Late Comeback Seals Road Series Win For Wahoos
April 21, 2025
written by Carter Bainbridge
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (11-4) clinched their third consecutive series win to open the 2025 season with a 5-3 victory over the Columbus Clingstones (6-8) on Sunday.
The Wahoos jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning. A one-out Joe Mack single and a groundout placed a runner in scoring position for first baseman Nathan Martorella, who drove home Mack with a two-out hit to put Pensacola ahead 1-0.
The Clingstones answered back in each of their next two innings. Facing Wahoo starter Luis Palacios (ND), Columbus tied the game in the second inning when third baseman Keshawn Ogans drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk. Palacios escaped the jam without further trouble, but yielded another run in the third inning when Columbus right fielder Ethan Workinger singled home shortstop Cal Conley. After three innings of play, the Clingstones led 2-1.
Pensacola failed to answer in the middle innings against Columbus starter Blake Burkhalter (ND), who did not allow a baserunner over his final three innings. The Clingstones’ bullpen continued to keep the Wahoos in check into the seventh inning, when catcher Sam Praytor’s two-out walk snapped a streak of 17 consecutive batters retired by the Columbus pitching staff.
Trailing 2-1 in the eighth inning, the Blue Wahoo bats finally came to life. Facing righthander Jorge Juan (L, 0-1), center fielder Mark Coley II and Joe Mack each drew walks to put two aboard with nobody out. Second baseman Jared Serna then hit a 3-0 pitch into right field, scoring Coley from second before Ethan Workinger’s error allowed Mack to score from first. After a pitching change, Pensacola tacked on another run when Serna’s steal attempt of second provoked an errant throw by Columbus catcher Adam Zebrowski. The second Clingstones’ error of the inning allowed Serna to score and give the Wahoos a 4-2 lead heading to the bottom of the eighth.
In the bottom of the eighth, Columbus pulled closer when first baseman Drew Compton doubled home Cal Conley against Pensacola righthander Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (W, 1-0). The Wahoos responded with an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Mark Coley’s RBI single scored left fielder Dalvy Rosario from second. Righthander Josh Ekness (SV, 2) entered for the bottom of the ninth and closed out a 5-3 Pensacola victory.
The series win marks the first-ever series victory for Pensacola over Columbus and the first road series win for the Blue Wahoos in 2025.
The Blue Wahoos return to Pensacola on Tuesday, April 22 to begin a six-game series with the Knoxville Smokies. First pitch from Blue Wahoos Stadium is schedule for 6:05 p.m.
Aggie Cheerleaders ‘Egg’ Yards Across North Escambia For Easter
April 20, 2025
Kids across North Escambia found eggs hidden in their yards Easter morning with the help of the Tate High School Aggie cheerleaders.
Tate Cheer held an “Egg My Yard” fundraiser. For donations starting at $20, the cheerleaders hid pre-filled eggs Saturday night in yards north of Nine Mile Road. Proceeds will benefit the Tate cheer program.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High’s Kristin Maum Places Second In Quarterfinals For ‘America’s Favorite Teacher’
April 20, 2025
A Tate High School teacher paced second in the quarterfinals of the “America’s Favorite Teacher” contest by the national magazine Reader’s Digest.
We first told you about Kristin Maum last week.
On other Escambia County teacher, Emerald Barton, advanced to the semi-finals. She is a kindergarten teacher at Navy Pointe Elementary.
About Kristin Maum
Maum admits she was a terrible student back when she was in school.
“I didn’t do my homework, I slept through class, but I was never disrespectful to my teachers—I just found school to be boring,” she said. “I decided to become a teacher so that no other students felt the way I did. I want students to love learning so much that they become lifelong learners. What inspires me most as an educator is the belief that every child can learn and deserves to feel known, valued, and inspired.”
“I love getting to work with kids on a daily basis—helping them fall in love with learning. In my class, we do whatever it takes to learn,” she said.
The Reader’s Digest contest will award the winner $25,000 and a trip to Hawaii. And if had won, Tate High would have received a school assembly from Bill Nye the Science Guy.
She had planned to use the $25,000 to pay off about $18,000 in medical debt that accumulated after she was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024 and began treatment. The remainder of the money she hoped would to go toward her son’s college tuition. He will be a freshman in the fall.
Driver Collides With A Bathtub And A Tree In Cottage Hill Wreck
April 20, 2025
A pickup truck driver collided with a tree and a bathtub in a single vehicle wreck late Saturday night in Cottage Hill.
The pickup truck driver left the roadway in the 700 block of William Ditch Road, hit an old claw foot bathtub that was being used as a decorative planter in a front yard, hit a tree and came to rest in a ditch several houses away.
