Wahoos Maintain Divison Lead Despite Loss
September 4, 2015
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos struggles against perennial Southern League contender the Mobile BayBears continued Thursday.
Mobile, just an hour west of Pensacola, is now, 12-4, this season against the Blue Wahoos and 51-32 since the Cincinnati Reds Double-A affiliate was established in 2012.
Pensacola managed three hits in a shutout loss, 3-0, against Mobile in front of 4,572 Thursday at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Blue Wahoos right fielder Juan Duran, who had two of Pensacola’s three hits on two infield singles, launched a fly ball to dead center with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth inning but Mobile center fielder Evan Marzilli hauled it in with his back to the wall.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said he knew Duran didn’t get all of the ball to drive it 400-feet over the center field wall.
“I knew he missed it,” Kelly said. “But he’s so strong he can miss balls and still hit home runs. It did go 395 feet.”
Pensacola is on a 1-4 slide in its last five games against the Jackson Generals and Mobile, but it has been lucky to stay on top of the Southern League South Division. The Atlanta Braves Double-A affiliate the Mississippi Braves lost to the Jacksonville Suns on a walk off three-run home run in the 10th inning and fell to 35-30. Meanwhile, the Blue Wahoos also lost but dropped to 36-30 to remain a half-game ahead in the second half of the season.
Kelly said Pensacola was snake-bitten Thursday night, especially after Duran’s smash down the third base line in the second inning hit the umpire and bounced into Mobile third baseman Raul Navarro’s mitt in the second inning. Duran singled but the odd play seemed to rob Duran of a sure double.
Duran then threw a strike on a hit-and-run play from right field in the fourth inning that looked like it beat Mobile left fielder Socrates Brito to third base. However, according to Kelly who ran on to the field to argue the play, the third base umpire said Blue Wahoos third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean tagged the runner high.
Mobile ended up scoring three runs in the fourth with Brito and second baseman Garrett Weber hitting back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Pensacola starter Daniel Wright then walked right fielder Gabriel Guerrero and threw seven straight balls.
Mark Thomas, batting .163, came to the plate with one out and clobbered a double over Pensacola center fielder Beau Amaral’s head into the left-center alley to clear the bases and Mobile was ahead, 3-0.
“Everyone in the ballpark, including the runner, knew he was out,” Kelly said about the play at third on Brito.
Mobile, which has had six players from its 2015 team make their Major League debut this year with the Arizona Diamondbacks, got a strong outing from new pitcher Matt Koch, who earned his first win. He was making his first start for Mobile after a trade earlier this month between the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets. He allowed two hits in 7.1 innings, walked four and tied his season-high with six strikeouts.
After Duran’s smash in the second inning, Koch settled down and retired the next 16 of 17 batters through the seventh inning. Koch allowed a runner to second base twice — once when Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth reached the bag in the fifth inning and again in the seventh inning when Duran earned an infield single up the middle.
Kelly only had praise for Koch’s slider and cutter.
“We knew he had good stuff,” Kelly said. “It’s hard when you haven’t seen the guy before.”
Pensacola is looking to make its first postseason appearance since its inaugural season in 2012 and end the longest drought of missing the playoffs by a Southern League Major League affiliate. The Cincinnati Reds last Double-A team to make the playoffs was Chattanooga in 2006.
“It’s one of five games,” Kelly said. “It tightens things up. It still comes down to winning this series. If we can win this series, they can’t catch us.”
Thursday Football: Ernest Ward Beats Miller; WFHS Bests Tate
September 4, 2015
Thursday night football scores:
Ernest Ward Middle 34, T.R. Miller 10
West Florida JV 26, Tate 0
West Florida Freshmen 48, Tate 6
Tom Thumb Robbed At Gunpoint (With Surveillance Video)
September 3, 2015
An early morning armed robbery is under investigation at Highway 29 convenience store.
The Tom Thumb at Highway 29 at Roberts Road was robbed at gunpoint just before 1 a.m. Thursday. A black male wearing a dark hoodie and a mask entered the store and demanded cash, according to Sena Maddison, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The clerks were not injured.
Investigators have not yet determined if this robbery is related to the robbery of a Tom Thumb at in the 300 block of Highway 29 last week. Click here for more information and surveillance images from that robbery.
Anyone with information on either robbery is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
(If you do not see the video below, it is because your home, school or work firewall is blocking YouTube videos.)
