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Pensacola Sports Honors Top Senior Athletes, Awards Scholarships (With Gallery)

Blue Wahoos Nearly No-Hit Bby Hurtado, Trash Pandas In Homestand Finale

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped the final game of their series and homestand against the Rocket City Trash Pandas on Sunday afternoon, falling 2-1 while managing just one hit.

A Cristian Hernández RBI single with two outs in the seventh inning was the only thing separating Joel Hurtado (W, 2-1) and three Rocket City relievers from the third no-hitter in Trash Pandas history. For the Blue Wahoos, it was the 14th time in franchise history that the offense collected one hit in a game.

Hurtado was staked to an early 1-0 lead, as David Calabrese drew a leadoff walk in the first inning and scored on a Gustavo Campero RBI single. That would be the only run allowed by Luis Moreno (L, 0-2), who settled in and worked a season-high 5.0 innings of one-run ball.

The Trash Pandas added a run in the sixth against reliever Jack Sellinger, as Campero singled and scored on a two-out RBI double from Matthew Lugo.

Hurtado completed 6.0 no-hit innings with only a walk and error keeping him from perfection, but departed with 70 pitches thrown after issuing a leadoff walk to Ryan Ignoffo in the seventh inning. Hernández laced a two-out single up the middle to break up the no-hit bid and bring the score to 2-1, but was left at second base as Lucas Mahlstedt struck out Jay Beshears with the potential tying run at second base.

Camden Minacci and Luke Murphy (S, 4) each worked 1-2-3 innings to lock down the Rocket City win and secure just their second series win against the Blue Wahoos since entering the Southern League in 2021.

After an off day Monday, the Blue Wahoos begin a six-game road series against the Chattanooga Lookouts, Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, on Tuesday night.

written by Erik Bremer

Milbrandt Enchants, Praytor Hits Tater In Wahoos Win

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos won their second nailbiter in a row on Saturday night, beating the Rocket City Trash Pandas 1-0 thanks to a dominant pitching performance from Karson Milbrandt and a big swing from Sam Praytor.

Milbrandt (W, 2-1) completed 6.0 innings for the third consecutive start, scattering two harmless singles and two walks while striking out a season-high nine batters. In doing so, he lowered his ERA to a Southern League-leading 1.48.

Rocket City’s Austin Gordon (L, 1-3) was nearly as good, but surrendered a solo homer to Sam Praytor in the bottom of the fifth in what proved to be the game’s only run. Praytor, who was activated off the injured list on Thursday, finished 2-for-3 in his first Blue Wahoos game of the season.

Mason Vinyard contributed 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, and Kade Bragg (S, 1) worked a spotless ninth to finish off the combined three-hit shutout. It was Pensacola’s first shutout win of the season, and their first 1-0 win since August 1, 2025.

The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Trash Pandas, and their longest homestand of the season, on Sunday afternoon.

written by Erik Bremer

Ignoffo’s Walk-Off Salvages White’s Great Night In Wild Wahoos Win

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos played through rain to beat the Rocket City Trash Pandas on Friday night, surviving a late ninth-inning collapse to win 5-4 on a Ryan Ignoffo walk-off single.

On an evening devoted to a bobblehead giveaway of 2025 staff ace Thomas White, it was Brandon White who wowed the crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The righty allowed just a single and a walk over 6.2 scoreless innings while striking out a career-high 11 batters.

As steady rain accumulated, the Blue Wahoos took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on an Emaarion Boyd double and Ignoffo sacrifice fly. They added another run in the fourth on a Jay Beshears double and Gage Miller RBI groundout.

White was flawless aside from a first-inning walk and third-inning Mac McCroskey single, and struck out the side in the top of the fifth to make the game official. The Blue Wahoos doubled their lead in the bottom of the fifth against Rocket City starter Ryan Costieu, as Fenwick Trimble hit an RBI double and Ignoffo hit an RBI single for a 4-0 advantage.

White became the first Blue Wahoos starter to work into the seventh inning this season as he finished his outing with a strikeout of Matthew Lugo, his career-high 11th of the night.

The Trash Pandas got a run back in the eighth with a Raudi Rodriguez sacrifice fly off Luis Palacios, though Nigel Belgrave (W, 1-2) entered to strike out Matthew Lugo as the potential tying run with two men aboard. Belgrave couldn’t quite shut the door in the ninth, however, as the Trash Pandas collected three consecutive two-out hits to tie the game 4-4. Pinch hitter Gustavo Campero singled to keep the game alive, and Kyren Paris followed with a pinch-hit, two-run triple. Wade Meckler tied the game with an infield RBI single, though he was stranded at second as Belgrave struck out Tucker Flint to stop the rally.

The Blue Wahoos got their leadoff man on in the bottom of the ninth against Trash Pandas closer Kenyon Yovan (L, 2-1), as Boyd reached on catcher’s interference. He stole second, took third on a groundout, and came in on Ignoffo’s two-out RBI single to center field.