Initial information from the scene indicated that the driver may have suffered a medical emergency prior to the 11:28 p.m. crash. He was transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS for evaluation and treatment.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Escambia County Fire Rescue also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Florida House Approves Salzman Plan For Term Limits On County Commissioners
April 20, 2025
The Florida House on Wednesday passed a joint resolution to amend the Florida Constitution to include term limits on county commissioners and school board members.
The House voted 82-33 to back the joint resolution filed by Escambia County Republican Rep. Michelle Salzman.
The joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Florida Constitution to provide term limits for county commissioners and school district board members after serving eight consecutive years. The limitation would apply applies to terms of office for county commissioners beginning after November 3, 2026, and terms of office for school district board members beginning on or after November 8, 2022.
“This is the House joint resolution to put term limits for county commissioners and school board members at eight years on the ballot,” Salzman said on the House floor. She said most American back term limits, while opponents say any term limits should be decided by local voters, not mandated by the state.
In 2023, the Florida Legislature approved Eight-year term limits for school board members were approved by the Florida Legislature in 2023, but the term limits are not in the Constitution.
If approved by the Legislature, the amendment would appear on the ballot for the 2026 general election
Diamond Kings 6U Take First Place In Molino Spring Classic Baseball Tournament
April 20, 2025
The Diamond Kings 6U went undefeated the entire tournament to win first place in the Molino Spring Classic Baseball Tournament.
Caleb Moore slammed eight home runs over the weekend, the most of any player in the tournament. Hayes Fetsko earned the MVP for the Diamond Kings for his outstanding defense.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mack Homers, Pitching Dominates In 2-1 Wahoos Win
April 20, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos got back in the win column on Saturday night, beating the Columbus Clingstones in a game that featured only five total hits between the two teams.
Joe Mack gave the Blue Wahoos (10-4) an early lead with a solo homer in the first inning, his third of the year to tie for the Southern League lead, and Jared Serna delivered an RBI single with two outs in the second inning.
Pensacola was held hitless for the rest of the night, but four Blue Wahoos pitchers combined for a two-hitter to keep the Clingstones (6-7) from erasing the early deficit.
Both starting pitchers were shaky early, as Clingstones righty Jhancarlos Lara (L, 0-2) allowed five of the first eight men he faced to reach base. Blue Wahoos lefty Dax Fulton issued three walks and a hit batsman in his first trip through the order, but settled down and didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning in his best start since coming back from Tommy John surgery.
Fulton was lifted after 4.2 innings with two runners on base, and Josh White (W, 3-0) escaped the jam to preserve the 2-0 advantage. In the sixth, White stranded two more runners in scoring position with a pair of clutch strikeouts.
Columbus scratched a run across against Nigel Belgrave in the seventh with a Cal Conley RBI fielder’s choice, but Belgrave returned for a quiet eighth before Dale Stanavich (S, 2) picked up the ninth to earn the save.
Cody Milligan had both hits for the Clingstones, who have only five run-scoring hits through the first five games of the series.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Clingstones on Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Synovus Park is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET/12:05 p.m. CT.
Photos: Logjam Blocked Perdido River At Barrineau Park Bridge (With Photo Gallery)
April 19, 2025
A foot or more of rain April 6-7 led to flooding on the Perdido River at Barrineau Park. The flooded river left behind a larger than normal logjam against the Barrineau Park Road bridge.
Most of the logs have since been removed.
The bridge was closed for several days by flooding. As the water receded, the logjam blocked any travel down the river until the logs were cleared.
The concrete construction Barrineau Park Road bridge spans the Perdido River from Escambia County, Florida, to Baldwin County, Alabama. While it crosses the state line, the bridge is owned and maintained by Escambia County.
For a photo gallery look back at last weekend, click here.
Pictured: The logjam on the Perdido River at the Barrineau Park bridge as seen on Sunday, April 13. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Receive At-Large Bid To Regional Quarterfinals
April 19, 2025
The Tate Aggies on Friday received an at-large bid in the FHSAA 6A Baseball State Championship regional quarterfinals next week.
The regional quarter finals will be a best-of-three series this year. No. 4 Tate will host No. 5 Fletcher for the first two games beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 23. The third game, if necessary will move nearly 400 miles away to Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach. The winner will advance to the regional semifinals April 30 against either No. 1 Buckholz or No. 8 First Coast.
In other 6A Baseball State Championship regional quarterfinals in the area, No. 2 Pace will host No. 7 Oviedo.
Looking ahead, the regional finals are May 7, the state semifinals on May 16 at the state championship on May 17.
Pictured top: Tate Aggies seniors were honored recently at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flags Fly At Half Staff In Florida Until Monday To Honor FSU
April 19, 2025
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday ordered flags to be flown at half-staff through Monday across the state to honor Florida State University.
Thursday, two people were killed and six people were wounded by a gunman on the FSU campus.
DeSantis ordered flags at half-staff “in memory of the lives lost in this tragedy and to recognize the bravery shown by the first responders.”
File photo.