Wahoos Walk Off With 3-2 Win Over The Tenn. Smokies
September 2, 2012
Blue Wahoos left fielder Bryson Smith drove a single down the right field line to plate shortstop Billy Hamilton in the ninth to complete a three-hit game and propel Pensacola to a 3-2 walkoff victory over the Tennessee Smokies in front of another sellout crowd of 5,038 on Saturday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
With the victory, the Fish improved to a 34-33 record in the second half of 2012, while Tennessee fell to 35-33 since the midpoint of the season. The capacity crowd was the second straight and 39th overall this season in the club’s inaugural year at the bayfront stadium as the team continues to lead the Southern League in attendance.
Tied at 2-2 in the ninth, Hamilton drew a one-out walk and then stole second to set the stage for Smith. The University of Florida product would come through with a line drive down the right field line, plating Hamilton and cueing the celebration. The theft for Hamilton was his 155th of the year as he continues to extend his single-season steals record.
Pensacola also scored the game’s first score of the evening, taking a 1-0 lead in the third. Smith began the frame with a double and then was sent home on 1B Donald Lutz’s RBI single up the middle.
Tennessee however, countered with a pair of tallies in the fifth, thanks to their fifth longball of the series. RF Matt Szczur led off with a double and subsequently scored when 2B Logan Watkins left the yard with a two-run blast to right, his ninth of 2012.
The Blue Wahoos would then draw the game even at 2-2 in the following frame. 2B Brodie Greene started the game-tying rally with a single and moved from first to third on C Tucker Barnhart’s single to center, prior to coming across on pinch hitter Beau Mills’ sacrifice fly to left.
Smith (3-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI) led all batters with his three hits, while Lutz (2-4, 1 RBI) and Barnhart (2-4) also accumulated multi-hit efforts. Szczur (2-5, 1 R, 1 2B) was the lone Smokies batter to record two or more hits.
Pensacola closer Justin Freeman (1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 SO) earned the victory after tossing the final 1.1 shutout frames, while Tennessee RHP Kevin Rhoderick (0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) suffered the loss. Smokies starter Eric Jokisch (5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) did not factor in the decision despite yielding a lone earned run on six hits while fanning five in five innings pitched.
The two teams are scheduled to face off again Sunday afternoon, with first pitch set for 2:00 p.m. at the bayfront stadium. RHP Chad Rogers (3-1, 1.73) is slated to take the mound for the Blue Wahoos, while RHP Dae-Eun Rhee (9-8, 4.95) is expected to get the ball for Tennessee.
Earlier Saturday the Cincinnati Reds, the Blue Wahoos’ parent club, announced several September call ups to the Major Leagues, including two Blue Wahoos alums. Former infielders Didi Gregorius and Henry Rodriguez were both promoted to the Big Leagues, while the club has also announced they will promote former RHP Pedro Villarreal from Triple-A Louisville later this week.
By Andrew Green
Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Northview Cheerleaders, Band And Dance Team
September 2, 2012
The Northview Chiefs defeated the Panthers of John Paul Catholic School of Tallahassee Friday night in Bratt.
For a photo gallery with the Northview cheerleaders, band and dance team, click here.
For a game summary and action photos, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Body Of Missing Jet-Skiier Washes Ashore
September 1, 2012
Investigators have confirmed that a body found Thursday night at Sherman Cove Marina is that of missing jet skier, Mark E. Thomas, 47, of Pensacola.
Thomas was first reported as an overdue boater to U.S. Coast Guard personnel on Monday, August, 27th. Although the Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Officers searched for Thomas throughout Monday and Tuesday, he was not located.
The Coast Guard recovered Thomas’ body of near the Sherman Cove Marina jetties at Pensacola Naval Air Station. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office then took over the investigation from the Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Jay Royals Easily Beat Rocky Bayou
September 1, 2012
The Jay Royals easily beat Rocky Bayou Friday night, 67-21 in Destin.
The Royals opened the scoring with a 64-yard run from Ricky Cofield. A good kick from Dakota Smith, and JHS was up 7-0. Jay scored again after QB Tate Upton fumbled but recovered for a 25-yard touchdown, 14-0.
Cofield scored again on a 4-yard run that followed a 26-yard QB keeper by Upton. Cofield added another touchdown, 33-0. And Cofield added yet another touchdown, this time a 55-yard run, to make it 40-0.
The Royals increased their advantage to 46-0 with a Brandon Boutwell touchdown.
The Jay Royasls will be on the road next Friday night against Holmes County High School.
