White Dominates, Wahoos Hit Team-Record Six Homers To Split Wild Chattanooga Doubleheader
June 30, 2025
written by Willie Phaler
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos split a Sunday twin bill against the Chattanooga Lookouts to finish what is possibly their last trip to AT&T Field, falling 4-1 in game one before finishing things out with a team-record six home runs and a thrilling 10-5, eight-inning win in game two.
After a rare blown save opportunity from the Pensacola bullpen, the Blue Wahoos and Lookouts headed to extra innings in game two tied 3-3.
An eighth inning was all that was needed, as the Blue Wahoos clubbed four home runs in the inning. Cody Morrissette, Michael Snyder, Josh Zamora and Tony Bullard all went yard in the frame, combining for seven runs in the frame to make it 10-3. The damage was done against Simon Miller (L, 1-3) who was charged for six earned runs (seven total).
The four home runs in a single inning tied a mark that was previously set by the Blue Wahoos in April, and the six total homers in the game established a new team record dating back to 2012.
The Blue Wahoos offense got off to a hot start in the first inning of game two. Morrissette hit his first homer of the game while Kemp Alderman followed up with a solo home run of his own off TJ Sikkema to give Pensacola an early 2-0 lead.
The Blue Wahoos added a run in the fifth, as Morrissette picked up his second of four RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to left to score Johnny Olmstead.
On 84 pitches, Thomas White strung together five innings of two-hit, shutout baseball with five strikeouts and one walk on Sunday. He left with a 3-0 lead and in line for his first Double-A win, but will have to wait another turn around the rotation before a winning decision as a member of the Blue Wahoos.
White handed it off to the Pensacola bullpen that was up-and-down Sunday afternoon. Nigel Belgrave threw a clean sixth inning, but Josh Ekness struggled in the save opportunity and left with two runners on base in a 3-2 game. Jesse Bergin (W, 2-1) got the Wahoos out of the seventh, but not before giving up a two-out, game-tying RBI single to Reds rehabber Noelvi Marte. After the seven-run explosion in the top of the eighth, Bergin came back out to finish off the win despite allowing a Stewart two-run homer.
Game one was not as offensive focused for the Blue Wahoos, as they were held to one run in a 4-1 loss.
With a seven inning affair lasting only one hour and 27 minutes tying for the quickest game in franchise history, Dax Fulton (L, 3-6) provided six innings of four-run ball on the way to the first complete game by a Blue Wahoos pitcher since Jeff Lindgren in 2022.
After a quick and quiet three innings to begin game one in Chattanooga, the Lookouts bats found the first jolt of offense on the day as they put up two in the fourth. Edwin Arroyo picked up an RBI single and Ethan O’Donnell drove one in after grounding into a double play with the bases loaded.
The Lookouts added some insurance against Fulton in the fifth, courtesy of a Marte RBI triple and a sacrifice fly from Hector Rodriguez that sent Marte home.
The Blue Wahoos offense got on the board in the fifth as catcher Ryan Ignoffo sent a single up the middle that allowed Olmstead to score from second. Ignoffo’s run-scoring single was the extent of the damage Chattanooga’s Kevin Abel (W, 2-5) allowed across six innings, as the Blue Wahoos mustered only three hits and two walks against the right-hander. Right-hander Trevor Kuncl (S, 9) tossed a 1-2-3 seventh inning to finish off game one and hand the Blue Wahoos their only loss of the trip to Chattanooga.
The Blue Wahoos say goodbye to AT&T Field in Chattanooga, which will be replaced by Erlanger Park as the new home of the Lookouts in 2026. Barring a postseason matchup between the two clubs, this will mark Pensacola’s final trip to the oldest active ballpark in the Southern League.
The Blue Wahoos will return to Pensacola to begin next week, as they take on the Biloxi Shuckers for a three-game homestand from July 1-3.
Blue Wahoos, Lookouts Postponed Again In Chattanooga
June 29, 2025
Saturday’s doubleheader between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Chattanooga Lookouts at AT&T Field was postponed due to wet grounds.
The twin bill was intended to make up Friday’s game, which was postponed due to rain.
