Wahoos Fall 5-3 To Shuckers Despite Strong Hitting
September 7, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lost a back-and-forth game to the Biloxi Shuckers on Saturday night, falling 5-3 as their playoff hopes continued to fade.
The Blue Wahoos scratched out 12 singles, including six with runners in scoring position, but made three outs on the bases and twice were thrown out at the plate trying to score from second base.
Dub Gleed went 3-for-5, opening the scoring with an RBI single in the third inning off Shuckers starter K.C. Hunt. Gleed is now 11-for-20 through the first five games of this week’s series in Biloxi.
Blue Wahoos starter Luis Palacios worked a perfect first two innings, extending Pensacola’s scoreless streak to 21.0 innings dating back to Wednesday, but saw an unearned run score in the bottom of the third on a Tony Bullard fielding error to tie the game 1-1.
An RBI single from Colby Shade in the fourth put Pensacola ahead 2-1, but the Shuckers answered back once more in the bottom of the inning on a Zavier Warren sacrifice fly and Darrien Miller RBI single for a 3-2 Biloxi edge.
Bullard tied the game 3-3 in the fifth with a two-out RBI single, but Gleed was thrown out at the plate on a Payton Green single and Gage Miller was robbed of a run-scoring hit on a diving catch by Biloxi right fielder Garrett Spain to keep the game tied.
The Shuckers scratched across two runs in the sixth against Blue Wahoos reliever Evan Fitterer (L, 6-6), taking a 4-3 lead on a Miller hit-by-pitch and adding on with an Eduardo Garcia RBI single.
Abdiel Mendoza (W, 5-3) worked 2.2 scoreless innings of relief, benefitting from another outfield assist throwing out Gleed at the plate on a Green single in the seventh, and Travis MacGregor (S, 3) finished off the game with a perfect ninth inning for a 5-3 final.
With the loss and a Montgomery win, the Blue Wahoos trail the Biscuits by 6.0 games with 7 to play in the regular season. Any Pensacola loss or Montgomery win would eliminate the Blue Wahoos from playoff contention.
The Blue Wahoos play their final road game of the season against the Shuckers on Sunday.
Northview Falls To Freeport 48-43 (With Photo Gallery)
September 6, 2025
The Northview Chiefs fell to the Freeport Bulldogs 48-43 in a hard fought game Friday night at Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in Bratt.
The Chiefs led 22-14 at the half, before closing out the third quarter with a 35-21 advantage.
But the Bulldogs bit back with a strong fourth quarter, score 27 points to 8 for the Northview.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The Chiefs, now 0-3, will look for their first win on the road next week against the Central Jaguars, also 0-3. Central lost 41-6 Friday night to the Baker Gators.
*Look for cheerleader, band, and fans photos coming soon from NorthEscambia.com.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
High School Football Scoreboard
September 6, 2025
Here are Friday night football scores from the North Escambia area (along with two Thursday night scores).
FLORIDA
Freeport 48, Northview 43 [Story, photos...]
West Florida 34, Fort Walton Beach 14
Niceville 35, Pine Forest 14
Pensacola Catholic 42, Tallahassee Godby 28
Baker 41, Central 6
Jay (Bye week)
Escambia (Bye week)
Navarre (Bye week)
Thursday Games
Tate 41, Pensacola High 0 [Story, photos...]
Milton 14, Washington 13
ALABAMA
Flomaton 28, Excel 7
Jackson 40, Escambia County (Atmore) 0
Escambia Academy 62, Springwood 0
T.R. Miller 35, Monroe County 8
St. Michael Catholic 43, W.S. Neal 29
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs fell to Freeport 48-43 Friday night in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Tate Varsity Sweeps West Florida In Straight Sets, JV Fall To The Lady Jags
September 6, 2025
The Tate Aggies varsity swept three straight from West Florida Friday night at Tate, while the Aggies JV slipped to the Jags.
Tate 2, West Florida 0
The Tate Aggies varsity volleyball team secured a commanding clean sweep against the West Florida Jaguars on Friday night at Tate. After a slow start, the Aggies found their rhythm in the first set, winning 25-16. They continued their dominance in the second set, holding off a late Jaguars push to win 25-20. The third set was a masterclass in teamwork and execution, with the Aggies taking a convincing 25-11 victory to seal the match.
Next week, the Aggies will travel to Escambia on Monday, Choctawhatchee on Tuesday, and Pace on Friday.
