Blue Wahoos, Barons Postponed in Birmingham
May 3, 2025
Friday’s scheduled game at Regions Field between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Birmingham Barons was postponed due to rain.
The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, with two seven-inning games beginning at 4:30 p.m. CT. Game two of the twin bill will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
Northview Lady Chiefs Beat Jay To Claim Rural District 1 Championship (With Gallery)
May 2, 2025
It’s been a long time coming.
The Northview Lady Chiefs beat the Jay Royals 9-1 on Thursday night to win the Rural District 1 championship — the Lady Chiefs first district championship since 2019.
The Chiefs blasted ahead in the top of the second inning with a two-run home run from Bailey Burkette, and RBI single from Jamison Gilman and a two-run single from Addysen Bolen.
Sophomore Mikayla McAnally pitched a complete game for Northview, striking out 17 while allowing one earned run on three hits.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Gilman, Burkette and Kylee Langham each went 2-4 while Riley Brooks went 2-3.
“I have a very young team. We have one senior and one junior, the rest ninth and tenth graders,” head coach Amy Holland said. “We have a strong team still. They’ve worked so hard, and this means a lot to them. And they told us from the beginning, they’re going to get it done, and they’ve worked really hard and here we are 9-1. That’s a great win tonight over the first-place team in our area.”
Holland said McAnally, who had three of her 17 strikeouts in the last inning, didn’t play like a sophomore.
“She’s a very hard worker,” she said, “just seeing her from last year to this year. Wow. We threw Jamison (as pitcher) on the Paxton game. Of course, you’ve got to win that game to get to this game. And so, I asked Mikayla, I said, ‘Mikayla, can you do it?’ And she said, ‘I can do it, coach.’ And before she came out there before the game, she said, ‘I’ve got this.’ So, hats off to her for a great job.”
Holland said she’s looking forward to bringing a regional playoff game to Bratt. Northview will likely face Chipley next Thursday night.
“It’s going to be great to be able just to play that first playoff game back a Northview and have all of our fans there and not have to travel so far down. It’s a great opportunity for our community.”
“It took four years to get here, and we finally did it,” Gilman, Northview’s only senior, said after the game. “It’s definitely a good feeling to be on top 9-1 too. That’s a big deal to win by that much in a championship.”
“We are ready. This is the start of our season where we keep going. We are going to state. We’ve got it this year,” McAnally said.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Falls 3-2 To Top Ranked Buchholz In 6A Baseball Regional Quarterfinals
May 2, 2025
It came down to the wire in game two of the 6A Region 1 semifinals on Thursday night as the Tate Aggies fell to Buchholz 3-2 in Gainesville. Tate lost to the top ranked Bobcats in game one Wednesday night.
Thursday night’s game was tied at two in the bottom of the seventh when Buchholzs scored one run on a single.
Nathan Connors (pictured above) allowed eight hits and three runs in six and one-third innings, striking out five and walking three.
Nathan Ozuna went 1-2 for the Aggies at bat with one run batted in. Cal Foxworth went 2-3, Hunter Clayton was 1-3 and Griffin Cook was 1-2.
Buckholz will face No. 2 Pace in the regional finals with game one of three next Wednesday. The winner will advance to the 6A state semifinals in Fort Myers.
Tate’s season ended at 16-14.
Photos by C.J. Gish – Mainstreet Daily News for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Walks Give Wahoos Wild 6-5, 11-Inning Win Over Barons
May 2, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
Fresh off their best April in team history, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos began the month of May with a wild 6-5, 11-inning win over the Birmingham Barons on Thursday night.
Two bases-loaded walks in the top of the 11th forced in the eventual game-winning runs as the Blue Wahoos (17-7) outlasted the Barons (12-11) in their longest game of the season.
Pensacola jumped ahead 1-0 in the first against Barons starter Riley Gowens, loading the bases with two singles and an error before Nathan Martorella brought in a run with a double-play grounder.
The Barons became the first opponent this season to score a first-inning run against the Blue Wahoos, ambushing starter Evan Fitterer with a two-run single from Ryan Galanie to take a 2-1 lead. The Blue Wahoos had outscored opponents 16-0 in the first inning through their first 23 games.
