Blue Wahoos Drop Series Finale Against Biloxi
June 12, 2019
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos worst stretch this season happened at the wrong time.
Their defining series against the Biloxi Shuckers became a forgettable one, following Tuesday’s 6-0 loss which completed the Shuckers’ five-game sweep at MGM Park in Biloxi, Miss.
After entering last Friday with a one-game lead in the Southern League South Division first half race, the Blue Wahoos (36-29) now trail the Shuckers (40-25) by four games and only five games left in the first half schedule.
The solace is the Blue Wahoos will be back home Wednesday to face the Tennessee Smokies, the Chicago Cubs affiliate, in a five-game series through Father’s Day weekend at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos will seek to gain a better feeling as the first half ends, next week’s Southern League All-Star break awaits, then standings are reset for the second half schedule which starts June 20. The team had not lost more than three consecutive games all season before losing the entire series at Biloxi.
The scenario was a repeat of last season’s second half end as a Cincinnati Reds affiliate when the Blue Wahoos had a two-game lead in the second-half division chase and lost five straight games at Biloxi. They reached the playoffs as a wild card entry since Biloxi, the Milwaukee Brewers affiliate, captured both half season division wins.
After losing a back-and-forth 9-7 game Monday night, the Blue Wahoos had a rough performance Tuesday in a game that began at 10:35 a.m. Three Biloxi pitchers combined on a two-hitter and struck out 16 Blue Wahoos batters.
Travis Blankenhorn and Taylor Grzelakowski had the Blue Wahoos’ only hits. Both players also reached on a walk during the game. Blankenhorn has continued to be the team’s leading hitter with a .306 average.
Andro Cutura, who grew up in Slidell, La., only an hour away, and had a family contingent in the stands, started the game and worked a solid first four innings. He allowed a solo homer by Max McDowell in the third inning.
But in the fifth, Cutura encountered trouble. He issued a pair of walks to start the inning. Cooper Hummel followed with a two-run single. With two out, Jake Gatewood doubled to score Hummel and make it 4-0.
The Shuckers added two more runs in the eighth inning off reliever Adam Bray. With two outs in the eighth, Blue Wahoos manager Ramon Borrego summoned shortstop Jordan Gore to finish the inning on the mound. He faced two batters, giving up a hit, then ending the inning on a pop out.
It was Gore’s second time as a reliever this season.
Biloxi has won 22 of its last 27 games in overtaking the Blue Wahoos, who had been atop the South Division standings since opening day in April until the past weekend.
The Shuckers also took the lead in the Seafood Buffet Series with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and the Blue Wahoos vying for best overall record. The winning team at the end of the season will have a catered meal provided by the other teams’ namesake seafood item.
The Blue Wahoos will now turn focus to finishing the first half in a good way at home. They begin with a Wine and Sign Wednesday promotion against the Smokies. Adult fans coming to the ballpark will enjoy wine specials. Two players will be signing autographs for kids and older fans in the Bait and Tackle Team store.
Blue Wahoos Bullpen Struggles In Fourth Loss To Biloxi Shuckers
June 11, 2019
Three times Monday night, the Blue Wahoos grabbed a lead against the Biloxi Shuckers.
Each time, it wasn’t enough.
In what became their most difficult loss in this series, the Blue Wahoos’ bullpen was unable to maintain an edge, as Biloxi answered with eight runs in the middle innings for a 9-7 win before a crowd of 1,927 at MGM Park in Biloxi, Miss.
Their fourth consecutive loss dropped the Blue Wahoos (36-28) three games behind the first-place Shuckers (39-25) entering the final week of the Southern League South Division first half schedule. The teams conclude their pivotal five-game series Tuesday with a morning game at 10:35 a.m.
The Blue Wahoos then return to Pensacola for a five-game homestand, which begins Wednesday at Blue Wahoos Stadium against the Tennessee Smokies, while the Shuckers travel to Jackson, Tenn. for a series against the Jackson Generals.
But it’s now going to take a complete reversal of fortune for Pensacola’s hopes to win the first half race. They will either be two games back or trail by four games, depending on what happens Tuesday. Biloxi is 21-5 since mid-May.
