Wahoos Get Slim Win Over The BayBears
August 10, 2018
After Gavin LaValley drove in four in the series-opening win, the Wahoos first baseman was at it again as he delivered a two-run home run in Thursday’s 4-2 win at Hank Aaron Stadium.
With the Wahoos trailing 2-0 in the top of the fifth, Narciso Crook singled off Daniel Procopio to bring the tying run to the plate. LaValley timed up the 2-0 pitch perfectly and crushed Procopio’s offering over the left-field fence to tie the game at 2-2.
Similar to Wednesday night’s game, the Wahoos scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning. Shed Long led off the frame with a single off Zac Ryan (L, 1-3) and then eventually stole second base. The next batter, Mitch Nay, struck out, but the pitch kicked away from BayBears catcher Jack Kruger to allow Long to advance to third. Crook then tapped a slow roller up the first base line, which allowed Long to score the go-ahead run.
Vladimir Gutierrez (W, 9-9) was excellent outside of the second inning. Jose Rojas and Zach Gibbons led off the second with back-to-back doubles to take a quick 1-0 lead. After a single, and a throwing error by Gutierrez, the BayBears had the bases loaded and nobody out. However, the right-hander worked brilliantly around the threat as he induced a double-play ball from Brandon Sandoval, which scored Gibbons to make it 2-0 Mobile. Mitch Spires followed with a groundout to short to end the inning.
Gutierrez pitched the other six innings of his seven-inning effort in shutout fashion. He finished his outing on a high note, retiring six of the final seven BayBears he faced. He departed the game having allowed two runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. The win was his first since July 19.
The Wahoos scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning thanks to a fielding error by Roberto Baldoquin. Taylor Featherston hit a groundball to the BayBear shortstop but it bounced past him and trickled into left. Featherston stole second and advanced to third after Kruger’s throw to second rolled into center. Nay brought home the insurance run with a single off Matt Custred to extend Pensacola’s lead to 4-2.
For the second consecutive night, Jody Davis called on Alex Powers (S, 15) to close out the win in the ninth. It wasn’t the cleanest inning for the Wahoos closer, as he allowed a walk and a single to bring the winning run to the plate with two outs. However, Spires flew out to TJ Friedl to end the game, which gave Powers his 15th save of the season and the Wahoos Their 61st win of the season.
The Bay to Bay series continues tomorrow night as the Wahoos try to earn a series win against Mobile. RHP Tony Santillan (4-0, 1.78) will put his undefeated record on the line Friday night against RHP Jose Rodriguez (7-9, 5.83).
High Tech Shirts Donated To Northview Football Team To Protect Against Injury
August 9, 2018
The Northview High School Chiefs football team received a donation Wednesday that will help keep them safe on the football field this season.
They will have high tech performance rib shirts under their uniforms. The shirts hold a shield that begins as a soft material, a high-tech polymer, that molds to each individual player’s body, becoming rock hard and protecting the abdomen from injury.
The shield is different than a foam pad that just softens a blow; the impact from a hard hit is dispersed across the entire shield
Ten years ago, Niceville High School football player Taylor Haugen passed away after a hit to his abdomen ruptured his liver. Since then, Taylor’s parents, Brian and Kathy have made it their mission to bring awareness that high school students need to be equipped with the same abdominal protective gear that professionals use.
The Taylor Haugen Foundation has now outfitted all the high schools in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, along with schools in 13 states nationwide.
“I lost my son 10 years ago to an abdominal injury. It actually crushed his liver during an impact that he sustained during a game,” Kathy Haugen said. “I found out the following year about this particular product, and I’ve been researching and trying to keep up with the technology ever since.”
She said she wants to see the shirts made part of the required high school football protective gear.
“We concentrate heavily on brain injuries and the impact that has, but there are organs down in your abdominal region that you can’t live without. And if you don’t catch some of the tears and injuries, you can also pass away from those.”
The shirts cost about $80 each.
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NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Open Series Over The Mobile Baybears
August 9, 2018
Gavin LaValley powered the offense with four RBI lead and Alex Powers picked up his 14th save of the season as the Wahoos took the series opener against the Mobile BayBears 7-6 Wednesday night at Hank Aaron Stadium.