One of the games will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Sunday, with first pitch of game one scheduled for 12:15 p.m. EDT/11:15 a.m. CDT. The doubleheader will consist of two seven-inning games, with game two starting approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. The final game of the series will be made up at a later date.
Blue Wahoos, Lookouts Postponed By Rain In Chattanooga
June 28, 2025
Friday’s game between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Chattanooga Lookouts at AT&T Field in Chattanooga was postponed due to rain.
The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, with first pitch of game one scheduled for 5:15 p.m. EDT/4:15 p.m. CDT.
Red-Hot Wahoos Continue Offensive Surge, Win 10-6
June 27, 2025
written by Willie Phaler
After a 10-6 win Thursday night, the Blue Wahoos have continued to put up runs in bunches during their road trip in Chattanooga. With a 9-6 win on Wednesday and a 9-8 win Tuesday, the Wahoos have scored nine or more runs in three consecutive games for the first time since July 7-9, 2023.
The offense got things going against Lookouts starter Ryan Cardona, as Nathan Martorella picked up a bases-clearing double with two outs in the third after sneaking a chopper by first baseman Cam Collier. Kemp Alderman added on in the fifth for Pensacola with his league-leading fourth triple of the season. After legging out the three-bagger, Alderman was awarded home on a balk by Cardona.
After four innings of one-run ball from Ike Buxton in his second Double-A start of 2025, the Lookouts chased him in the fifth on the way to a five-run frame. Sal Stewart sent a three-run home run out to left-center while Noelvi Marte and Austin Callahan each picked up an RBI. Buxton was charged for three runs, while two were charged to Alex Williams (W, 3-0), ending his scoreless streak at 19.1 innings.
The offense continued to come flying in for the Wahoos with a two-run sixth. Third baseman Tony Bullard picked up an RBI with a double to right while Shane Sasaki drove in a run of his own.
The seventh inning was the cherry on top toward the massive offensive output. Grant Richardson gave Pensacola the lead for good by clobbering a three-run home run to right. Richardson’s drive left the bat at 111 mph and helped chase Chattanooga righthander Brandon Komar (L, 1-2). Catcher Spencer Bramwell added the tenth run with an RBI single to solidify the Blue Wahoos lead.
Left fielder Michael Snyder also shone through for the Blue Wahoos at the plate, tying a team record with four walks. Snyder is the first Wahoo to pick up four free passes since outfielder Jakob Marsee on May 8, 2024.
To pair with Buxton’s 4.1 innings, Williams provided length after taking over in the fifth as he finished the ballgame with 4.2 strong innings in a 10-6 Wahoo win.
The Blue Wahoos will continue their series against the Lookouts as they play game four of the series on Friday night. First pitch from AT&T Field in Chattanooga is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. EDT/ 6:15 p.m. CDT.
Wahoos Tee Off In Chattanooga, Beat Lookouts 9-5
June 26, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored early and often on Wednesday night, beating the Chattanooga Lookouts 9-5 for their third consecutive win.
Kemp Alderman and Dalvy Rosario went deep, Johnny Olmstead finished a homer shy of the cycle, and Robby Snelling (W, 3-5) twirled 7.0 scoreless innings of three-hit ball as the Blue Wahoos improved to 2-0 in the second half of the Southern League season.
Alderman’s homer in the first inning against Lookouts starter Jose Acuña (L, 6-5) set the tone for the rest of the night. Rosario extended the lead to 3-0 in the second inning with a two-run shot, and Olmstead sent a two-run triple high off the wall in left field for a 5-0 lead in the third inning. The five earned runs over 3.0 innings marked a season high for Acuña, whose 2.73 ERA entering the night had been the second-best in the league.
The Blue Wahoos added more against the Chattanooga bullpen, scoring a run in the fourth inning on a missed catch error from catcher Mat Nelson and extending their lead to 8-0 in the fifth inning on sacrifice flies from Shane Sasaki and Kemp Alderman. Nathan Martorella brought home another on an RBI fielder’s choice in the seventh inning to extend the Pensacola lead to 9-0.
Snelling scattered three singles over his dominant night, striking out seven men over 7.0 quiet frames without issuing a walk. It was more than enough for Pensacola’s Opening Day starter to earn a winning decision for the first time since April 16, and tied for the longest start of the 21-year-old lefty’s professional career.