West Florida 2, Tate 1 (JV)
After a tough first-set 13-25 Aggies loss to West Florida in junior varsity action, Tate rallied with a thrilling 27-25 victory in the second set. The JV Aggies carried that momentum into the deciding third set, but West Florida held on to win 16-14 to take the match.
ECSO Hosts Coffee With A Cop In Davisville
September 6, 2025
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held “Coffee With A Cop” Friday morning at the Rustic Rooster on Highway 97 in Davisville.
Coffee with a Cop provides a unique opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office’s work in the community. It is a great way for Escambia County deputies and community members to come together, build relationships, and, of course, drink coffee.
Click here for a photo gallery.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Foundation and sponsors provided free coffee during the event. Organizers said the event was a huge success.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Schomberg Flirts With Perfection In Second Straight Wahoos Shutout Win
September 6, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
In just his second career Double-A start, Will Schomberg took a perfect game through 6.2 innings and led the Pensacola Blue Wahoos to a 5-0 victory over the Biloxi Shuckers on Friday night.
Coming on the heels of a combined one-hit shutout from three Pensacola pitchers on Thursday, Schomberg (W, 1-1) picked up right where his teammates left off. From the fifth inning of Thursday’s 2-0 win into the seventh inning of Friday’s contest, the Blue Wahoos retired 34 straight Biloxi batters.
Though his perfect game bid was broken up by a Blake Burke bloop single with two outs in the seventh inning, Schomberg recovered to strike out Zavier Warren on his 100th pitch to walk off the mound on a high note. His 7.0 innings marked a professional career high, and his 10 strikeouts tied a career high last set in July with the Beloit Sky Carp.
The Blue Wahoos turned 12 singles into five runs throughout the night, providing Schomberg the run support he needed to focus on his attempt at history. RBI singles from Gage Miller and Emaarion Boyd put Pensacola ahead 2-0 in the second inning, and an infield error in the fifth was followed by a Payton Green RBI single to give the Blue Wahoos a 4-0 edge.
Shuckers starter Jaron DeBerry (L, 2-1) departed after allowing a Connor Caskenette RBI single in the sixth inning, but the Blue Wahoos had already secured more than enough support for their dominant pitching staff. Schomberg was relieved by Jesse Bergin and Josh Ekness, both of whom worked around a pair of singles in an inning of work to finish off a five-hit shutout.
Pensacola’s back-to-back shutouts marked their ninth time blanking an opponent in consecutive games in team history, and their first since accomplishing the same feat in Biloxi on May 28 and 29, 2024.
With the win, the Blue Wahoos kept pace with first-place Montgomery in the second half South Division standings, trailing by 5.0 games with 8 to play in the regular season.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Shuckers on Saturday.
Escambia County Felon Pleads Guilty To Federal Drug And Firearm Charges
September 6, 2025
An Escambia County man has pleaded guilty to federal drug and firearm charges.
John Cody Hawthorne, 32, pleaded to charges of possession of firearms and ammunition by convicted felon, possession of a short-barreled rifle, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Court documents show that Hawthorne, who was on state probation at the time, was in possession of multiple firearms as well as illegal narcotics. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hawthorne’s residence and located seven firearms in his bedroom, one of which was a short-barreled rifle, as well as over 400 live rounds of ammunition, marijuana, methamphetamine, ballistic body armor, and several thousand dollars.
Hawthorne faces up to 15 year is prison on the possession of firearm by convicted felon count, up to 10 years on the possession of short-barreled rifle count, and up to 20 years imprisonment on the drug possession charge. He will be sentenced on November 13 at the federal courthouse in Pensacola.
“I applaud the excellent work of Sheriff Chip Simmons and our federal law enforcement partners to make our community safer by getting this dangerous individual off the streets,” said United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida John P. Heekin.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
Man Rescued After Becoming Trapped Under Farm Equipment
September 5, 2025
A man was trapped under a piece of farm equipment Friday morning northeast of Walnut Hill.
The man was working under a hay cutter in a field on Miller Road off Rockaway Creek Road near the Florida-Alabama state line. The hydraulic system that kept the machinery off the ground reportedly failed, causing it to fall across the man’s legs and pin him underneath. He was able to call a relative who then called 911.
A firefighter from the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue was able to use a jack and an airlifting bag to lift the equipment off and free the man.