Wednesday’s contest against the BayBears was a back-and-forth battle that saw three separate lead changes. It was the BayBears who struck first against Seth Varner (W, 7-2) in large part to some defensive miscues by the Wahoos.
Jahmai Jones opened the scoring by reaching on an error, stealing second base, and then coming home on a wild pitch by Varner to make it 1-0. Later in the inning, Jack Kruger reached on a fly ball that Aristides Aquino lost in the sun. He later scored on Zach Gibbons’ double to center, and Roberto Baldoquin drove him home with a single to make it 3-0 after one.
The Wahoos responded quickly, scoring twice against Joe Gatto in the second inning. After Shed Long walked, Mitch Nay laced a double to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Narciso Crook’s sac fly to center brought home one run, and Gavin LaValley’s RBI-single cut the score down to 3-2.
Pensacola’s big inning came in the sixth when the Wahoos cashed in on some poor pitching by the BayBears. TJ Friedl led off the inning with his first home run of the season, and after Mobile walked the bases loaded, LaValley delivered again a bases-clearing double off Adrian Almeida, which gave the Wahoos a 6-3 lead.
The BayBears answered with three runs of their own to tie the game at 6-6. After a single to Jose Rojas and a two-out walk to Baldoquin, Riley Unroe belted a three-run shot off Varner. Varner struck out Brandon Sandoval to finish his night with six innings of work in the books and six runs (three earned) allowed.
The Wahoos scored the winning run in the seventh. After Friedl, and Taylor Featherston singled, a wild pitch set up the Wahoos with second and third and only one out. Aristides Aquino brought home Friedl with a sac fly to left off Dario Beltre (1-1) to put the Wahoos up by one.
After Zack Weiss pitched two scoreless innings in relief, Alex Powers (S, 14) was called upon in the ninth inning to close out the game. Despite allowing a single to Unroe, Powers struck out two and induced Mitch Spires into a flyout to right to seal the win and give Powers his 14th save of the season.
The Battle of the Bay series continues tomorrow night as the Wahoos try to make it back-to-back wins. RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (8-9, 4.25) will try to return to his winning ways on Thursday, and he will be opposed by RHP Jeremy Beasley (2-3, 3.29).
Wahoos Beat The BayBears
August 9, 2018
In the bottom of the 10th inning with Wahoos trailing 4-3, Narciso Crook delivered a two-run single with the bases loaded to clinch a series win against the BayBears Tuesday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
With the win, has surpassed Mobile by a half game in the wildcard standings since Biloxi leads the second-half standings. Pensacola only trails the Shuckers by a half game in the second-half standings, with five games to play.
The Wahoos offense got off to a slow start against BayBear starter, Patrick Sandoval. The southpaw pitched only four innings and carved through the Wahoos, striking out eight across four shutout innings. In the fifth, he was lifted for Jason Alexander, and with the Wahoos trailing 1-0, Pensacola tied the game in Alexander’s first frame. Taylor Featherston walked and took third on Luis Gonzalez’s single with nobody out. Chris Okey grounded into a double play, but Featherston scored from third to tie the game.
The BayBears struck for a pair in the sixth against Wyatt Strahan. With two outs, Strahan issued back-to-back walks and then paid the price after Alexis Olmeda doubled home Mitch Ghelfi to give Mobile a 2-1 lead. Connor Justus followed with an RBI single, which was nearly two had Aristides Aquino not thrown out Olmeda at the plate.
Pensacola tied the game in the eighth with an improbable two-out rally. After back-to-back strikeouts from Alexander, TJ Friedl walked before a single from Mitch Nay. With two strikes, Aquino laced a two-run double into the left-field corner, which tied the game at three. The Wahoos had a chance to win it in the ninth after loading the bases with no outs; however, Alexander managed to navigate through the danger without conceding a run.
After the BayBears scored a run in the top of the 10th against Robinson Leyer (W, 5-3), Pensacola used a hit-by-pitch and an infield single to set the stage for Crook’s winner. Pensacola finishes the regular season with a 37-33 record, and for the third consecutive year, the Wahoos finish with a home record above .500.
