Wahoos Get 3-2 Win Over Biloxi Shuckers
June 2, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos protected an early lead throughout the late innings on Wednesday night, scratching out a nail-biting 3-2 win over the Biloxi Shuckers for their second win in a row.
Eury Pérez struck out six batters over 4.0 innings, and the Pensacola bullpen allowed only one hit over 5.0 scoreless frames.
Biloxi’s Jakson Reetz took Pérez deep with a solo blast in the first inning, putting the Shuckers ahead 1-0. The Blue Wahoos left the bases loaded in the first against Justin Bullock (L, 0-1), but converted on a bases-loaded opportunity in the second with an RBI single from José Devers and sacrifice fly from Troy Johnston to take a 2-1 lead.
A Ray-Patrick Didder double and Victor Victor Mesa single in the third turned into another run thanks to a Cobie Fletcher-Vance sacrifice fly, but that would be all the offense the Blue Wahoos could muster on the night. Reetz homered again in the fourth, his 12th of the year to tie for the Southern League lead, but that too would mark the end of the scoring for his club.
Pérez was relieved by Anthony Maldonado (W, 2-2), who worked 2.0 scoreless innings and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. Josh Simpson foiled a Biloxi rally in his scoreless seventh inning, as Brent Diaz was thrown out trying to take third on a comebacker for an unconventional double play.
Eli Villalobos (S, 4) allowed a pair of baserunners to begin the ninth, but got Diaz to line into a double play before striking out Yeison Coca to end the ballgame.
With the win and a M-Braves loss, the Blue Wahoos have pushed 1.5 games ahead of Biloxi and Mississippi in the South Division with 22 to play in the first half.
The Blue Wahoos continue their homestand against the Biloxi Shuckers on Thursday.
Didder, Blue Wahoos Walk Off Shuckers, Reclaim First Place
June 1, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos overcame an early deficit to defeat the Biloxi Shuckers 5-4 in 10 innings on Tuesday night, snapping a four-game skid and helping reclaim first place in the South Division.
Paul McIntosh hit a game-tying homer in the eighth, Griffin Conine tied the game again with a single in the bottom of the tenth, and Ray-Patrick Didder ended the game with a walk-off sacrifice fly.
The Shuckers took an early lead in the second inning against A.J. Ladwig, turning four consecutive hits into three runs. Tristen Lutz hit a two-run double and Gabe Holt added a sacrifice fly to put Biloxi ahead 3-0.
Jefry Yan, Dylan Bice and Andrew McInvale combined for 5.2 one-hit innings of scoreless relief to keep the game in reach, and the Blue Wahoos slowly chipped away at the deficit against the Biloxi bullpen. Conine hit a two-out RBI double in the third to get the Blue Wahoos on the board and José Devers circled the bases after a walk in the fifth before McIntosh’s game-tying homer in the eighth.
Colton Hock (W, 3-2) allowed a Lutz RBI single in the top of the tenth to score Biloxi’s automatic baserunner, but prevented further damage to keep the score 4-3. Troy Johnston led off the bottom of the tenth with his third hit of the night against reliever Nash Walters (L, 2-1), putting runners at the corners. McIntosh was retired, but Conine grounded an RBI single up the middle to tie the game and Didder lofted a fly ball to center that was deep enough to score Johnston for the winning run.
With the win, the Blue Wahoos have pushed 0.5 games ahead of Biloxi and Mississippi in the South Division with 23 to play in the first half.
The Blue Wahoos continue their homestand against the Biloxi Shuckers on Wednesday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Whaoos
Escambia Academy Head Football Coach, Headmaster Hugh Fountain Moves To Pike Liberal Arts
May 31, 2022
Monday, Escambia Academy Head Football Coach and Headmaster Hugh Fountain was named the new head football coach and athletic director at Pike Like Arts School in Troy, effective immediately.
Fountain led the EA Cougars to six consecutive football championship games and two Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) state championships during his tenure. He spent 11 years as a football coach at Escambia Academy, compiling a 94-31 record.
Prior to his time at Escambia Academy, Fountain coached at Charles Henderson High School for 16 years, plus W.S. Neal and Evergreen high schools.
Pike Liberal Arts was a member of the AISA for over 50 years, but they transitioned to play under the Alabama High School Athletic Association this fall.