Biloxi’s win Monday sealed a head-to-head tiebreaker edge should the teams finish with identical records. The Shuckers now lead the first half season series 8-6 with one game left between the teams. They took advantage of three Blue Wahoos errors and six walks, along with 12 hits Monday to increase their division lead.
Things started well Monday for the Blue Wahoos.
They were bolstered by the return of pitcher Griffin Jax, the Air Force Academy graduate, who was part of early season, starting rotation. Jax started his first game since May 16, prior to going on the injured list. He worked 2.2 innings, allowed two hits one run and had two strikeouts.
When he exited in the third inning, the Blue Wahoos had a 2-1 lead. The game started with the Blue Wahoos’ Jaylin Davis blasting a leadoff home run in the first. In the second inning, catcher Brian Navaretto hit a two-out double, scoring Caleb Hamilton, who had reached on a fielder’s choice play.
The Blue Wahoos went up 3-1 in the fourth inning when Navaretto drove in Randy Cesar on a one-out sacrifice fly. Cesar, who reached on a walk and moved to third on consecutive singles, was playing his first game for the Blue Wahoos since being summoned from Triple-A Rochester.
The Shuckers took the lead with a three-run fifth inning. Trent Grisham homered against Ames to lead off the inning. Jake Greenwood reached on a throwing error and Patrick Leonard singled. Weston Wilson hit an RBI single for the second run and the Blue Wahoos summoned Hackimer to replace Ames.
Hackimer gave up a pair of two-out walks to force in a third run.
In the sixth inning, the Blue Wahoos retook the lead on a two-out single by Michael Davis to score Jimmy Kerrigan and Cesar, both of whom reached without a hit. Kerrigan was hit by a pitch and Cesar walked.
The Shuckers answered with three more runs in the bottom of the inning when Grisham again homered to lead it off, then Dillon Thomas later had an RBI triple and Wilson hit a sacrifice fly to score Thomas.
Trailing 7-5, the Blue Wahoos tied the game when Travis Blakenhorn hit a two-run homer, scoring Davis who led off with a double. It was Blankenhorn’s 11 homer this season.
The Shuckers, however, came right back again, this time loading the bases against Clay with a pair of singles and intentional walk. Jake Gatewood’s two-run single proved decisive.
The Shuckers sealed the game with their top two closers.
Aaron Kurcz retired the Blue Wahoos in the eighth for his fifth hold. Southern League all-star reliever Nate Griep needed just 11 pitches to end the game in the ninth and rack up his 14th save.
Blue Wahoos Drop Third Straight Against Shuckers
June 10, 2019
The Blue Wahoos were hoping to reverse course Sunday against Biloxi with an early lead and strong start on the mound.
Just the opposite occurred, however.
The Shuckers produced a four-run, first inning, chased out Blue Wahoos starter Jorge Alcala after three innings, then rolled to an 8-0 victory for Biloxi’s third consecutive win in this pivotal division series at MGM Park in Biloxi, Miss.
In clinching the series win Sunday before a crowd of 1,518, the Shuckers opened a two-game lead in the Southern League South Division first half chase. With two games remaining in Biloxi, seven total games in the first half schedule, the Blue Wahoos seek an immediate turnaround.
The Blue Wahoos were outscored 22-3 during the weekend games. Their pitching staff has yielded 31 hits in the three games.
Despite those numbers, the Blue Wahoos can still pull back even in the standings by winning the final two series games on Monday and Tuesday. The Blue Wahoos then begin a five-game homestand against the Tennessee Smokies, the Chicago Cubs affiliate, on Wednesday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
In order to change direction, the Blue Wahoos will need to get their bats going again.
Biloxi’s Trey Supak (8-2), named earlier last week to the Southern League All-Star team, was outstanding Sunday in becoming the league’s first pitcher to win eight games.
He worked seven complete innings, allowing just two hits, no walks and struck out eight Blue Wahoos batters. Reliever Cody Ponce worked the final two innings, allowing four hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
The Blue Wahoos had only four baserunners in scoring position. Two of those happened in the ninth when the Blue Wahoos loaded the bases with one out on a pair of singles and a catcher’s interference call. But Ponce got Joe Cronin to hit into a game-ending double play to preserve the shutout.