The Wahoos will hit the road on Wednesday for Kodak, Tenn. in preparation of the regular season finale against the Smokies. LHP Seth Varner (8-3, 3.49) will make his final regular-season start and will be opposed by RHP Matt Swarmer (4-5, 3.53).
High School Lighted Sports Field Contract Expanded To Include Ernest Ward Middle
August 7, 2018
The Escambia County School District has expanded their lighted sports field maintenance to include Ernest Ward Middle School.
The $130,000 estimated contract was renewed with McLemore Electrict of Pensacola for the inspection, maintenance and repair of sports field lighting equipment on an as needed basis at Ernest Ward and Woodham middle schools and Escambia, Northview, Pensacola, Pine Forest , Tate, Washington and West Florida high schools.
The renewal price included an additional $75,000 to upgrade deteriorating wiring and the addition of the football field at Ernest Ward Middle in Walnut Hill.
Pictured: The lighted football field at Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Biscuits Take Series Finale Against Wahoos
August 7, 2018
Wyatt Strahan (L, 6-9) was tagged for nine runs in the shortest outing of his career as the Biscuits won the series finale 12-2 Monday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Strahan lasted just 1.1 innings before exiting the game. Montgomery scored five runs in the first inning before adding four more in the second. The Biscuits had sent 19 men to the plate as the game reached the third inning.
Pensacola’s offense came late when Aristides Aquino led off the seventh inning with his 17th homer of the season. For the second consecutive season, Aquino has tied Juan Duran’s record of most home runs by a Wahoo season, this time with 25 games still remaining. Shed Long followed with a single and later scored on Narciso Crook’s double to left, which made the score 12-2. Long finished the contest with a 3-for-4 night.
Benton Moss followed last week’s complete game with six shutout innings as the right-hander earned his fifth win of the season. He has now extended his scoreless-inning streak to 13.1 innings.
The loss snaps Pensacola’s series unbeaten streak at 12. The club had gone over two months since they had lost a series, dating back to the end of May when Jacksonville took two of three in a rain-shortened series. During that stretch, the Blue Wahoos went 38-19 improved their season record from 22-33 (last place) to 59-52, which is five game back of Biloxi for the best overall record in the Southern League.
After an off day tomorrow, the Wahoos will make the short trek across I-10 for a five-game tilt against the Mobile BayBears. Pensacola left-hander Seth Varner (6-2, 2.91) will open the series for the Blue Wahoos while RHP Joe Gatto (3-4, 5.59) is expected to toe the rubber for the Los Angeles Angles Double-A affiliate.
Biscuits Beat The Wahoos
August 6, 2018
Montgomery score six runs over the seventh and eighth innings to even the five-game series with a 7-3 win Sunday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Wahoos led 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth before the Biscuits took control of the game. Brett Sullivan led off with a double, followed by Dalton Kelly getting hit by a pitch. Lucius Fox laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw to first base got away and Sullivan dashed home all the way from second base to tie the game. Nathan Lukes delivered an RBI single to give the Biscuits the lead 3-2. In the eighth the Biscuits would send nine to the plate and score four runs off reliever Alejandro Chacin to extend the lead to 7-2. Jesus Sanchez led the inning off with a home run, which sparked the rally. The inning featured three hits, two walks and an error which put the game out of reach.
Jose Siri tied the franchise second-half record with his 10th home run in the ninth inning in the 7-3 defeat. It was the only run Mike Broadway allowed over his 2.1 innings to close out the game.
Starter Daniel Wright (L, 6-7) threw a career-high 107 pitches in the losing effort. Wright had a rough first inning when he allowed one run on three hits. He settled down, posting five scoreless innings that included sitting down 12 consecutive batters spanning from the last out in the second until Jake Cronenworth drew a walk with two outs in the sixth. Wright’s night ended without getting an out in the seventh after surrendering the lead.
Monday night the Wahoos will look to win the rubber match, to extend their series unbeaten streak to 13. Pensacola will start RHP Wyatt Strahan (6-8, 6.46), and RHP Benton Moss (4-4, 3.82) will take the hill for Montgomery.
Biscuits Beat The Wahoos
August 5, 2018
Montgomery scored four runs in the top of the 13th inning and took game three by a final score of 9-5, Saturday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
With two outs in the 13th, Jake Cronenworth broke a 5-5 tie with a two-run single off Carlos Navas (L, 4-2) to give the Biscuits a 7-5 lead. They would double the advantage with another two-run single from Michael Brosseau to put the game out reach.