Blue Wahoos Drop Fourth Consecutive Game, Drop From First Place
May 30, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell 7-2 to the Mississippi Braves in their series finale on Sunday afternoon, dropping their fourth game in a row and relinquishing control of first place in the South Division.
Griffin Conine homered for the second consecutive game and the seventh time this season, but his two-run blast was not nearly enough against Alan Rangel (W, 2-1) and the red-hot Braves.
Mississippi used three singles in the second inning to take the early 1-0 lead against Jeff Lindgren (L, 0-1), as Trey Harris brought home CJ Alexander with a two-out base hit. Conine’s homer in the bottom of the second gave the Blue Wahoos a brief 2-1 lead, but the M-Braves quickly evened things up in the third on a run-scoring double play off the bat of Yariel Gonzalez.
Jalen Miller’s RBI double in the fourth inning put Mississippi ahead 3-2, and two Lindgren walks in the fifth turned into a pair of insurance runs as Drew Lugbauer delivered an RBI single and Alexander lifted a sacrifice fly.
Josh Simpson struggled with his command in relief of Lindgren, issuing a walk, hit batsman and a pair of wild pitches before allowing a two-run double to Andrew Moritz in the sixth. That was more than enough support for Rangel and the M-Braves bullpen, who did not allow a hit after the fifth inning.
With the loss, the Blue Wahoos have fallen 0.5 games behind Mississippi in the South Division with 24 to play in the first half.
After an off day on Monday, the Blue Wahoos continue their homestand against the Biloxi Shuckers on Tuesday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
About Those Throwback Navy Uniforms On The Blue Wahoos
May 29, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos have partnered with Naval Air Station Pensacola to honor the legacy of the Navy in the Pensacola community and the history of Navy baseball by wearing accurate replicas of World War II-era Navy baseball uniforms on Memorial Day weekend and Independence Day weekend.
The Navy baseball uniforms worn by the team are modeled after uniforms worn by the Navy’s baseball team during World War II. During the war, over 500 major league baseball players served in the military including Ted Williams, Bob Feller, Jackie Robinson, Stan Musial, and Joe DiMaggio. Williams famously was stationed in Pensacola, playing for the Bronson Field baseball team while training to become a fighter pilot.
“We are very excited to share the history of Navy baseball in Pensacola with the Blue Wahoos and look forward to seeing Navy Baseball uniforms take the field,” Jason Boortz, Public Affairs Officer at Naval Air Station Pensacola, said. “We’re grateful to the community for their constant support of the Navy, the Blue Wahoos for their support of the Navy-Marine Relief Society, and for the opportunity to share the history of Navy Baseball with fans in Pensacola.”
Bortz and NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Terrence Shashaty threw out the first pitches in the Navy uniforms on Saturday.
The Navy baseball jerseys will be worn again on-field by the Blue Wahoos on Sunday and on July 2. Following the July 2 game, the uniforms will be auctioned to benefit the Navy-Marine Relief Society, a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides financial assistance and additional programs and services to members of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and their families.
Additionally, the team will be installing a Navy baseball display at Blue Wahoos Stadium, helping share the story of Navy baseball and Pensacola’s Bronson Field team with fans at the ballpark.
The Wahoos lost 9-1 to the Mississippi Braves Saturday night.
Central’s Mathews Signs With USA Track, Marking First D1 Signing For CHS
May 29, 2022
Morgan Mathews of Central School has signed to continue running hurdles and track and field at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. This marks the first time a Central School athlete has ever signed a letter of intent to continue a sport at a D1 level. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
M-Braves Clobber Six Homers In 19-6 Blowout of Blue Wahoos
May 28, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped back-to-back games for the first time in almost a month, surrendering six home runs and 19 runs to the Mississippi Braves in a 19-6 loss on Friday night.
Troy Johnston extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a 4-for-5 night at the plate, but his output paled in comparison to Mississippi’s effort.
The M-Braves tagged Pensacola starter Cody Mincey (L, 2-2) for a season-high eight runs, seven earned, over 4.2 innings. Luke Waddell hit a two-run double in the second and C.J. Alexander hit the first of his two two-run homers in the third before Yariel Gonzalez and Alexander chased Mincey from the game with homers in the fifth. Dylan Bice fared little better, allowing a two-run double to Michael Harris II in the fifth to extend the Mississippi lead to 10-1. In the sixth, Hendrik Clementina and Drew Lugbauer hit back-to-back homers to stretch the Mississippi lead to 12-1.
