Blue Wahoos Bounce Back, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive With 9-2 Win
June 20, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos defeated the Birmingham Barons by a final score of 9-2 on Friday night behind a mixture of pitching prowess and offensive firepower.
After a loss followed the longest weather delay in stadium history a night prior, the Blue Wahoos (34-33) evened the series at 2-2 against the Barons (26-41) with the victory tonight as the pennant race for the South Division of the Southern League continues. With two games remaining in the first half, the Blue Wahoos’ elimination number is two as they battle against the first-place Biloxi Shuckers. Any combination of two Shuckers wins or two Pensacola losses would hand the first half title to Biloxi.
Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (W, 1-2) put on a show from the mound to earn his first win of the year. He struck out a season-high eight batters while allowing just four hits and a pair of free bases, keeping the Barons off the board through 5.2 innings of work.
Birmingham’s Connor McCullough (L, 0-4) suffered his fourth loss, relenting the game-winning run in the second inning and a total of four earned runs to Pensacola through five innings pitched.
Pensacola plated their nine runs on 14 hits and drew three walks. Five different Blue Wahoos registered multiple hits, led by Cristian Hernández’s 3-for-4 night that saw him both drive in and plate two runs.
Other notable performances included Brendan Jones, Connor Caskenette and Ryan Ignoffo, who recorded two hits each. Cam Cannarella posted a 2-for-4 night, leading the team with three RBI. The combined pitching staff of Ortiz-Mayr, Jack Sellinger and Livan Reinoso struck out 11 Birmingham bats.
After returning from injury just this week, Jones has found his groove: in his first at bat, he’d blast a triple to the warning track in right-center field in the bottom of the second. A subsequent Ignoffo single through the left side would bring him home to give the Blue Wahoos the immediate edge.
Jones’ triple puts him at six on the season, tying Chattanooga’s Shane Sasaki for the Southern League lead. He also tied his own career high for triples in a single season at the Double-A level, doing so a year ago with the Somerset Patriots (AA – New York Yankees).
It would be Jones to score again in the fourth inning, as Hernandez ripped a double down the left field line to score him from third. Two more came across after a line drive from Payton Green avoided the diving glove of Samuel Zavala in center, extending the Pensacola lead to 4-0.
Cannarella kept up his recent consistency at the plate, knocking in another pair of runs in the sixth with a ground ball up the middle that scored Hernandez and Green. Cannarella extended his hitting streak to five games, also having reached base in each of the last six.
The Pensacola bats stayed hot going into the seventh. A string of three hits saw a double from Jones followed by singles from Ignoffo and Hernandez, with Hernandez’s third hit of the night scoring Jones to pad the lead at 7-0.
The Barons answered back with one in the top of the eighth, scoring after Aiva Arquette pulled off a diving play at shortstop for a force out at second base.
Not to be deterred, the Blue Wahoos kept their foot on the gas and responded with two more in the bottom of the frame, spraying contact to all fields. Cannarella fired a single into left to score Caskenette from second base, while Dillon Lewis punched a single into right to score the latter.
Though a home run was relented in the top of the ninth, Pensacola shut down any inkling of momentum from the Barons to secure the 9-2 victory.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Saturday night.
written by Maddy Branning
Barrineau Park Bridge Over The Perdido River Closed
June 19, 2026
The Barrineau Park Road Bridge over the Perdido River is closed due to the flooding.
Barrineau Park Road (Highway 196) is closed and barricaded at South Highway 99 in Florida and at Highway 112 in Alabama.
This is a normal occurrence following excessive rainfall.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Resident Maliki Haynes Earns Top Honor Marine Graduate Distinction At Parris Island
June 19, 2026
A Northview High graduate has achieved one of the top honors at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina.
Lance Cpl. Maliki M. Haynes of Century was recognized as the Honor Graduate for Mike Company, Platoon 3044, during a graduation ceremony held on Thursday at the depot.
The distinction of Honor Graduate is awarded to the recruit who demonstrates outstanding performance, leadership, and endurance throughout the rigorous 13-week recruit training cycle.