Santillan battled all night against the Biscuits posting his fourth quality start in six outings. Despite allowing base runners in all but one of his six innings, Santillan’s only setback came in the second inning on two unearned runs.
Rafael De Paula replaced Santillan in the seventh and walked the bases loaded. He was then lifted for Robinson Leyer, who escaped the bases loaded jam, allowing only one run. Leyer and Joel Bender combined for 3.1 innings on three hits, three walks, and three strikeouts.
The Wahoos had chances to walk off in the extras. In the 10th with the winning run at second, Mitch Nay grounded out to short to end the Wahoos chances at a win. In the 11th, the Wahoos again scored the tying run and had the winning run at third but Luis Gonzalez hit into an inning-ending double play to send the game to the 12th. The Wahoos were 4-for-24 with runners in scoring position and left 13 men on base.
The Wahoos will look to improve their series unbeaten streak to 13 in Sunday’s game against the Biscuits. The Wahoos will start RHP Daniel Wright (6-6, 3.68), and RHP Benton Moss (4-4, 3.82) will take the hill for the Biscuits.
‘It’s Here’ – Midnight Practice Gets Players Fired Up For Football Season
August 4, 2018
Are you ready for some football?
At 12:01 a.m. Saturday, the stadium lights were on and the excitement of the upcoming football season was definitely in the humid air as the Northview Chiefs hit the wet grass of Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in Bratt.
Welcome to Midnight Madness, Chiefs style.
Saturday was the first legal day for contact and full gear under FHSAA rules. And Northview Coach Derek Marshman was wasting no time.
“It’s here. It’s time for some football. It’s been a tradition here since 2016,” Marshman said. “We’ve had a great summer. The kids are excited; the kids are fired up.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
“We have a lot of key guys returning to key positions. We have a lot of experience returning,” he said of a team with 14 seniors, over triple last year’s number. “We are excited about it. We’ve got a great coaching staff. It’s been a great start so far.
It’s still a couple of weeks before preseason games in Florida.
Northview will host Vernon in a kickoff classic on Friday, August 17 before playing Lighthouse Christian School on August 24 and Choctaw on August 24
Down the road in Cantonment, the Tate Aggies will host Pensacola High on August 17 before Choctaw visits Pete Gindl Stadium on on August 24.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: “Midnight Madness” — the season’s first full contact practice that began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Rally For 4-3 Win In 10-Inning Thriller
August 4, 2018
The Blue Wahoos edged the Montgomery Biscuits 4-3 in an extra inning thriller Friday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola struggled to get anything going against Montgomery starter Sam McWilliams. McWilliams surrendered just one run in six innings, and from the fourth to the sixth inning retired eight Wahoos batters in a row before he walked Shed Long in the bottom of the sixth to kill the streak.
The Wahoos found themselves trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning but rallied to get back into the game. Chris Okey hit a line drive double to center field and Daniel Sweet singled on a bunt pop to McWilliams. McWilliams then walked Jose Siri which loaded the bases. Taylor Featherston was hit by a pitch from McWilliams to plate Daniel Sweet and tie the game 2-2.
The Biscuits would strike first in the 10th inning when Lowe smashed an RBI ground ball single to right-field to score Jake Cronenworth to give Montgomery the one-run lead at 3-2. Arisitides Aquino struck out swinging but a wild pitch by Yoel Espinal would put Aquino on first and automatic runner Taylor Featherston advanced to third. With runners in the corners Mitch Nay hit a ground ball to third base, Mike Brosseau fielded it and threw home to try to get Featherston, but the throw got away and the game was tied 3-3. Espinal intentionally walked Long to load the bases. Then, for the second time in the game, a bases loaded hit by pitch scored a run. This time Gavin LaValley was hit by Espinal and Aquino scored the game-winning run to give the Wahoos their fifth straight win, 4-3.
Pensacola will look to stretch its series unbeaten streak to 13 Saturday night. The Wahoos will start RHP Tony Santillan (4-0, 1.84), and RHP Blake Bivens (2-0, 1.13) will take the hill for the Biscuits