Seven Unanswered Runs Earn Wahoos 9-5 Victory
May 25, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos battled from behind to pull off a 9-5 victory over the Columbus Clingstones on Sunday afternoon, anchored by productive contact and showstopping defensive plays.
Initially down 4-0 after troublesome pitching plagued the first two innings, the Wahoos (23-22) fought back with three runs in the third to threaten and four in the fifth to commandeer the series-securing game. Pensacola climbs back above the .500 mark for the second time this season against Columbus (21-23), doing so for the first time back on Wednesday.
Six Wahoos finished with two hits each on the 13-hit day, led by Fenwick Trimble who initiated the comeback with his sixth home run of the season, a three-run no-doubter that landed in the bay beyond left field. Sam Praytor had an excellent day at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance, scoring two runs and driving in one with a walk drawn. Dillon Lewis impressed with two doubles and two RBI.
Mason Vinyard (W, 2-1) earned his second win of the year with a stellar relief outing that allowed the Pensacola offense a moment to reset. Vineyard offered 4.0 innings of relief that saw just one hit, two walks and no runs allowed, picking up one strikeout.
The Wahoos got off to a rocky start in the first inning after a four-pitch walk issued to Columbus’ Luke Waddell turned into a run just a batter later. A David McCabe single into centerfield was misplayed by Dillon Lewis, and Waddell flew from first to home as the ball rolled into the deepest part of the park.
A subsequent hit-by-pitch and a walk would load the bases, and a fielder’s choice allowed McCabe to plate the second run of the evening for the Clingstones. Pensacola second baseman Payton Green stopped the bleeding however, leaping up to snag a line drive and turn the inning over.
Two more runs came across in the second inning for the visiting side. A two-out triple by Waddell into the right field corner pushed home Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. from second base, and Waddell would race home on a wild pitch to pad the Clingstones’ lead, 4-0.
Pensacola righted the ship in the bottom of the third. Sam Praytor registered the team’s first hit of the evening with a line drive into center field, followed by a well-executed bunt single by Emaarion Boyd. This set the table quite well for Trimble to launch a towering, three-run home run over left field, instantly making it a one-run ballgame.
The warmed Wahoo bats caught fire in the fifth. Cristian Hernandez and Trimble knocked consecutive singles into center off of Columbus’ Blake Enlow (L, 1-2), paving the way for Dillon Lewis to power a one-hop double off the wall in the left to score both runners and strip the lead, 5-4. Pensacola added a pair of insurance runs as line drive into left from Payton Green scored Lewis, and a previously walked Jay Beshears jogged home after Enlow balked.
The Clingstones got one back in the seventh after Patrick Clohisy got on base with a single, later stealing his way to third and scoring on a groundout to first base. It’d be false hope however, as the Wahoos answered back and more in the following half-inning. Dylan Jasso doubled to the wall in left, and Praytor sent him home with a double of his. Praytor would later score all the way from second base on a wild pitch, wrapping up the scoring for the home side, 9-5.
The Blue Wahoos will take Monday off before hitting the road for a series with the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, beginning on Tuesday.
Rainy Memorial Day Week Ahead for North Escambia
May 24, 2026
A wet and stormy weather pattern is settling over the region, promising daily chances of rain and thunderstorms deep into the upcoming week. An unsettled airmass will keep skies mostly cloudy to partly sunny, keeping afternoon high temperatures locked in the around 80 to mid-84 range, while nighttime lows remain muggy in the around 70 range. Heavy downpours are possible at times, particularly on Memorial Day and Tuesday, as rain chances climb as high as 90 percent.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
This Afternoon: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a steady temperature around 78. Southwest wind around 5 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Calm wind. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Memorial Day: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 4pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Monday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 80. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Tuesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm, then a chance of showers between 10pm and 1am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 84. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 83. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Friday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Saturday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 82. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 84.
FloridaCommerce Reports Small Increase In Escambia County Unemployment
May 24, 2026
The Escambia County area unemployment rate increased, according to data released Friday by FloridaCommerce.
The area’s unemployment rate was 5.0% in April 2026, a slight increase from the March rate of 4.9%. A year ago, the unemployment rate in Escambia County was 3.6%.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in April 2026, up 0.1 percentage point from the March 2026 rate, and up 1.1 percentage points from a year ago. There were 532,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 11,150,000. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in April.