Rikuu Nishida added to the Birmingham lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning. With severe weather surrounding Regions Field on all sides, light rain in the fifth inning almost caused a rain delay just as the game became official.
The two teams played on, and the Blue Wahoos reclaimed the lead in the sixth with a Kemp Alderman RBI groundout and Martorella two-run double. Their 4-3 edge would be short-lived, however, as Birmingham’s Jacob Burke hit a RBI single off Pensacola reliever Zach McCambley in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game 4-4.
Nigel Belgrave contributed 3.0 hitless innings of relief to help send the game to extras, and Josh Ekness (W, 2-0) came up big in the bottom of the tenth after the Blue Wahoos had left the bases loaded in the top half of the inning. Ekness needed only 10 pitches to get three outs and strand the potential winning run at third base, extending the drama to the 11th inning.
The Blue Wahoos didn’t manage any hits against Gil Luna (L, 0-3) in the top of the 11th, but drew four walks to force in two runs. Mark Coley II pushed across the first run with a two-out free pass, and Jared Serna followed suit with the RBI that would prove to be the difference. Ekness allowed an RBI single in the bottom of the inning, but struck out Burke to finish off a 6-5 final.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series on Friday against the Barons.
Tate Aggies Drop Game 1 In Regional Quarterfinals To Buchholz
May 1, 2025
The Tate Aggies slipped 3-2 to the Buchholz Bobcats on Wednesday night in Gainesville in the first meeting of a beat-of-three series 6A Baseball regional quarterfinals.
Buchholz (29-1) will host Tate (16-13) at 7:00 CT tonight in game two. A third game, if necessary, will move back to Tate Saturday night.
Zane Warrington struck out 10 for Tate in six innings Wednesday night, allowing three hits and three runs and walking two.
Brayden Beck went 1-for-3 at bat for the Aggies with one RBI. Griffin Cook, Hunter Clayton, Taite Davis and Kaden Posta each had one hit.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Schultz Quiets Wahoos In 4-2 Loss To Barons
May 1, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
In a Wednesday morning matinee, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos offense was slow to wake up in a 4-2 loss to the Birmingham Barons.
A highly-publicized battle of two left-handed pitching prospects saw Birmingham’s Noah Schultz (W, 1-1) pitch a career-high 6.0 innings of two-run ball, helping the Barons (12-10) even up the series one game apiece.
Blue Wahoos starter Robby Snelling (L, 2-1) surrendered the game’s first run in the second inning, as Ryan Galanie and Caden Connor each doubled for a 1-0 Barons lead. The Blue Wahoos (16-7) tied things up in the third on a Shane Sasaki double and Jake Thompson RBI fielder’s choice, and took a brief 2-1 lead in the fourth on Jared Serna’s two-out RBI single.
The Barons took advantage of a Pensacola mistake in the bottom of the fourth, as Mario Camilletti reached on a catchable fly ball lost in the afternoon sun between Sasaki in center field and Kemp Alderman in right field. Connor tied the game 2-2 with an RBI single, and scored the go-ahead run on a two-out William Bergolla RBI single.
Lane Ramsey worked effective relief, escaping an inherited bases-loaded jam in the fourth and contributing 2.1 innings of scoreless ball, but Schultz protected his 3-2 lead for the Barons. The lefty, ranked the top prospect in the White Sox organization, got stronger as the afternoon went along and finished with a flourish by retiring his final seven batters and completing 6.0 innings for the first time in his career.
Birmingham added an insurance run in the seventh with doubles from Bergolla and Galanie, and got 3.0 scoreless innings of relief from Andrew Dalquist and Peyton Pallette (S, 3) to close out the 4-2 final.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series on Thursday against the Barons. First pitch from Regions Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Softball: Northview And Jay To Battle For District Championship; Tate Falls To Navarre
April 30, 2025
Rural District 1
Northview 8, Paxton 3
Jay 16, Baker 1
The Northview Chiefs beat the Paxton Varsity Lady Cats 8-3 on Tuesday to advance to the Rural District 1 championship game on Thursday. The Chiefs will face Jay after the Royals beat Baker 16-1 on Tuesday.
Senior Jamison Gilman struck out 10 in a complete seven inning game, allowing five hits and three runs while walking two.