Tanner Gordon (W, 2-2) allowed a run in the first inning on a Cobie Fletcher-Vance sacrifice fly, but completed 6.0 innings for the first time in his Double-A career by working scoreless baseball the rest of the way. A Johnston two-run double in the seventh was followed by a Griffin Conine RBI single against reliever Hayden Deal, but by that time the game was well in hand.
Mississippi had one more big inning in them, plating six in the ninth against Josh Simpson and Eli Villalobos. After Simpson allowed a pair of runs and left with the bases loaded, Villalobos allowed a grand slam to Lugbauer to cap the offensive outburst for the Braves.
With the loss, the Blue Wahoos’ division lead has fallen to 1.5 games over Mississippi and Biloxi with 26 to play in the first half.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Mississippi Braves on Saturday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Calloway Elected President Of Century Blackcat Youth Football; Registration Saturday
May 27, 2022
Kent Calloway was recently elected president of Century Blackcat Youth Football.
Calloway is a Century native and grew up loving Blackcat football.
“I always loved Blackcat football and I look forward to the upcoming season. This is an opportunity for the community to come together and support Blackcat Youth Football,” he said. “I am really excited about our teams, and I am excited about coming back and playing with friends and neighbors in the Escambia River Conference this year.”
The Escambia River Conference (ERC) includes teams from Century, Baker, Jay, Flomaton, Brewton, Andalusia, Neal, Straughn, Atmore and Excel.
An in-person registration for Blackcat football will be held Saturday, May 28 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Nadine McCaw Park on Highway 29 in Century.
For more information call (850) 861-4337. To register, call Calloway at (850) 554-4708.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Grad Sherrill Named All-Sun Belt First Team
May 27, 2022
Georgia Southern’s Jesse Sherrill, a 2018 Tate High School graduate, was named All-Sun Belt First Team at second base.
Sherrill transferred in from Kennesaw State prior to the beginning of the 2022 season and led the Eagles in batting average with .358, good for eighth in the Sun Belt Conference. Sherrill is tied for the lead for the Eagles in HBP with 17, and is second in the SBC in total HBP, just behind Troy’s Jesse Hall. Sherrill also has 33 walks this season, which leads the GS baseball team and rounds out the top 10 in the conference.
At Tate, Sherrill batted .420 with 31 runs and 21 RBIs his senior season.
Images courtesy Georgia Southern for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Braves Beat The Wahoos 13-9
May 27, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fought to the final out, scoring seven runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but dropped Thursday’s game to the Mississippi Braves by a score of 13-9.
Zach McCambley (L, 2-3) allowed three runs, all unearned, over 5.0 innings, but the Pensacola bullpen struggled mightily after his departure. Mississippi put up six runs in the sixth against Brady Puckett and four in the eighth against A.J. Ladwig, making difficult debuts for the two newest Blue Wahoos relievers.
Michael Harris II chopped a two-run single in the second inning to give the M-Braves the game’s first lead, but J.D. Osborne got a run back for Pensacola in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single. After an unearned run came home against McCambley in the fourth, Luis Aviles Jr. brought the game to 3-2 with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning.
Darius Vines (W, 3-2) struck out eight Pensacola batters over 5.0 innings, and witnessed his offense break the game open in the sixth. Puckett allowed RBI doubles to Trey Harris and Yariel Gonzalez, and saw Colton Hock let in all three of his inherited runners on RBI singles from Jalen Miller and Andrew Moritz for a six-run frame.
Ladwig allowed three doubles and a two-run homer to Miller in the eighth, giving the M-Braves four insurance runs and a 13-2 edge. The first five Pensacola batters reached in the ninth, and Paul McIntosh hit a three-run homer to bring the score to 13-9, but Justin Yeager entered for the final two outs to put an end to the rally and the ballgame.
Troy Johnston was 2-for-5 with a pair of singles, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. At 3:11, the game was Pensacola’s first nine-inning game of more than three hours since pitch clock rules were implemented in mid-April.
With the loss, the Blue Wahoos’ division lead has fallen to 2.5 games over Mississippi and Biloxi with 27 to play in the first half.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Mississippi Braves on Friday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