Former Students Return For McArthur Elementary Senior Walk
May 24, 2026
Former students returned to the halls of McArthur Elementary School for a Senior Walk. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
The One Where The Teachers Had Water Guns: Ransom Middle School Send-Off
May 24, 2026
Ransom Middle School celebrated the last day of school with its annual Tiger Summer Send-off as students boarded the buses for break.
Adding to the end-of-year excitement, teachers lined the driveway armed with water guns, giving the departing students a fun and refreshing soak to kick off their summer vacation.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
McArthur Elementary Holds Fifth Grade Awards Banquet
May 24, 2026
McArthur Elementary help a fifth grade awards ceremony and banquet.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lipscomb Elementary Fifth Graders Enjoy Action-Packed Last Week
May 24, 2026
Fifth graders at Lipscomb Elementary School had an action-packed last week of elementary school.
The students had an awards ceremony, a luau, and a field trip to WonderWorks in Panama City.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Class Of 2026: Senior Walk At Byrneville Elementary
May 24, 2026
Members of the Class of 2026 returned to Byrneville Elementary School for a Senior Walk.
The seniors were cheered on by teachers and current students. The seniors also honored classmate Nicholas Isiah Walston who passed away at age 17 in February 2025.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Registration Closes Monday For Molino Ballpark Flag Football Summer League
May 24, 2026
There’s still time to register for the Molino Ballpark Summer Flag Football League. The seven-week season will run on Friday nights from June 12 through July 31.
The co-ed league is open to ages 5–6, while separate boys’ and girls’ leagues are available for ages 7–14. Depending on the final registration numbers, some divisions may become co-ed.
The division formats and game times are structured as follows:
- Ages 5–8 (5v5): 30 minutes of practice followed by a 30-minute game.
- Ages 8–10 (5v5 or 6v6): 45 minutes of practice followed by a 30-minute game.
- Ages 11–14 (5v5 or 6v6): 45 minutes of practice followed by a 30-minute game.
The registration fee is $110 per player and includes a team jersey and a mouthguard. The final deadline to sign up is Monday May 25. Parents can register their children online by visiting www.molinoballpark.com. For more information, click here.
Milbrandt Fans 12, Extends Scoreless Streak In Dominant Blue Wahoos Win
May 24, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Columbus Clingstones 4-0 on Saturday night behind another overpowering start from their ace, Karson Milbrandt.
Milbrandt (W, 4-1), the reigning Southern League Pitcher of the Week, struck out a career-high 12 Columbus batters over 6.0 scoreless innings. He extended his scoreless innings streak to 23.0 innings, tied for the second-longest for a starting pitcher in Blue Wahoos franchise history, and lowered his league-leading ERA to a miniscule 1.06 that is the best in all of Minor League Baseball. It marked his fifth consecutive start of 6.0 innings, and got the Blue Wahoos back to the .500 mark at 22-22.
Cristian Hernández gave the Blue Wahoos an early 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the first inning off Clingstones starter Lucas Braun (L, 0-2). Fenwick Trimble added an RBI single in the third inning, and Ian Lewis Jr. doubled home a pair in the sixth for a 4-0 lead.
That would be more than enough for Milbrandt, the team’s top prospect and #9 prospect in the Marlins organization per MLB Pipeline. One week after tying a career high with 11 strikeouts in a win over Chattanooga, he bested his own mark with a dozen strikeouts to give him a league-leading 63 in 42.1 innings on the season.
Milbrandt’s 23.0 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to the second inning of his May 2 start now tie him with Deck McGuire for the fourth-longest scoreless streak in Blue Wahoos history, and another scoreless inning in his next appearance would surpass Tony Cingrani for the franchise record among starting pitchers. Reliever Lee Hyde, who worked 31.0 consecutive scoreless innings across 27 appearances in 2013, holds the all-time franchise record.
Jack Sellinger (S, 1) worked the final 3.0 innings to earn his first Double-A save, finish off the four-hit shutout and secure a series split for the Blue Wahoos, with a chance to win the series outright in Sunday’s finale.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Clingstones on Sunday afternoon.
written by Erik Bremer