Ashton Brosnaham Park Selected As Youth Soccer Recreational Club Of The Year
August 17, 2018
Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park off 10 Mile Road and the Gulf Coast Texans youth soccer program have been awarded the 2018 Florida Youth Soccer Association Recreational Club of the Year, selected out of approximately 250 youth soccer associations in Florida.
The award was presented to the Gulf Coast Texans at the FYSA’s annual meeting Saturday, Aug. 11 in Orlando, Florida.
The Gulf Coast Texans use Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park through a partnership with Escambia County Parks and Recreation, offering youth soccer for children 3 years old all the way through high school. The goal of the Gulf Coast Texans is to provide exposure of soccer in the community to youth for the purpose of promoting good health, sportsmanship, teamwork, competition and developing a love for the game of soccer.
When applying for the FYSA award, Gulf Coast Texans Recreational Commissioner Alain Espinosa said what makes the program special is that it is 100 percent volunteer-run, and all volunteers share the same philosophy of making sure that each player has the best environment to enjoy the game of soccer. The Gulf Coast Texans program encourages play at all skill levels and focuses on the enjoyment and development of soccer players without the emphasis on high-level pressure to win.
The recreational program of the Gulf Coast Texans has grown by 10 percent each year since 2014, averaging about 450 players each season.
Pictured: Gulf Coast Texans Recreational Commissioner Alain Espinosa, left, and Gulf Coast Texans President Mark Carr receive the FYSA Recreational Club of the Year award in Orlando, Florida. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Battered By Shrimp, 9-1
August 17, 2018
Jose Siri’s 11th home run for the Blue Wahoos was the lone bright spot in Thursday’s 9-1 loss to Jacksonville.
Trailing 9-0 in the eighth, Siri snapped an 0-for-10 skid with a solo homer to left, which broke the franchise record for most homers in the second half of a season. Four players had previously hit 10 home runs in the second-half, with the most recent being third baseman and current top prospect in the Reds organization, Nick Senzel. Siri recorded only one homer with the Tortugas prior to his promotion; however, he was still recovering from an injury he sustained in February during Spring Training.
The homer was the only run Pensacola could muster against Jacksonville. Tony Santillan (L, 4-1) suffered his first loss of the season after struggling against the Jumbo Shrimp. He was lifted after three innings and was charged with a career-high eight runs (seven earned).
Robert Dugger (W, 5-5) pitched seven shutout innings for the Jumbo Shrimp and tied his season-high with nine strikeouts. Pensacola’s best chance came in the first inning when the Wahoos loaded the bases and two outs. However, Dugger struck out Taylor Featherston to neutralize the threat. Despite having baserunners on in every inning except the seventh, the Wahoos had a runner in scoring position only once after the first inning. Pensacola has now allowed nine runs in back-to-back games, and the team has surrendered at least eight in five of their last six contests.
The Wahoos will try to even the series against Jacksonville on Friday.
Tate’s Decoux Commits To Coastal Alabama North
August 16, 2018
Amber Decoux, member of the Tate High School Class of 2019, has verbally committed to further her education and play softball at Coastal Alabama North in Monroeville, AL. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jacksonville Beats The Wahoos
August 16, 2018
Nick Neidert (W, 11-6) shut down the Wahoos offense on Wednesday and earned his league-leading 11th win of the season as the Jumbo Shrimp rolled to a 9-2 win at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola found themselves trailing 1-0 after MLB-rehabber Lewis Brinson homered on Vladimir Gutierrez’s (L, 9-10) first pitch of the game. After that pitch, Gutierrez struck out the next two batters and induced Joe Dunand into a weak groundout to end the first. The Cuban right-hander picked up seven strikeouts through 3.2 innings, but surrendered two more runs in the fourth. He finished the night after six innings and yielded five runs (four earned) with no walks allowed.
The Blue Wahoos took the lead in the third inning when Chris Okey belted a two-run homer off Neidert to give the Wahoos a 2-1 lead. However, the offense was held in check for the rest of the night. Neidert went seven innings and held the Wahoos to four hits while also striking out seven. Pensacola finished with just five hits, which was their lowest hit total since July 27.
Jacksonville put the game out of reach in the seventh inning with a four-run rally. Already 5-2, Justin Twine delivered a two-run single off Alejandro Chacin before Dunand launched a two-run homer to make it 9-2. For Dunand, it was his second homer of the night.
High School Football Ticket Prices Increase
August 15, 2018
Football ticket prices are going up this year for school in Escambia County.
