Jackson’s Flores Hits Walk-Off To Beat Wahoos 4-3
May 16, 2017
Jackson Generals left fielder Rudy Flores smacked a two-out, walk-off single to help his team rally from three runs down to beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 4-3 on Monday at The Ballpark at Jackson.
Jackson center fielder Evan Marzilli scored the winning run after leading off the ninth inning with a single to right field.
The Blue Wahoos fell to 6-8 on the season in games decided by one run. They are 20-18 on the year and a game behind the Mississippi Braves in the South Division.
Jackson, the defending Southern League champion, improved to 22-15 and leads the North Division by a half game over the Chattanooga Lookouts and Tennessee Smokies.
Blue Wahoos closer Brennan Bernardino came on in the ninth with the game tied, 3-3, but gave up two hits and struck out one to pick up the loss. He is 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA.
Pensacola right-hander Luis Castillo has failed to get a decision in his past two starts, even though he allowed one run in seven innings against the Birmingham Barons and on Monday gave up just two runs in five innings to Jackson. Considered the seventh best prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization by MLB Pipeline.com, Castillo scattered six hits to the Generals, walked two and struck out one.
Castillo, who is 1-2 on the year with a 3.07 ERA, last earned a victory April 13 against the Biloxi Shuckers in his second start of the season.
He was relieved by Domingo Tapia, who blew his second save opportunity of the season when he gave up the tying run in the sixth to Jackson. Generals first baseman Kevin Cron led off the sixth inning by crushing a fly ball over the center field wall 390-feet away to tie the game, 3-3. It was his Southern League-leading ninth homer of the season.
All three of Pensacola’s runs happened in the third inning. Blue Wahoos center fielder Brian O’Grady hit his second homer in two games and now has five on the season to lead the ball club.
With two outs, Pensacola second baseman Alex Blandino singled to left field and shortstop Blake Trahan singled to right field and then stole second base. That’s when Mr. Clutch Josh VanMeter stepped to the plate and delivered a single to left that drove in both Blandino and Trahan to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 3-0.
VanMeter, Pensacola’s third baseman, is 9-19 (.474) with 12 of his team-leading 17 RBIs coming with runners in scoring position and two outs this year.
Castillo gave up his two runs to Jackson in the fourth inning when second baseman Kevin Medrano doubled in Cron and then starting pitcher Taylor Clark hit a sacrifice fly to score catcher Oscar Hernandez to cut Pensacola’s lead to, 3-2.
Plans Finalized To Rebuild Tornado Ravaged 114 Year Old Century Church
May 15, 2017
Plans have been finalized to reconstruct the historic Century United Methodist Church, which was damaged beyond repair in last year’s Century tornado. Church members hope construction will begin soon.
The appearance of the new building will be much like the old building and will include windows, pews, light fixtures, woodwork and more salvaged from the old church.
The Century United Methodist Church was built in 1902, just after Century was established by The Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company. It was constructed of virgin long leaf pine, with interior detail and finish that created a reverent place for worship.
For over 114 years, the sanctuary helped to provide comfort and inspiration to Century residents with weekly services, as well as special occasions such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals.
Time took its toll on the familiar old building, along with a fire and hurricanes. The February 15, 2016, EF-3 tornado that struck Century dealt a blow from which the building could not be recovered. Many architectural details were salvaged before the structure had to be dismantled.
Church members have continued to meet since the tornado, operating out of their Annex Building across the street.
Pictured top and bottom: Architectural drawings of the new Century United Methodist Church. Pictured inset and below: The Century UMC following the February 15, 2016, tornado. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Winning $60K Fantasy Five Ticket Sold In North Escambia
May 15, 2017
Someone is over $60,000 richer this morning after purchasing a winning Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 ticket in Davisville.
The ticket sold at the State Line Gift Shop, 11208 Highway 97, was one of three winning tickets sold for Sunday night’s drawing worth $60,365.68. Other winning tickets matching all five numbers were sold in Orlando and Miramar.
The ticket was the fourth winning Fantasy Five ticket sold in just over a year at the State Line Gift Shop.
The 446 tickets matching four numbers won $65 each. Another 10,764 tickets matching three numbers are worth $7.50 each, and 89,179 ticket holders won a Quick Pick ticket for picking two numbers.
Sunday’s winning numbers were 1-5-9-10-16.
Pictured: The State Line Gift Shop on Highwy 97 in Davisville. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Donates Surplus Office Equipment, Furniture To Century
May 15, 2017
The Escambia County Commission recently voted to donate various surplus office furniture and equipment to the Town of Century.
The county approved the donation of the following surplus items to Century:
- 6-Drawer Desk (Walnut Finish)
- Grey Table (approx 6 feet)
- Grey 4-Foot Table/Desk
- Credenza (Walnut Finish)
- 6-Drawer Desk (Walnut Finish)
- 5-Door Lateral Open File (Legal Size)
- 5-Door Lateral Open File (Legal Size)
- 5-Door Lateral Open File (Legal Size)
- 5-Door Lateral Open File (Legal Size)
- 5-Door Lateral Open File (Legal Size)
- Tennsco 2-Drawer Lateral Open File
- Tennsco 2-Drawer Lateral Open File
- 2-Drawer Lateral Open File
- 2-Drawer Lateral Open File
- 2-Drawer Lateral Open File
- 2-Drawer Lateral Open File
- 2-Drawer Lateral Open File
- 2-Drawer Lateral Open File
- HON 6-Shelf Open File
- HON 6-Shelf Open File
- HON 6-Shelf Open File
- HON 6-Shelf Open File
- DELL Latitude 100L Laptop (reformatted to Windows XP sp 3)
- 6-Drawer Desk (Cherry Finish)
- 4-Drawer Desk (Walnut Finish)
Camp Fire Century Holds Graduation (With Photo Gallery)
May 15, 2017
The Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center held a graduation program recently.
