by the pitcher, and McDougall advanced to third, but both runners would be stranded when the third out was recorded.
Probably the closest the Pelicans came to scoring was the third inning. Jason Diaz singled to start, and Francisco Leandro dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move him to second. When Kevin Reynolds walked, the Pelicans had runners at the corners and one out. On a pickoff attempt at first base, Diaz broke for home. John Allen caught the throw at first and tossed it to the plate. Kelley Gulledge tagged out Diaz, and the Pelicans wouldn’t advance Reynolds past first.
Marshall McDougall ended the night 2-4, as the Pelicans recorded six hits compared to the Cats’ five. The Pelicans hope to perform better Thursday, when they host the Captains for the first of the last four games of the regular season.
The Pelicans will start Dane DeValk against the Captains’ Richard Salazar on Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The Pelicans need win only one game to clinch the division and a playoff spot. Whoever does win the second half of the season will play the first half winner, Fort Worth, in Texas starting Tuesday. The best-of-five series will determine who plays the North Division Champion starting September 8.
Pensacola Pelicans Need Two Wins To Clinch Playoff Spot; Magnificent Mattison
August 26, 2009
Kieran Mattison was magnificent in his Pelicans debut on Tuesday night, helping the Pelicans to a 3-1 win over the Fort Worth Cats. Mattison allowed just one run on three hits over his six innings of work, yielding but one walk, and striking out three. With the win, the Pelicans need to capture just two more games to clinch a playoff spot.
The Pelicans scratched the board first in the incipient inning. Kevin Reynolds singled with one out, and proceeded to steal second and third. Antoin Gray grounded out to third base, but Reynolds scored on the play to give the Pelicans an early lead.
The Cats would come back to tie the game in the second inning on the first of their three hits of the night. With two out, Ryan Patterson went deep over the left field fence to drive himself in and tie the game at one apiece.
The run would be the Cats’ first and only. Pensacola took the lead in the top of the sixth when Dallas Christison reached on an error by the shortstop, and scored when the next batter, Lou Palmisano, reached on an error by the third baseman. The fielder tossed the ball over the first baseman’s head, allowing Christison to score from first.
The Pelicans would add another run in the top of the eighth inning. With two out Jason Diaz hit a double, and Francisco Leandro drove him in with a base hit. In the meantime, the Pelicans’ pitching staff was outstanding.
Kieran Mattison earned the win in his first appearance for the Pelicans. After Ron Hill retired all six batters in innings seven and eight (while striking out half of them), Hunter Davis knocked down the Cats one-two-three in the ninth to pick up save 22 on the year.
With the Pelicans’ 3-1 victory, Pensacola needs to win two more games to clinch a playoff spot. If the Pelicans were to clinch, they would do so at home in Pensacola. Tickets for the Thursday through Sunday games are available now at Pensacola-area Circle K locations, or online at www.pensacolapelicans.com.
The Pelicans look for one of the necessary wins on Wednesday, as they close a three-game series in Fort Worth. The Pelicans are scheduled to throw Kevin Cooper against the Cats’ Joel Kirsten. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with all the action available on NewsRadio 1620 or online via SportsJuice.com.