Man Steals Truck For Beer And Cigarette Run, Visits Creek And Returns Truck
September 3, 2015
A Bratt man is facing charges after allegedly stealing his neighbor’s truck to buy beer and cigarettes and go to a a creek before returning the pickup the next morning.
A resident of York Road reported his truck stolen, only to wake up the following morning and discover that his truck had been returned He told deputies that he confronted his neighbor, 51-year old Marvin Anthony Haynie, who allegedly admitted to the theft.
The neighbor said Haynie told him that he had walked into his yard to see where deer had been crossing, entered the truck and found the keys. He then reportedly took the truck to get beer and cigarettes at a store before driving to a creek near Little Rock, AL. That’s where the truck’s battery died and Haynie spent the night before someone jumped off the truck’s battery the next morning.
Prior to the truck being reported stolen, it was caught on a camera and observed by an off-duty with Haynie driving at York Road and Pine Barren Road, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report.
Haynie was charged with felony grand theft of a motor vehicle, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and driving with a suspended license. Haynie remained in the Escambia County Jail early Thursday with bond set at $6,000.
Escambia County To Donate Vehicle To Century Healthy Start Program
September 3, 2015
Escambia County is set to donate a surplus vehicle to benefit women and children in Century and surrounding areas.
The 2000 Dodge Durango is county surplus, in fair condition but no longer usable the county. The county will donate it to the Escambia County Healthy Start Coalition, which offers a variety of programs including grief support, a safe sleep initiative, fetal and infant mortality programs and more. The programs help educate mothers on proper care for their infants and themselves.
In June, Healthy Start opened a new clinic in Century where the programs are available, along with a WIC program on the second Tuesday of every month. For many of the women, transportation is a major concern, county officials said.
Man Sentenced To 12 Years For Burglary, Grand Theft
September 3, 2015
An Escambia County man convicted on burglary related charges will spend the next 12 years in state prison.
Trenton Marquis Fails was sentenced by Circuit Judge Thomas Johnson for burglary of an occupied dwelling, grand theft auto, theft from a person 65 years of age or older, criminal mischief, trespass and resisting officer without violence, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, reckless driving and driving without a valid driver’s license.
On January 4, Fails and his co-defendant, Anthony McPherson, knocked on the door of an 87-year old woman and briefly spoke with her before forcing their way into the residence. The defendants took her purse, along with cash and her car keys, before stealing her car.
When deputies spotted the vehicle on Belmont Street, they attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the vehicle by initiating their lights and siren. A brief chase ensued before McPherson and Fails abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. A K-9 track led deputies to a residence on Frisco Road where both were apprehended.
McPherson was previously sentenced to 15 years in state prison.
The investigation was conducted by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant State Attorney Jeremiah Monahan prosecuted the case.
Deputies Seek Cantonment Armed Robbery Suspect
September 3, 2015
Authorities are seeking information in the armed robbery of a Cantonment Tom Thumb during the early morning hours of August 25.
The suspect entered the store in the 300 block of South Highway 29 about 1:45 a.m. He was armed with a revolver, forcing the clerk to place money from the register into a plastic bag. The suspect was described as a black male wearing a camouflage hoodie with a black mask over his face. It is believed that he drove the silver vehicle pictured prior to the robbery.
Anyone with information as to his identify is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or send an online tip at gulfcoastcrimestoppers.org.
These surveillance photos were released Wednesday by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Northview To Hold Open House Next Week
September 3, 2015
Northview High School will hold an Open House next week.
The even will be held from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8 with school faculty and staff on hand to provide a more in-depth look at the education programs at Northview.
For more information, click here.
Escambia Sheriff’s Office Presents Quarterly Awards
September 3, 2015
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held their quarterly awards ceremony Wednesday, with Sheriff David Morgan presenting the following awards and commendations:
Commendation Medal and Law Enforcement Officer of the Quarter: Deputy Ron Busbee (pictured top).
(scroll down below photos for more)
Law Enforcement Employee of the Quarter: Vicki Hodge (pictured above).
Big Smiles: Tate Cheerleader Wins $500 Prize For Her Squad
September 3, 2015
A Tate High School varsity cheerleader received a big surprise, and a big check, Wednesday from her orthodontist. Freshman Emilee Potter won a Shehee & Callahan Family Orthodontics’ car magnet contest, earning her $500 for her school. She chose to give the money to her cheerleading squad. The money will be used to purchase pink pom-poms for the Tate cheeerleaders to use for breast cancer awareness. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