No Blue Wahoos player had multiple hits. Jimmy Kerrigan had the team’s only extra-base hit with his first inning double.
Biloxi, meanwhile, got all the runs it needed in the bottom of the first. The Shuckers’ Luis Aviles Jr., one of the top prospects in the Milwaukee Brewers system, led off with a double. He then stole third and scored on Trent Grisham’s ground out.
The next two batters, Jake Gatewood and Patrick Leonard singled. Dillon Thomas followed with a two-out, three-run homer off Alcala (5-3) over the right center fence.
In the third inning, the Shuckers made it 5-0 after Alcala hit a pair of batters, gave up a single to load the bases, then walked Thomas with one out to force in a run.
The Blue Wahoos went to their bullpen to begin the fourth inning. It matched Alcala’s shortest start of the season, going back to April 26 when he worked only three innings against Jacksonville.
Andrew Viscaya worked 1.2 innings as the most effective reliever. The Shuckers got their sixth run off Williams Ramirez, then two more off Zach Weiss, who returned to the Blue Wahoos as a Twins’ organization player, following his prior time in Pensacola as a closer with the Reds organization.
Biloxi’s win continued their first-half surge. Since May 14, the Shuckers have compiled a 20-5 record. The Blue Wahoos have struggled since mid-May, losing four of five series’, including this one against Biloxi.
Northview Cheerleaders Win Top Awards At LSU Summer Camp
June 9, 2019
The Northview High School Cheerleaders took several top awards this weekend at the LSU Summer Camp on the campus of Louisiana State University. The Chiefs placed first place in cheer, first place overall, first place in sideline and second place in rally routine. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northwest Escambia 12U All-Stars Win District Championship
June 9, 2019
The Northwest Escambia All-Stars won the Cal Ripkin Baseball District 7 championship Saturday in Atmore.
NWE’s All-Stars will move on to the state championship in Sylacauga, Alabama, on June 20.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Fall Out Of First Place After 5-2 Loss To Biloxi
June 9, 2019
For a second night against the Biloxi Shuckers, the Blue Wahoos had their bats quieted and for the first time this season, they are no longer in first place.
Shuckers starter Johan Belisario (6-0) worked five solid innings, then three relievers combined to allow just one hit, as Biloxi overtook the Blue Wahoos atop the Southern League South Division with a 5-2 victory Saturday night at MGM Park in Biloxi, Miss.
A crowd of 3,585 watched the Shuckers take a fifth-inning lead on a pair of walks, then produce a three-run eighth to pull away for the win.
After 62 games, the Blue Wahoos (36-26) will now play the role of chaser, trailing Biloxi (37-25) by one game, heading into the three remaining games of this pivotal series in the first half divisional race.
Jorge Alcala (5-2) is set to take the mound Sunday for the Blue Wahoos in a 2:35 p.m. game to try and get the divisional chase tied again. The teams will play again Monday and Tuesday. Each team has eight games left in the first half schedule.
The Blue Wahoos took an early lead Saturday when Jaylin Davis led off the fourth inning with a solo homer, his ninth of the season. Michael Davis and Brian Navarreto then followed with two out singles, but Belisario got Taylor Grzelakowski to ground out, ending the inning.
It became the third time in four innings the Blue Wahoos left a runner in scoring position.
Blue Wahoos starter Charlie Barnes (0-1), who absorbed his first loss since joining the team, was in a good flow through four innings until he struggled with control in the fifth inning. After giving up a leadoff double, then a walk, he was unable to throw out Luis Aviles Jr. on a bunt single which loaded the bases.
Blue Wahoos manager Ramon Borrego went to the bullpen, bringing in Tom Hackimer, who walked the next two batters to give Biloxi a 2-1 lead with none out. But Hackimer then pitched out of the jam with a strikeout and double play ball to end the inning.
The offense wasn’t able to respond, going scoreless the next three innings. The Blue Wahoos best chance for a rally was in the top of the eighth when Ben Rortvedt and Davis reached on one-out walks. The Shuckers summoned reliever Luke Barker, who struck out Ryan Costello and Caleb Hamilton to end the inning en route to earning his eighth save.