The victory marked Pensacola’s first walk-off win of the season, and Ignoffo’s first of his Blue Wahoos career.

The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Trash Pandas on Saturday night.

written by Erik Bremer

Lewis Jr. Homers In Wahoos 7-3 Loss To Trash Pandas

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell to the Rocket City Trash Pandas by a final score of 7-3 on Thursday night.

Pensacola was playing catch up early, when two runs scored on a ground ball that ate up Wahoos shortstop Payton Green off the bat of Rocket City leadoff hitter Wade Meckler, Green’s first error of the year.

The Blue Wahoos would answer back in the fourth inning, when Dillon Lewis walked with one out and Ian Lewis Jr. would send one over the right field wall for a 2-run homer, his third blast of the year. Two batters later, Payton Green would hit his team leading 8th double of the year and would eventually score on a Ryan Ignoffo go ahead RBI single, giving the club a 3-2 lead. Ignoffo had entered the game in the second inning, filling in for an injured Spencer Bramwell.

Pensacola starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr would be taken out of the game in the 5th after allowing back-to-back singles to Kyren Paris and Gustavo Campero. Mason Vinyard would be the first arm called on out of the pen, and while he would retire three consecutive batters, a flyball and a ground out would move Paris to third and home, tying the game at 3-3.

That score would hold until the top of the 7th, when Pensacola reliever Logan Whitaker (L, 2-1) would allow two runs on a two run bomb off the bat of Rocket City’s Matthew Lugo, giving the Pandas a 5-3 lead. They would add to that lead in the top of the 8th, when Nick Rodriguez would send the first pitch he saw into left field for a two out, two run single, making it a 7-3 game.

The offense would threaten in the 8th, but ultimately come up empty before going down quietly in the 9th, finalizing the 7-3 loss. Trash Pandas reliever Camden Minacci (W, 1-2) was credited with his first win of the season and Luke Murphy locked down his third save of the season.

The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Trash Pandas on Friday evening.

written by Charlie Hobert

Big Inning Downs Wahoos For Second Straight Game

The Blue Wahoos dropped their second straight game against Rocket City by a final score of 10-1.

Pensacola starter Alex Williams (L, 0-4) worked around a bases loaded jam in the top of the second before the ‘Hoos offense gave him a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third, courtesy of a Fenwick Trimble RBI single that scored Emaarion Boyd.

That lead would last until Pensacola’s defensive woes would impact the top of the fifth inning. After a leadoff single from Mac McCroskey, Wahoos shortstop Cristian Hernández would drop a routine pop up off the bat of Arol Vera. Both those runners would come around to score on a couple of RBI fielder’s choices from Kyren Paris and Gustavo Campero.

Tucker Flint’s RBI single would drive Williams from the game after 4.1 innings. Luis Palacios would be immediately greeted by another dropped flyball, this time by Fenwick Trimble on a Raudi Rodriguez batted ball, scoring the fourth and final run of the inning.

The Trash Pandas would add six more runs the rest of the way, scoring one in the sixth and five in the ninth, batting nine while doing so. The Pensacola offense would go quiet for the remainder of the game, sealing their fate. Jose Rodriguez (W, 2-1) earned the win for Rocket City after going 6.0 innings and allowing just one run while striking out nine.

The bright spots came from Fenwick Trimble, who doubled and walked while going 3-3, and Colby Martin, who had his best outing of the year, pitching two scoreless innings on one hit and one walk.

The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Trash Pandas on Thursday evening.

written by Charlie Hobert

Lady Chiefs Dominate Blue Devils In Mercy Rule Regional Semifinal Shutout Win

The scoreboard operator was busy Tuesday evening as the Northview Lady Chiefs shut out the Holmes County Blue Devils 15-0 in a mercy rule shortened two and a half inning Rural Division regional semifinal game on Tuesday in Bratt.

The top-seeded Chiefs move on to the regional finals on May 12. Northview will host the winner of Wednesday’s Jay at Chipley game.

For a photo gallery, click here.

Mikayla McAnally surrendered three hits and no runs over two and a half innings, striking out seven and walking none.

Kylee Langham went 2-3 at the plate for the Lady Chiefs. McAnally, Addysen Bolen, Langham, Daviona Randolph, Avery Stuckey, and Aubrey Hadley each had two RBIs.

NorthEscambia.com photos by Allie Penton, click to enlarge.

Jalia Lassiter Named SEC Player Of The Week

Flomaton High School graduate and Atmore native Jalia Lassiter was named the SEC Player of the Week.