Photos by August Whorff for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Names Students Of The Month
May 15, 2017
Ernest Ward Middle School recently announced Students of the Month for March. They are Makayla Garrett, eighth grade; Taylor McMinn, seventh grade; and John Michael Ward, sixth grade. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Girls Weightlifting Team Presents Season Awards
May 15, 2017
The Northview High School girls weightlifting team celebrated their season and presented the following honors:
ECAT Offers Free Summer Rides For Youth, Art Contest
May 15, 2017
Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) has announced the launch of their summer youth initiatives. ECAT will hold a Youth Art Contest for students and offer a Summer Wheels Pass that allows youths to ride ECAT for free all summer long.
“ECAT is committed to serving all of Escambia County, including the youth in our area,” said Tonya Ellis, director of Marketing and Community Relations for ECAT. “Our Art Contest and Summer Wheels Pass are designed to encourage young people to explore their community while engaging with public transit.”
ECAT’s 2017 Youth Art Contest calls for students in Pre-K through 12th grades to submit a piece of ECAT-themed artwork. Winning entrants will have their art displayed on ECAT bus shelters for an entire year. Students can submit their work to the ECAT Terminal until Friday, May 26 at 4 p.m. Winners will be chosen based on creativity, originality and use of ECAT theme.
In addition to launching the Art Contest, ECAT will offer a Summer Wheels Pass this year. The pass will allow youth 18 and under to ride ECAT from Memorial Day to Labor Day at no charge.
“We are excited that ECAT will be offering the Summer Wheels Pass to our students again this summer,” said Escambia County School Superintendent Malcom Thomas. “A bus pass can mean easier access to the public libraries, the museums downtown, summer activities all over town and even the beach. We hope the passes will encourage families to spend their free time giving their students new experiences as well as making frequent trips to the libraries because we all know that summer reading is a great way for our students to avoid the summer slide.”
The Summer Wheels Pass can be obtained with an application and a parent or guardian at the ECAT administrative office on Fairfield Ave. Both of ECAT’s summer youth initiatives are done in partnership with local businesses who work to support both the system and area youth. To download the Art Contest entry or Summer Wheels Pass application, please visit GoECAT.com or call Tonya Ellis at 850-595-3229.
Wahoos Top Jackson
May 15, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly told his hitters that they needed to take advantage of opportunities when they had them.
That’s exactly what they did with two big, two-out clutch hits by left fielder Gabriel Guerrero in the fifth inning with runners on first and second and by right fielder Aristides Aquino in the seventh inning with the bases loaded to overcome the Jackson Generals, 5-2, Sunday at The Ballpark at Jackson.
Meanwhile, Austin Ross gave up just two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to Jackson. The 28-year-old starter worked 6.2 innings, scattered six hits and a walk and struck out five. He earned the win to improve to 4-0 and owns the best ERA in the Southern League at 1.13.
Pensacola scored first in the fifth inning when center fielder Brian O’Grady reached home on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Josh VanMeter his 15th RBI of the season. With runners on first and second with two outs, Guerrero then slapped a single to center field to score second baseman Alex Blandino. Guerrero was 2-5 Sunday and now has 16 multi-hit games in the 35 games he has played and is hitting .295 to lead the team.
In the seventh inning, Aquino stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Aquino smacked a double to center field that scored both Blandino and VanMeter, which gave the Blue Wahoos a 4-0 lead. Aquino went 2-4 with a walk and two RBIs and leads Pensacola with 16 RBIs.
Pensacola tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning when O’Grady pulled his fourth homer of the season with a solo shot to right field for put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 5-2.
Jackson did score two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull within, 4-2. Pinch-hitter Rudy Flores hit his 11th double of the season that drove in third baseman Dawel Lugo but center field Evan Marzilli was thrown out at home when Pensacola’s Guerrero threw to shortstop Black Trahan, who threw a strike to catcher Adrian Nieto. Generals catcher Michael Perez then singled to right field to drive in Flores.
Pensacola reliever Jimmy Herget nailed down his ninth save, which is second in the Southern League, with one walk and two strikeouts in the ninth inning. He now has 30 strike outs in 17 innings.
Pensacola improved to 20-17 and are in a first-place tie with the Mississippi Braves in the South Division. Jackson fell to 21-15 and lead the North Division and Southern League with the best record.
No Injuries In Minor Cantonment Wreck
May 14, 2017
A driver struck fence and a few bushes on Highway 95A at Woodbury Circle in Cantonment about 9:20 Sunday morning. She was not injured.
The driver reportedly swerved to avoid being hit by another vehicle that pulled out in front of her, causing her to leave the roadway and strike the fence located at the rear of the Tom Thumb on Highway 29 at Woodbury Circle.
The accident was under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