In the bottom of eighth, Bilox touched up reliever Jeff Ames with three consecutive hits to start the inning. The third one, a double by Dillon Thomas, scored a run. Sam Clay replaced Ames and issued an intentional walk to C.J. Hinojosa. The Shuckers’ Max McDowell then smacked a two-run double to give the Shuckers a 5-1 lead.
With two outs in the ninth, Travis Blankenhorn hit an RBI double to score Grezelakowski, who had walked, for the Blue Wahoos second run.
After scoring 34 runs and winning four of five games against Jacksonville, the Blue Wahoos have scored just three runs against Biloxi and been unable to deliver a big two-out hit.
The season series between the teams, part of the Seafood Buffet Series, is now tied at 6-6. The Blue Wahoos will need to win two of the three remaining games to keep a tie-breaker edge should the teams end the first half tied in the standings.
Blue Wahoos Roughed Up In Series Opening Loss At Biloxi
June 8, 2019
The Blue Wahoos ran into a hot pitcher and a big inning in a 9-1 loss Friday night against the Biloxi Shuckers to begin their pivotal series battle at MGM Park in Biloxi, Miss.
Shuckers’ righthander Alec Bettinger, named earlier this week as the Southern League Pitcher of the Week, after posting a pair of wins, spun another gem Friday, while wearing a New Orleans Saints jersey as part of a theme night before a crowd of 2,508.
Bettinger allowed just two hits, only one after giving up a leadoff home run to Pensacola’s Travis Blankenhorn to start the game. It was Blankenhorn’s 10th home run since joining the Blue Wahoos on April 27.
Bettinger then settled in to strike out 12 Blue Wahoos batters and allowed just one walk. The Shuckers moved back into a first-place tie with the Blue Wahoos atop the Southern League South Division first half standings.
Both teams have identical 36-25 records. The teams will continue their five game series Saturday at 6:35 p.m. Each team has nine games left in the first half schedule.
After Talyor Grzelakowski hit a two-out triple in the second inning for the Blue Wahoos’ second hit, it became their last one of the game. The Blue Wahoos had only three other baserunners in the game. Michael Davis reached on a walk, two others reached on errors.
Biloxi, meanwhile, pounded out 14 hits, including nine against Blue Wahoos starter Bryan Sammons (0-1), who had his roughest outing (9 hits, 6 earned runs) since joining the team two weeks ago.
Bettinger retired 16 of the final 18 batters he faced. Reliever Devin Williams entered in the eighth and produced two hitless innings.
Bettinger, a former University of Virginia standout, was drafted in 2017 in the 10th round by the Milwaukee Brewers – the Shuckers’ MLB affiliate. He has yielded just two runs in his last three starts, and only five runs allowed in his last six starts.
After Blankenhorn’s blast to start the game, the Shuckers’ Trent Grisham answered with a 2-run homer in the bottom of the first, after Luis Aviles Jr. reached on a fielder’s choice.
But the game was shaped by the fourth inning when the Shuckers went through all nine batters in producing a four-run inning. After Sammons loaded the bases by giving up a pair of singles and walk, Aviles Jr. had an RBI fielder’s choice play and Grisham followed with an RBI single.
Following a pitching change, Patrick Leonard hit a two RBI single off Blue Wahoos reliever Adam Bray. The Shuckers added three more runs in the eighth inning off Blue Wahoos reliever Tyler Jay.
Pensacola will send Charlie Barnes (0-0,3.60 ERA) to the mound for Saturday’s game. Barnes and Sammons both joined the team May 27.
Six Blue Wahoos Selected To Southern League All-Star Team
June 7, 2019
The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs has announced that six members of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos roster have been named to the Southern League’s South Division All-Star Team through voting by field managers, general managers, and radio broadcasters for all 10 Southern League clubs.
Three pitchers from Pensacola’s roster, Brusdar Graterol, Griffin Jax, and Ryan Mason, will join three position players, 2B Travis Blankenhorn, OF Jaylin Davis, and C Caleb Hamilton, on the roster for the All-Star Game on Tuesday, June 18 at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi.
All-Star Baseball, Softball Games Rescheduled (With Rosters)
June 6, 2019
The 20018-19 Subway High School All-Star Series baseball and softball games have been rescheduled for June 19 at University of West Florida’s Jim Spooner Field and Softball Complex in Pensacola.