Pictured: The Jay Royals beat Rocky Bayou 67-21 Friday night in Destin. NorthEscambia.com photos by Michele Gibbs, click to enlarge.
Escambia Native Receives Purple Heart In Afghanistan
September 1, 2012
An Escambia County native was awarded the Purple Heart Friday at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan for wounds received in action while deployed to Afghanistan under U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
Equipment Operator 1st Class Robert W. Dorch was one of two sailors presented the Purple Heart by Maj. Gen. Charles M. Gurganus, commanding general for Regional Command Southwest, in a ceremony on Camp Krutke, the Seabee camp located on Camp Leatherneck.
Dorch was wounded on August 9, 2012, when the bulldozer he was operating absorbed the explosion of an improvised explosive device while NMCB 11 was supporting a village stability platform in southern Afghanistan.
“Thank God for armored plating,” Dorch said. “I feel very fortunate to be here.”
Homeported in Gulfport, Miss., NMCB-11 is deployed to Afghanistan to conduct general, mobility, survivability engineering operations, defensive operations, Afghan National Army partnering and detachment of units in combined/joint operations area.
Pictured above: Maj. Gen. Charles M. Gurganus, commanding general of Regional Command Southwest, presents a Purple Heart to Equipment Operator 1st Class Robert W. Dorch, an Escambia County native. Pictured below: The presentation was made Friday at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathon Carmichael for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
West Florida Hangs On To Top Escambia 9-7
September 1, 2012
The West Florida Jaguars won a hard-fought battle over the Escambia Gators Friday night, 9-7 at Emmitt Smith Field.
Lawrence Lee, who had seven catches for 100 yards, put the Jaguars on the board in the first quarter on a five-yard run. With a missed kick, the WFHS Jags were up 6-0 with 1:41 to go in the first quarter.
The Jags expanded their lead with a 32-yard field goal from Luke Jackson with 1:55 in the third. Escambia scored next, with an 80-yard run from Danikee Hollowell and a good kick by Patrick Mackovic.
Northview Chiefs Beat John Paul 60-0
September 1, 2012
The starting line for the Northview Chiefs spent most of Friday night on the sidelines, on the bench or cheering on their team as the Chiefs easily rolled past John Paul II Catholic of Tallahassee, 60-0.
To say the Chiefs over-matched the Panthers, a team that went 0-8 last year, would be an understatement. Just seconds into the second quarter, the Chiefs were up 41-0, and Coach Sid Wheatley pulled the starters, substituting backup players and even a few junior varsity guys.
For a photo gallery, click here. (Cheerleader, band and dance team photos will be published Sunday.)
“I’ve been on the other side of that ,and you kind of feel for them a little bit,” Wheatley said following a game where one of his toughest challenges was not running up the score.
Northview played most of their entire roster, including 10 different players at running back. Noticeably missing was starting quarterback Kevin Vaughan, who suffered a wrist injury last week. Vaughan is also the kicker for the Chiefs. Friday night saw the substitution of LaMikal Kyles who practiced at the position just briefly last week.
“”It was a great total team win,” Wheatley said.
“I thought they played with a great amount of passion,” Wheatley said of his defensive team, which held the Panthers to just a couple of first downs. “Tonight was good.”
Two plays and less than 30 seconds into the football game, the Chiefs were up 6-0 with a 19-yard touchdown run from senior LaMikal Kyles. On the next possession for Northview, it was a repeat process — Kyles was in again from 43-yards out after two plays, 12-0.
Next, it was Roderick Woods’ turn for a touchdown, a 9-yarder, 18-0. And Woods repeated with a 7-yard touchdown a few minutes later. With a good two point conversion, the Chiefs were up 26-0. And they were just getting started.
Kyles added a 52-yard touchdown followed by a good two point conversion from Woods, 34-0.
And that was just the first quarter, prompting the Northview coaching staff to pull starters. And a running clock was started to help speed things along.
The Chiefs opened the second with another touchdown on their first down, a 48-yard run from Brannon Freemen. With 11:49 on the clock in the half, the Chiefs were up 41-0.
In the third quarter, Northview scored yet again, this time with a touchdown from senior Austin Dorriety, 47-0. And again, the Chiefs scored with 1:31 in the third quarter with a 23-yard touchdown from sophomore Jaron Myles, 53-0. And just one more time, the Chiefs scored when Dillian Crutchfield recovered a fumble in the endzone with 7:34 on the clock and a good kick from Myles, Northview 60-0.
The Chiefs, ranked number three in the state in the 1A Rural Division, will host Marianna next Friday night in Bratt.
For a photo gallery, click here. (Cheerleader, band and dance team photos will be published Sunday.)