LifeFlight responded; however, the man was transported to the hospital by Escambia County EMS with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The Atmore Fire Department and multiple Escambia County Fire Rescue units were dispatched to the call, but most were canceled prior to arrival.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Faces Felony Charges For Alleged Shots Fired, Robbery At Local Gas Station
September 5, 2025
A Cantonment man faces multiple felony charges following a domestic violence incident at a local gas station that included a robbery and shots fired.
Anthony Antonio Purifoy Jr., 30, was arrested on August 30 after deputies responded to a complaint of shots fired at the Valero Gas Station at 210 South Highway 29, across from International Paper.
According to a report from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began when Purifoy entered the gas station and allegedly snatched $60 in cash from his ex-girlfriend. The report notes that the two had been in a relationship for approximately three and a half years and had recently separated.
Following a verbal altercation inside the store, the argument continued outside, where the victim stated that Purifoy ’snatched’ her glasses from her face. As she got into a vehicle with her family, Purifoy allegedly became irate, banging on the vehicle and making verbal threats. Witnesses stated that Purifoy then discharged a firearm into the air several times while in close proximity to his ex-girlfriend. She reported that while he did not point the gun at her, she feared for her life, noting that he had threatened violence in the past, but this was the first time a firearm was involved.
Deputies arrived on the scene and located two .22 caliber shell casings on the ground. Several witnesses, who wished to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, identified Purifoy Jr. as the shooter.
Deputies attempted to locate Purifoy at the Black Diamond club next door to the gas station, where multiple people were coming in and out of the doors.
“However, when they approached (Black Diamond), several people started shouting for others to lock the door; therefore, deputies were unable to get inside,” the report states.
Purifoy was found hiding in the woods near the gas station, where he was apprehended.
After being read his Miranda warnings, Purifoy Jr. denied firing a weapon or having a girlfriend and claimed he was in the woods to urinate and was not trying to hide. Deputies noted scratches on his face, which Purifoy Jr. attributed to the thorn bushes. A criminal history check revealed Purifoy had a prior felony conviction in Florida.
Deputies noted that he had a large sum of cash in his possession at the time of his arrest, including three $20 bills that were allegedly snatched from the victim.
Purifoy was booked into the Escambia County Jail on August 30 on charges of battery in a domestic violence situation, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in a domestic violence situation, robbery by sudden snatching, possession of a weapon by a convicted Florida felon, and discharging a firearm in public. He was released from the Escambia County Jail the following day on a $40,000 bond.
The victim was not injured and refused EMS.
Tate High School Graduate Ashley Saba Named FloridaWest Director of Business Development
September 5, 2025
Tate High School graduate Ashley Saba has joined the FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance as its new director of business development.
In this newly created role, Saba will focus on recruiting new industries to Escambia County while assisting with a strong marketing presence, strengthening investor relations, and advancing FloridaWest’s mission of long-term economic growth.
Saba was raised in Escambia County, where she attended Ransom Middle School and graduated from Tate High School in 2005 before attending both Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida.
She was named the 2025 Woman of the Year in Marketing – Medical in Scarlett Magazine. She was an InWeekly Rising Star and United Way of the Emerald Coast’s 40 Under 40 in 2024. She is also a proud graduate of Project LEAD in Okaloosa/Walton counties (Class of 2025), Leadership Pensacola (Class of 2023) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s “Excellence Academy in Leadership” in 2021. She also serves on the board of directors for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Foundation, specifically supporting their programs that positively impact local youth, as well as serving on the Board for the South City Foundation in Tallahassee for Purpose-Built Communities. She was honored as Santa Rosa County Schools Partner of the Year in 2015.
“I am honored to join FloridaWest and contribute to the economic growth of Escambia County. My passion has always been centered on creating opportunities that strengthen families and communities, and I believe one of the most impactful ways we can do that is through expanding access to high-wage jobs,” Saba said. “By working alongside the FloridaWest board, the Board of County Commissioners, and the City of Pensacola, I look forward to helping attract new industries and investments that will ensure long-term prosperity for our residents.”
“As FloridaWest continues to position Escambia County as a competitive business location, Ashley’s knowledge of the area and her strong business experience will be critical in attracting new companies, bringing more capital investment and high-wage job opportunities to our community,” said FloridaWest CEO Chris Platé. “Her passion for our community combined with her strong skillset creates a dynamic advantage for our organization as we compete on the global stage.”
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.