Handed a 9-0 lead in the ninth, Luarbert Arias ran into trouble in his Blue Wahoos season debut. The righty allowed five runs in just 0.1 innings before Jesse Bergin (S, 4) came on to get the final two outs and secure a 9-5 final.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Lookouts on Thursday night. First pitch from AT&T Field in Chattanooga is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET/6:15 p.m. CT
Wahoos Begin Second Half With Furious Comeback, 9-8 Win Over Lookouts
June 25, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos started the second half of their season with perhaps their most impressive comeback win of the year, scoring seven unanswered runs to defeat the Chattanooga Lookouts 9-8 in 10 innings on Tuesday night.
Trailing 8-2 after five innings, the Blue Wahoos rallied thanks to a seventh-inning solo homer from Cody Morissette and an eighth-inning three-run double from Ryan Ignoffo to tie the game and force extras. An infield pop-up off the bat of Johnny Olmstead in the 10th was misplayed by Lookouts first baseman Cam Collier, allowing Michael Snyder to score the eventual winning run.
Blue Wahoos starter Jacob Miller began the night with 3.0 hitless innings, and was handed a 2-0 lead thanks to a Morissette sac fly and a run-scoring wild pitch from Lookouts starter Donovan Benoit. But Chattanooga charged back, taking a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning on a Jay Allen II three-run homer.
In the fifth, the Lookouts scored five runs on only two hits. A fielding error from Blue Wahoos first baseman Nathan Martorella opened the door for a big inning, and the Lookouts capitalized with a Sal Stewart RBI single and Austin Hendrick two-run double to open up an 8-2 advantage.
The Blue Wahoos chipped away starting in the sixth, when a grounder off the bat of Olmstead was misplayed by Lookouts second baseman Dominic Pitelli to score two runs. Morissette’s homer drew the Blue Wahoos a run closer before Ignoffo completed the comeback with a three-run double in the top of the eighth.
Pensacola reliever Evan Fitterer (W, 4-4) worked 3.0 scoreless innings in his new bullpen role, stranding runners at the corners in the ninth, to force extras. Chattanooga lefty Drew Parrish (L, 0-2) did his job in the 10th, but a two-out pop-up to Collier at first was dropped and then touched in fair territory to allow the Blue Wahoos to take a 9-8 lead.
Nigel Belgrave (S, 1) deftly worked out of trouble in the bottom of the 10th, stranding the placed runner at third base to earn the save and lock down the unlikely win.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Lookouts on Wednesday night. First pitch from AT&T Field in Chattanooga is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.
Jorey Diamond Back As Jay Baseball Head Coach
June 24, 2025
Longtime Jay High School Coach Jorey Diamond is returning as head baseball coach, marking his third time leading the Royals baseball program.
Diamond will continue to serve as the head coach of the varsity girls’ basketball team.
“We’re excited to have Coach Diamond back at the hehn of our baseball team,” said Jay High Principal Benjie West. “His leadership on and off the field is invaluable, and we’re confident he’ ll continue to build on our proud legacy.”
Diamond’s last stint as head baseball coach was 2019 with time as an assistance since.
Last season, Jay baseball went 17-13 with a loss to Holmes County in the Rural finals, losing both games in the best-of-three series.
Diamond replaces Duane Raley who left after last season. His son, Justin Raley headed across the Escambia River to take the head coaching job at Northview High School.
Cantonment’s Maxed Out Wins 8U Pensacola Beach World Series
June 23, 2025
The Maxed Out baseball team from Cantonment won the 8U Pensacola Beach World Series over the weekend at NEP ballpark. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Take First Half Finale In Win Over Biscuits
June 23, 2025
An explosive fifth inning and a 3-RBI day from Cody Morissette propelled the Pensacola Blue Wahoos to a 6-3 victory on Sunday over the Montgomery Biscuits, ending the first half on a high note.
Morissette, who picked up two singles and scored a run to pair with his 3 RBIs, knocked in the winning run in the fifth to help put Pensacola back in the win column.
“[I was] just trying to execute the situation and get the job done to get a win today,” Morissette said. “It was good.”
After being held to just two hits through the first four innings by Montgomery’s Ty Johnson, the Blue Wahoos offense came to life in the fifth.