“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the new Marines graduating,” Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island officials stated in an announcement. “You’ve earned the title through hard work, discipline, and determination. Welcome to the Corps!”
Haynes’ recruitment was handled by the Marine Corps Recruiting Station in Pensacola.
He is a 2023 Northview graduate. Haynes played football for the Chiefs during his senior year. In Northview’s run to the state championship game, Haynes had a late one-handed reception in the playoffs against Union County to seal a win, and a key 70-yard interception return against Blountstown.
Storms Leave Hundreds Without Power Across Escambia County
June 19, 2026
Hundreds of Escambia County residents lost power Thursday and Thursday night due to severe storms. One of the largest single outages was in the Bratt, Byrneville, and Century area due to a tree limb bringing down power lines along West Highway 4 just west of Lake Stone shortly after 5 p.m. Escambia County Fire Rescue responded due to reported arcing, and EREC crews worked to get power back on.
By 10 p.m., FPL was down to just over 500 outages in Escambia County, and EREC was only reporting two outages.
Pictured: EREC crews work to clear a tree limb that brought power lines down along West Highway 4 near Lake Stone. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Need Sand For Flood Prep? It’s Still Available Free In Escambia County
June 19, 2026
Escambia County still has free sand available for residents living in flood prone areas due to a high risk of flash flooding over the next few days.
The sand is available on a first come, first served basis 24 hours a day at the following locations:
- Don Sutton Park – 2320 Crabtree Church Road, Molino
- Travis M. Nelson Park - 4541 Highway 4, Bratt
- Equestrian Center – 7750 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
- John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Park – 555 E. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola
- Escambia County Road Department – 601 Highway 297-A
- Ferry Pass Middle School – 8355 Yancey Lane, Pensacola (NW cornerschool property on Parazine Street)
- Baars Field Athletic Park – 13001 Sorrento Road, Pensacola
- Brent Athletic Park – 4711 N. W St., Pensacola
Residents must bring their own sandbags and shovels. Sandbags are typically available for purchase at home improvement and hardware stores.
Pictured: Sand at Travis M. Nelson Park in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Couple Indicted On Federal Fentanyl, Meth Trafficking And Gun Charges
June 19, 2026
An Escambia County couple has been indicted in federal court for methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution and on gun charges.
Andre Darrell Perry, 37, and Loredano Alessandra Bassolino, 38, ave each been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Perry was also indicted on one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
If convicted, Perry faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison on the drug possession count, a consecutive minimum of 5 years to life on the charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and up to 15 years in prison on the charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Bassolino faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years in prison.
Flood Warnings: Escambia, Perdido Rivers Forecast To Rise Nearly 15 Feet
June 18, 2026
Rivers in North Escambia are forecast to rise by nearly 15 feet by the weekend.
Escambia River
A flood warning is in effect from Friday evening until further notice. Minor flooding is forecast.
Thursday morning, the stage was 4.7 feet at Century, and the river is forecast to rise above flood stage Friday evening and continue to rise to a crest of 19.1 feet by Sunday morning. Flood stage is 17 feet, and low-lying pastures will flood at 19 feet.
Perdido River
A flood warning is in effect from late Thursday night to Monday morning for the Perdido River.
Thursday morning, the stage was 3.2 feet at Barrineau Park. The river is expected to rise above the flood stage of 13 feet to 17.6 feet by early Saturday morning before falling below flood stage on Monday. At 17.6 feet, water reaches the first floor of the Adventures Unlimited Perdido River office building.
Escambia To Consider Data Center Ban; FloridaWest Says No Active Talks
June 18, 2026
Escambia County will soon consider an ordinance to ban data centers in the county.
“FloridaWest has never been in active negotiations to build a data center.”
That’s what Chris Platé, CEO of FloridaWest, told the Escambia County Commission on Wednesday night. FloridaWest is the economic development agency for Escambia County.