Pictured top: Ladarius Thomas, a sophomore, gains yardage for the Northview Chiefs Friday night in Bratt. Pictured top inset: One of LaMikal Kyles touchdown runs. Pictured middle inset: Starters Neino Robinson and Arkelle Elliot sit out part of Friday night’s game on the bench in an effort to hold back Northview’s scoring. Pictured bottom inset: Austin Dorriety on a 29-yard touchdown run. Pictured below: NHS Coach Sid Wheatley in the opening huddle Friday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
T.R. Miller Beats Escambia County 41-14 In Atmore
September 1, 2012
T.R. Miller jumped out to a commanding 27-0 halftime lead on the home field of Escambia County High School Friday night in Atmore, an advantage the Blue Devils just could not overcome.
The Tigers increased their lead to 34-0 late in the third quarter before Escambia County answered.
The Blue Devils got on the board with a 93-yard kickoff return with 3:48 on the clock. Moments later Chris Johnson had a 24-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Meigs and made the two point conversion.
Miller racked up 334 total offensive yards, while the Blue Devils have 171 total yards, 94 of them rushing.
Evers Honored By State Sheriff’s Association
September 1, 2012
The Florida Sheriff’s Association has presented their Legislative Champion Award for 2012 to Sen. Greg Evers (R-Baker). Evers currently serves as chairman of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee.
“Senator Evers and his staff spent considerable time and effort interacting with the FSA team regarding issues on the agenda for his committee and responding to specific concerns or support the Sheriffs voiced on the many issues. He always provided opportunity and time to discuss issues, even those the FSA opposed and that he supported. Senator Evers has continuously worked to find common ground on contentious issues involving the Sheriffs in his Committee. He has also been supportive, cooperative and involved on public safety issues,” the Sheriff’s Association said in a news release.
Pictured top: Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson presents the Florida Sheriff’s Association’s Legislative Champion Award for 2012 to Sen. Greg Evers. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Smokies Shut Out Wahoos
September 1, 2012
Tennessee hurlers Chris Rusin, Nick Struck and Tony Zych combined to yield just two hits and two walks to shut down the Blue Wahoos bats, while left fielder Rubi Silva drove home four runs to lead the Smokies to a 5-0 shutout win over Pensacola in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038 on Friday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
With the win, Tennessee improve to 35-32 in the second half, while the loss drops the Fish to a 33-33 mark in that same time frame. The defeat along with a Montgomery victory over the Huntsville Stars Friday also eliminates Pensacola from playoff contention in the Southern League’s South Division. The capacity crowd was the 38th sellout of the year hosted by the club in their inaugural season of Southern League play.
The duo of Rusin (3.0 IP, 1 SO) and Struck (5.2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 6 SO) joined forces to allow a lone hit in the first 8.2 frames, with Rusin firing three perfect frames. Struck earned his 14thh win of the year and fell one out short of going the rest of the way.
Each of the first 12 Blue Wahoos batters were retired, before yielding a base knock in the fifth. 1B Beau Mills laced a triple to right-center, but would be erased on a fielder’s choice later in the inning, marking the only time Pensacola had a runner at third.
Zych (0.1 IP, 1 H) came on with two outs in the ninth and preserved the shutout for Tennessee. Pensacola starter Daniel Corcino (5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) suffered the loss despite allowing just the lone earned run on five hits in his five frames.
Tennessee tallied their first score in the opening frame, with an inning-ending double play holding the Smokies to no more. CF Matt Szczur led off the game with a single and advanced to third on a double before being sent in when RF Jae-Hoon Ha lifted a sacrifice fly to right.
The Smokies subsequently scored three in the sixth, with their fourth longball of the series. 1B Justin Bour began the inning with a base knock while 3B Junior Lake also reached on a base hit, prior to Silva’s shot to left, which extended Tennessee’s margin to four. Silva brought home his fourth RBI of the evening two frames later with an RBI single up the middle to cap the scoring.
Szczur (2-5, 1 R) and Silva (2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI) each recorded multi-hit games to lead the Smokies, while no Blue Wahoos batters collected two or more base hits. Fish SS Billy Hamilton was kept off the basepaths, which keeps his single-season steals record staying put at 154.
The two teams are scheduled to square off Saturday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the bayrfront stadium. Tennessee is slated to send LHP Eric Jokisch (7-2, 2.97) to the hill, while Pensacola is expected to counter with LHP Tony Cingrani (5-3, 2.00).
By Andrew Green
Pictured: Daniel Corcino allowed only a lone earned run Friday night for the Wahoos. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.