The head coaches for the west teams, comprised of Escambia County schools, are Northview’s Amy Holland coaching softball and Brett McCullough of Pine Forest High School coaching baseball.
Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County Schools make up the east team. Brian Watson of Jay High School will lead the east softball team while Fort Walton Beach’s Brian McDaniel will coach the east baseball team.
New at this year’s event, Pensacola Sports is holding an equipment drive. Fans are encouraged to bring used / new baseball and softball equipment to be donated to the Miracle League of Pensacola.
Donations can include balls, bats, gloves, bags, cleats, catchers gear, trainings aids, etc. Miracle League of Pensacola officials will be on-site collecting the equipment. Miracle League of Pensacola will also gladly accept donations of monetary value.
Rosters are as follows:
WEST SOFTBALL
Catholic – Casey Durant
Catholic – Josie Madison
Escambia – Hailey Sedig
Escambia – Shelby Ullrich
Northview – Aubree Love
Northview – Makayla Jeneske
Northview – Lydia Smith
Northview – Valen Shelly
Northview – Tori Herrigton
Northview – Kendall Enfinger
Pine Forest – Crystal Hendrickson
Tate – Shelby McLean
Tate – Gabby Locke
Tate — Amber Decoux
Washington- Sumayah Fuavai
West Florida – Kenzi Wiley
West Florida – Amanda Klemm
West Florida – Meredith Morgan
West Florida Mackenzie McBride
EAST SOFTBALL
Baker - Shelby Sloan
Baker - Alyson Watson
Central - Skylair Fortner
Central - Malarie Foster
Choctaw - Alicyn Grete
Choctaw - Peyton Coots
Crestview - Caitlin Black
FWB Heidi Santos
Jay - Alyssa Baxley
Jay - Avarie Jackson
Milton - Kiahna Connell
Milton - Caroline Worrell
Milton - Alyssa Hudson
Navarre - Kallie Anderson
Navarre - Emily Cannington
Navarre - Lakin Grindland
Niceville - Katie Lightfoot
Pace - Ryleigh Baker -
Rocky Bayou - Madison Stubblefield
Rocky Bayou - Haley Nelson
Rocky Bayou - Rominey Willner
Rocky Bayou - Hayden Edelman
WEST BASEBALL
Catholic – Dustin Chabot
Catholic – Robert Black
Catholic – David Stafford
Escambia – William Browne
Escambia – Avery McNair
Escambia – Jayden Baesman
Northview – Seth Killam
PCA – Greg Clark
Pensacola – Jair Green
Pine Forest – Nolan Rigby
Pine Forest – Christian Munoz
Tate – Trey LaFleur
Tate – Hunter McLean
Tate – Easton Sidner
Washington – Sam Jackson
Washington – Colby Livingston
West Florida – Graham Holland
West Florida – Will Hackett
West Florida – John Leland
West Florida – Gavin Coles
West Florida – Derrick Town
West Florida – Dylan Reaves
EAST BASEBALL
Baker - Payton Rockwell
Central - Daryl Peek
Choctaw - Jared Gornto
Choctaw - Kairee Stocker
Choctaw - Brady Peters
Crestview - Coby Aguilar
Crestview - John Gillis
Crestview – Cooper Martin
FWB - Cameron Gagliano
FWB - Alex Holz
FWB - Karsun Barrett
Gulf Breeze Nick Deweese
Gulf Breeze Bryson Smith
Gulf Breeze Enoch Rycroft
Jay - Trevor Flowers
Laurel Hill - Tyler Southard
Milton - Tylor Patterson
Navarre - Cameron Terrian
Navarre - Eric Anderson
Navarre - Kaleb Hellard
Niceville - Connor Walsh
Pace - Aidan Gilroy
Pace - Brandon Sproat
Pace - Ty Kirchharr
Rocky Bayou - Cole Embey
Register Now For Tate Aggies Youth Football Camp
June 5, 2019
The Tate High School Aggies will host their Youth Football Camp June 24-26 from 5-8 p.m. daily.
The cost is $75 for each attendee in grades 2-8. Registration includes the three day camp, event t-shirt and a pizza party on the last day of camp.
Register online at tatehighfootball.com or on the first day of camp.