“That phrase was not mine; it was the media,” he said. “There is no proposal, no incentive commitment, and no pending public action before this board, PEDC (the Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission), or FloridaWest.”
He said the reports by Pensacola media that FloridaWest was in active negotiations with a company looking to build a data center were simply not correct.
Platé said it’s the job and purpose of FloridaWest to field inquiries about economic development in Escambia County, and there have been a “handful” of previous data center inquiries that have not moved forwardt. In addition, he said, local resources are limited for data centers.
“FloridaWest does not pursue any standalone or hyperscale data centers,” he said. “They are not on our target list and our regional power capacity cannot support one to begin with.”
“The large scale box that some people are picturing in their mind is not coming here,” Platé (pictured top) added with great emphasis.
“So again, just to make it clear for everybody, we are not in active negotiations with any data center, and that is not an active target for us. We would rather use the resources that they are claiming that a data center would use, for the targeted industries that we have,” Platé concluded.
Dozens of people spoke out against data centers at Wednesday night’s meeting, fueled by online information and rumors that a data center was headed for North Escambia — particularly Century or The Bluffs, a 6,000-acre site in Cantonment generally bordered by Becks Lake Road near International Paper to the north, and the University of West Florida to the south.
Platé repeatedly denied that there are any active data center negotiations. NorthEscambia.com recently sat down with Century Mayor Ben Boutwell and Town Manager Dave Murzin, who both said they had no knowledge of any data center eyeing Century.
On July 23, the county commission will vote to schedule a public hearing on an ordinance to be considered at the August 6 meeting. That ordinance, as recommended by County Attorney Alison Rogers, would not be a data center moratorium but would be an outright ban.
Rogers told NorthEscambia.com Wednesday night that the ordinance could be written to ban data centers only in the unincorporated areas — not in Century or Pensacola, giving the two municipalities an opportunity to decide their own data center future.
“The incorporated areas can do something different,” the county attorney said by text. “We can make ours only the unincorporated area.” The exact language of the ordinance must be approved by the commission.
New Assistant Principal Appointments Approved For Tate, Northview High Schools
June 18, 2026
New assistant principal appointments have been approved for Tate and Northview high schools, marking a promotion for one local educator and a new assignment for another.
Northview High School Dean Somer Bridges has been appointed as one of the three assistant principals at Tate High, taking the place of current Assistant Principal, Deans and Discipline Brandy White.
White has been named assistant principal at Northview High School after the retirement of Gerry Pippins.
“I am excited to serve the students, staff and communities of Tate High School, a school that is very rich in its traditions and legacies,” Bridges told the Escambia County School Board following her appointment. “I’m excited to begin this new chapter, and look forward to serving the Tate High School community with dedication, integrity and pride. Go Aggies!”
Both positions were approved this week by the school board and will be effective July 1.
Related Tate’s Laura Touchstone Named Escambia County Director Of High School Education
Pictured: New Tate High School Assistant Principal Somer Bridges (left) and new Northview High School Assistant Principal Brandy White. Pictured below: Bridges is congratulated by the school board. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate’s Laura Touchstone Named Escambia County Director Of High School Education
June 18, 2026
Tate High School Principal Laura Touchstone has been appointed director of High School Education for Escambia County Public Schools. The school board unanimously approved the appointment this week following the retirement of Lesa Morgan. The position of Tate High School principal remains open, but is expected to be filled by the start of the 2026-27 school year, according to the district.
“Most importantly, I want to thank the students, staff, and families of Tate High School,” Touchstone said after thanking the mentors, administrators, and teachers she worked with along the way. “Serving as principal has been one of the greatest privileges of my professional life… I will always be proud to be part of the Tate family.”
“Education changes lives. I look forward to supporting our principals and teachers as we continue the important work of creating opportunities for students and preparing them for the futures they deserve across all of our high schools,” Touchstone added. “My commitment is to serve with integrity, work with purpose, and always keep students at the center of every decision.”
Related: New Assistant Principal Appointments Approved For Tate, Northview High Schools
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