“Tickets for a regular season home game will be increased this year by one dollar to $7,” said Escambia County School District Athletic Director Roger Mayo. It’s the first increase in at least 13 years, despite increased costs to host games.
“Our families are used to paying more at away games and have often asked why we didn’t increase our tickets to match. While we have tried to keep the price down, the reality is, we need this increase to protect our schools from potential financial losses,” Mayo said.
Schools maintain the option of offering pre-sale tickets at the $6 rate.
Northview Football Teacher Of The Week
August 15, 2018
submitted by The Northview Chiefs
During the football season this year, members of the football team, both Varsity and JV, will be electing a Teacher of the Week based on the teacher’s hard work and dedication to inspiring the football team members in an academic setting.
Each week, we would like to invite the teacher to our pregame meal on Friday (if possible), to talk to the team prior to the game on Friday night and stand on the sideline with the team during the game.
Also, each teacher will receive a Northview football t-shirt.
This week, for the inaugural Teacher of the Week, the senior class voted and we would like to congratulate Mr. Shugart for winning the award!
Mr. Shugart has been extremely valuable to the football team by volunteering his time during the week to tutor the football team after school during the season and encouraging the athletes in class.
It is an honor to have Mr. Shugart represent the football team this week as we prepare to play host to Vernon in the preseason Kickoff Classic on Friday at home! Please come out and support the team in their first home game of the season. On Friday, both JV and Varsity will be playing one half each.
Meet the Chiefs will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. at Northview.
Wahoos Back on Track with 7-4 Win
August 15, 2018
The Blue Wahoos made McKenzie Mill’s (L, 0-1) Double-A debut he’ll soon want to forget. The Wahoos ambushed the southpaw with five runs in the first inning and never looked back in a 7-4 win Tuesday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Mills, who was acquired by the Marlins on Friday, was chased out of the game after two-thirds of an inning. After Jose Siri popped out to open the game the next five Wahoos would all come home to score. With two on, Aristides Aquino blooped his first of three hits into right field to load the bases. Shed Long followed with a bases-clearing triple to make it 3-0. The next batter was Taylor Featherston and he crushed his first home run since joining the Wahoos to make it 5-0. After hitting Chris Okey with a pitch, manager Randy Ready went to his bullpen and Scott Squier retired Wahoos starter Seth Varner to end the first inning.
Varner (W, 8-2) turned in another winning effort with seven innings of eight hit, three-run ball against Jacksonville. There were moments where Varner ran into trouble. He allowed a home run to Brian Schales in the second inning, which brought the score to 5-1. In the third, he hit Joe Dunand on an 0-2 pitch, and Dunand would come to score after Jacksonville rattled off a pair of hits in the fourth. In the fifth, Monte Harrison barreled his 17th homer of the year to make it a 5-3 game.
However, the offense picked up Varner and came right back with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend the lead to 7-3. Taylor Featherston smacked a one-out triple to center field and scored on Gavin LaValley’s RBI-single. After a base hit from Okey, Varner picked up his first career RBI with a single to left to bring home LaValley.
Alex Powers (S, 16) closed out the ninth inning for the Wahoos for his third save in as many appearances. Powers struck out one and with a man on forced Brian Miller to pop out to short to end the game.
The Wahoos continue their five-game series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Wednesday. RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (9-9, 4.16) will take the hill for Pensacola against RHP Nick Neidert (10-6, 3.23).
Aquino Sets Home Run Records As Wahoos Fall To Mobile
August 13, 2018
Aristides Aquino set the Blue Wahoos franchise record for most home runs in a season when he belted the 2-2 pitch from Dario Beltre over the left-field fence in the Wahoos 9-4 loss on Sunday at Hank Aaron Stadium.
The BayBears had a comfortable lead when the Wahoos came to bat in the last of the ninth. Aquino led off the inning and sent a no-doubter to left for his 18th home run of the season. Aquino finished the 2017 regular season by tying Juan Duran’s record of 17 home runs. Pensacola’s right-fielder has 20 games left in the season to set the new benchmark franchise record.
Aquino’s achievement is somewhat overshadowed by the loss. Despite pitching better, Wyatt Strahan (L, 6-10) was saddled with the loss after allowing six runs (three earned) over 5.2 innings. After stranding the bases loaded in the first, Mobile scored one in the second after Jam Jones doubled home Brandon Sandoval to give the BayBears a 1-0 lead.