As soon as Montgomery turned to the bullpen, the bats woke up. With right-hander Ryan Shreve (L, 0-1) on the mound, right fielder Grant Richardson belted a 2-RBI double off the wall in right to tie things up at two to score Johnny Olmstead and Ryan Ignoffo, who reached on his first extra-base hit at the Double-A level.
Richardson later came around to score and take the lead as Morissette singled to right. Josh Zamora added one more run in the frame with a sacrifice fly, allowing Morrissette to score.
Morrissette added some insurance an inning later in the sixth, lining a two-out single to center to score two, extending the Pensacola lead to 6-2.
“Credit to the lineup and credit to our pitchers,” Morissette said. “The lineup put a lot of pressure on their pitchers, got on base, we just executed situations and the pitchers kept us in it.”
After four innings of two-run ball from starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr, the Blue Wahoos’ pen took over in a big way.
The trio of Josh Ekness, Ricky DeVito (W, 1-0) and Jesse Bergin combined for five innings of one-run ball, successfully protecting the lead after Pensacola’s four and two-run frames in the fifth and sixth.
Montgomery picked up the first run of the game in the third, after Gregory Barrios drove in Cooper Kinney on a sacrifice fly to left. Shane Sasaki made a jumping catch-up against the wall in foul territory in deep left field, giving Kinney enough time to score on the tag-up.
The Biscuits added a run in the fourth, as centerfielder Homer Bush Jr. singled up the middle with the infield in, allowing Hunter Stovall to score.
Will Simpson added an RBI single in the ninth for the Biscuits, dumping a bloop single into right-center against Blue Wahoos closer Josh Ekness. This was the first run Ekness has given up in the month of June, ending a 7.1 IP scoreless streak.
The Blue Wahoos will travel to Chattanooga to begin the second half of the season, making their lone trip to AT&T Field to square off with the North Division first-half champion Lookouts. Jacob Miller (2-4, 3.05 ERA) is slated to start game one on Tuesday for Pensacola, while Chattanooga has yet to announce a starter.
GAME NOTABLES
— Famed baseball organist Nancy Faust, who became a historic pioneer in the industry when playing for 41 years (1970-2010) at Chicago White Sox games, made her third visit in the past four years to Blue Wahoos Stadium on Sunday, entertaining fans with a medley of music during pregame activities and in-game entertainment. Faust was set up with the same type of Hammond Organ that she played in Chicago, on loan from a local Pensacola church, on the concourse level behind home plate. She was underneath a tent and engaged with fans as she played music and walk-up songs throughout the game.
Aside from her White Sox history, Faust was also the organist at Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks games during the 1980s.
— Sunday’s game officially closed the first half of the Southern League schedule. The Blue Wahoos had 39 home games in the first half. The second half begins on Tuesday throughout the league, and the Blue Wahoos will have a 30-game home slate in the second half.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Blue Wahoos vs. Chattanooga Lookouts
WHEN: Tuesday through Sunday (June 29).
WHERE: AT&T Field, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
BACKGROUND: This series begins the second half of the Southern League season. Chattanooga clinched the first-half North Division title on Sunday, locking itself into a playoff spot. The divisional records will be reset, and a second-half winner will be decided in both divisions to determine playoff matchups. This will be the Blue Wahoos’ only trip to Chattanooga to face the Lookouts, the Cincinnati Reds’ affiliate. However, the Lookouts will play in Pensacola on July 18-20 and again on August 26-31.
NEP Gold Wins Gospel Projects World Series; NEP Blue Claims Second
June 22, 2025
Two NEP teams won big in the 2025 Gospel Projects Tee Ball World Series.
The NEP Gold All-Stars went undefeated on their way to winning the series, outscoring their opponents 29-47.
Reece Phelps knocked out three home runs over a four-game span.
Caleb Moore made history with an incredible 13 home runs in just four games — breaking the tournament record. His record-breaking homer also served as a walk-off to clinch the championship in the top of the sixth inning.
Moore was named the series Home Run Champion.
Also in the series, NEP Blue took second place and was presented the Sportsmanship Award.
Pictured: NEP Gold (top), NEP Blue (below) and Caleb Moore (bottom). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