Lassiter led LSU with nine total hits, highlighted by three multi-hit games in the 4-0 weekend for the Fighting Tigers. The senior had a .600 batting average and paced the team with a 1.000 slugging percentage after tallying four extra-base hits (three doubles and a homer). Lassiter capped off an eight-run second inning with a two-run blast in the 16-0 victory over McNeese before recording multiple hits in all three games of the series against Auburn. Lassiter had two base knocks, including a run-scoring single and a two-run home run robbery in the series opener. She followed that with a career-best four hits and scored three runs in the historic 25-0 victory and logged her second three-RBI game of the week. Lassiter concluded the weekend with a 2-for-4 performance in the finale, helping LSU secure the sweep.

Lassiter is the seventh LSU Tiger to record multiple seasons with 60 hits and 50 runs, and her 58 runs this season rank No. 7 in the SEC. The senior leads LSU with a .361 average and 13 doubles, and has eight home runs this season, a personal career-best.

Early Lead Slips Aways As Wahoos Fall To Trash Pandas

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos were well-positioned to win their sixth game in a row on Tuesday night, but saw an early 6-0 lead vanish in a 9-6 loss to the Rocket City Trash Pandas.

The Blue Wahoos jumped ahead against Rocket City starter Joel Hurtado, turning a leadoff error in the second inning into a 1-0 lead on a Dylan Jasso RBI single. They added another in the third inning on a Ryan Ignoffo RBI single, and capitalized on a two-out error in the fourth to score four unearned runs thanks to a three-run double from Dillon Lewis.

Staked to a 6-0 lead, Blue Wahoos pitcher Jacob Miller saw his dominant start come to a screeching halt in the fifth. A leadoff error from third baseman Ian Lewis Jr. opened the door for a three-run frame, as Nick Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly, Harold Coll hit an RBI double, and Wade Meckler hit an RBI single. Tucker Flint made a bid for a game-tying hit, but Blue Wahoos left fielder Brendan Jones made a diving catch to leave the bases loaded and preserve a 6-3 edge.

Rocket City got a run back in the sixth on a Matthew Lugo triple and Rodriguez groundout, and took the lead in the seventh. After reliever Kade Bragg (L, 1-1) hit Lugo to load the bases with two outs, Rodriguez lashed a three-run triple to right-center field off Nigel Belgrave for a 7-6 lead. Rodriguez scored on a passed ball to extend the Rocket City lead to 8-6.

Gustavo Campero tacked on insurance with a solo homer in the ninth that the Blue Wahoos contended was foul down the right field line. The Trash Pandas bullpen, led by 2.1 scoreless innings from Lucas Mahlstedt (W, 1-0) and a lockdown ninth from Kenyon Yovan (S, 3), held the Blue Wahoos to just one hit over the final five innings.

The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Trash Pandas on Wednesday morning with an Education Day matchup. First pitch from Blue Wahoos Stadium is scheduled for 11:05 a.m.

written by Erik Bremer

Northview’s Season Ends In Regional Semifinals

Northview was at bat, down 9-7 in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded with one out. Everybody in the dugout was up and loud. A standing-room only Chiefs family cheered. There wasn’t a cloud in the blue skies over Bratt on a beautiful Sunday afternoon for baseball. A regional championship for the Chiefs seemed like a very real possibility.

Everything was perfect.

Until it wasn’t.

A groundball up the middle and one, two…a double play by the Chipley Tigers earned them a 2-1 series win and a Rural Region 1 semifinal win.

“It hurts.”

That’s how first-year Northview Chiefs head coach Justin Raley reacted to Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Chipley Tigers.

“It hurts because you know how much it means to the seniors, to everybody that’s a part of this program. It hurts. I know what it’s like to win it, and I know how it feels to lose it, and it hurts so bad,” he said. “Especially when you know you had a chance. Oh yeah, so many chances, and we just kind of left it out there.”

Friday rain had forced two games on Saturday in the regional semifinals, with Chipley taking the first game 10-3 in a best-of-three series, and Northview powering back with a big 16-8 win in the nightcap.

Chipley held a 5-2 lead in the top of the third on Sunday, but the Chiefs battled back before Chipley took the lead 9-6 in the top of the seventh.

Bryant Mason went 2-5 to lead the Chiefs in hits on Sunday, while Grayden Sheffield, Dane King, Grayson Burns and Cole Davis each added one hit.

Portwood went four innings on the hill for NHS, allowing five hits, five runs (four earned), striking out three and walking six. Jackson Bridges went for three innings, surrendering four hits and four runs (one earned), striking out five and walking three.

For a photo gallery, click to enlarge.

“Guys, I’m proud of you,” Raley, who last year was an assistant coach at Jay, told the team after the game. He pointed out the team was 19-10, and had beat Jay three times, including once to claim the district championship.

“It was a great year and we did so many great things with this group of guys. They changed some stuff around here, and I’m proud of them,” he said, already looking forward to next season.

“We’ve got a lot of good guys coming back, a lot of guys that are going to return and do good things,” Raley said. “There’s a good chance we can be back in the same spot next year, if we do what we are supposed to do.”

Chipley will now travel to Holmes County for the Rural Region 1 final on May 8-9.

NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

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