With the BayBears leading 4-0 after the fourth, Pensacola strung together its best rally of the night when they scored three runs to make it a one-run game. After a base hit by Gavin LaValley and a throwing error, Chris Okey singled home the Wahoos first baseman to cut the deficit down to 4-1. Daniel Sweet followed with his second homer in as many games and Pensacola found themselves trailing 4-3.
The Wahoos would get no closer as the BayBears rallied for five runs over the final three innings. Brennon Lund delivered a two-run triple in the sixth and later scored on a Zach Gibbons single. In the seventh, Mitch Ghelfi swatted a two-run shot off Rafael De Paula to extend Mobile’s lead at the time to 9-3.
After a day off on Monday, the Wahoos will open a five-game series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Tuesday. LHP Seth Varner (7-2, 3.01) will start the opener for the Wahoos while Jacksonville has yet to disclose their starter.
Mobile Slugs Past Pensacola 14-2
August 12, 2018
After a promising start by the Wahoos, the BayBears slugged their way past the Wahoos with an 14-2 win at Hank Aaron Stadium on Saturday.
On a night celebrating former BayBear and longtime Major League pitcher, Jake Peavy, it was the visiting Wahoos who looked to spoil the party. TJ Friedl opened the game with an infield single and advanced on a throwing error by Riley Unroe. He later scored on a wild pitch from Jason Alexander (W, 1-5) to make the score 1-0.
However, Mobile came roaring back in the bottom of the first when the first three batters doubled off Wahoos starter Daniel Wright (L, 6-8). The BayBears sent all nine men to the plate in the first and eventually scored four runs on five hits. Wright—who was hit hard at Hank Aaron Stadium on Opening Day—suffered his eighth defeat of the season after he was charged with eight runs on 10 hits over 5.1 innings. Mobile eventually finished the night 14 runs on 18 hits with nine of those hits going for extra bases.
Daniel Sweet had a standout performance offensively for Pensacola. Filling in for the suspended Jose Siri, Sweet recorded his first career Double-A home run in his first at-bat and then doubled in the fifth inning off Alexander. He finished the night 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
The Battle of the Bay series concludes tomorrow night as the Wahoos hope to earn a series win in the rubber match. RHP Wyatt Strahan (6-9, 7.23) is looking for a bounce back performance. He will be opposed by RHP Jesus Castillo (7-4, 4.77).
BayBears Beat The Wahoos
August 11, 2018
The Blue Wahoos opened a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning but couldn’t hold on as the Mobile BayBears rallied for an 8-6 win over Pensacola Friday night at Hank Aaron Stadium.
Jose Siri started the game with a triple to the left-center field ally and scored on a wild pitch to put Pensacola up 1-0 right out of the gate.
With one out in the fourth inning, Aristides Aquino hit his first of two singles on the night, which sparked a five-run rally. Following a Shed Long walk, Mitch Nay ripped a double which scored both Aquino and Long. Narciso Crook singled behind Nay setting the table for Gavin LaValley. He belted a three-run home run over the left field fence to stretch the Wahoos lead to 6-0.
The BayBears were quick to answer. Jose Rojas hit a one-out home run to get the BayBears on the board. After a two-out walk and single, Mitch Ghelfi pulled Mobile within two with his first home run of the season.
Mobile took the lead in the seventh. Only trailing by one, Roberto Baldoquin singled home the tying and go-ahead runs with two outs to give the BayBears their first lead of the game at 7-6.
Pensacola threatened again in the eighth inning, but Crook flew out to the center fielder with the bases loaded on a deep fly ball to end the inning. The BayBears added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning to cap the 8-6 win.
Tony Santillan started for the Blue Wahoos and was charged with five runs on six hits over 4.2 innings, his shortest outing since joining the Blue Wahoos. He added seven strikeouts against three walks. Carlos Navas (L, 4-3) worked the final 3.1 innings and took the loss after allowing three runs on four hits. Despite surrendering the lead, he struck out six without a walk in the extended bullpen effort.
The Blue Wahoos scored all six of their runs off Mobile starter Jose Rodriguez. He exited after five innings with one walks and a season-high 11 strikeouts. Alex Klonowski (W, 9-2) picked up the win in relief with four shutout innings.
With LaValley’s three RBI in Friday’s game, he now has nine RBI for the series. Wahoos manager Jody Davis was ejected in the third inning as was Siri. David got kicked out during Chris Okey’s at bat for arguing from the dugout. Siri was tossed following his strikeout a batter later.
With a win on Saturday, Pensacola can lock up the series win. RHP Daniel Wright (6-7, 3.70) gets the start for the Blue Wahoos against BayBears RHP Jason Alexander (0-5, 4.05).