Lady Chief Mikayla McAnally (pictured) hit a solo home run to left field on a full count in the bottom of the third. McAnally and Daviona Randolph each had two hits for the night, while Gilman and Avery Stucky each had two RBIs.
The Jay Royals beat the Baker Gators 16-1 on Tuesday.
Kaylee Gilbreath went 3-for-3 for Jay with four RBIs while Presley Hawthorne went 2-3.
Ella Samford earned the win for Jay, giving up not hit and one unearned run in three innings, striking out three and walking three.
Jay will take on Northview at 6 p.m. Thursday in Jay for the district championship.
6A District 1
Navarre 10, Tate 1
Pace 8 Crestview 0
The Navarre Raiders defeated the Tate Lady Aggies 10-1 on Tuesday night in the 6A District 1 semifinals. Navarre will advance to the district championship against Pace after the Patriots shut out Crestview 8-0.
Jordan Smith went two innings for the Lady Aggies, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits, walking one and striking out none. Peyton Womack pitched four innings, surrendering six hits and five runs (four earned), walking two and striking out two.
Tristen Showalter, Madison Smillie, and Woman each recorded one hit for the Aggies.
Pictured: Mikayla McAnally hit a solo home run to left field on a full count as the Northview Chiefs beat Paxton on Tuesday. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Miller, Wahoos Walk Their Way to 3-2 Win Over Barons
April 30, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos began their longest road trip of the season with an unusual 3-2 win over the Birmingham Barons on Tuesday night.
The Blue Wahoos (16-6) drew a season-high 11 walks, but managed only two hits and went 0-for-11 with men in scoring position against a stingy Barons (11-10) pitching staff. In the end, the Jake Thompson delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the ninth inning that proved to be the difference as the Blue Wahoos improved upon the best record in Double-A.
In the early innings, Pensacola starter Jacob Miller was the star. The righty was perfect through 4.1 innings and faced the minimum through 6.0 innings, ultimately becoming the first Blue Wahoos pitcher in 2025 to pitch into the seventh inning.
The Blue Wahoos couldn’t fully capitalize on the wildness of Barons starter Hagen Smith, but scratched across a run on a bases-loaded walk to Sam Praytor in the fourth inning and added another on a Josh Zamora sacrifice fly in the fifth.
The Barons manufactured a rally against Miller in the seventh, getting a leadoff infield single from Rikuu Nishida and an RBI double from William Bergolla to get on the board. A one-out RBI single from Wilfred Veras tied the game, but reliever Josh White (W, 4-0) stranded the potential go-ahead run in scoring position as he escaped the jam.
Praytor led off the top of the ninth with a leadoff single against Tyler Davis (L, 0-3), just the second Pensacola hit of the night. Shane Sasaki followed with a walk, and both runners advanced on a Jared Serna groundout before Thompson lifted his sacrifice fly to left field for a 3-2 Blue Wahoos lead.
Dale Stanavich (S, 4) worked around a leadoff hit batsman in the bottom of the ninth to earn his league-leading fourth save.
The Blue Wahoos return to action on Wednesday morning as they play an Education Day game against the Barons. First pitch from Regions Field is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
Rough Inning Sinks Wahoos In 7-4 Loss To Smokies
April 28, 2025
written by Bill Vilona
After four weeks and 20 previous games in April, the Blue Wahoos didn’t have one to forget.
That good fortune ran out Sunday.
In a rare defensive meltdown, the Blue Wahoos committed three errors and yielded seven runs in the third inning of an eventual 7-4 loss against the Knoxville Smokies, ending their homestand in a tough way at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Even trailing 7-0, however, the Blue Wahoos had the game-tying batter at the plate three times, including with two-on, no outs in the ninth inning. It also happened with less than two out in the sixth and eighth innings. But each time, the Blue Wahoos couldn’t get a game-changing hit.
Still, the week ended with the Pensacola (15-6) winning the series (4-2) and keeping their place with the best record across three Double-A leagues. The team will have an off-day Monday before embarking on consecutive road series in Birmingham and Biloxi.
A crowd of 4,011 watched a game unravel in one-half inning.
Blue Wahoos starter, lefthander Luis Palacios, had overcome two walks in the first inning and breezed through the second inning of a scoreless game.
He never lasted through another inning.
Palacios, who allowed just three earned runs in three previous starts, lost command of his five-pitch repertoire. He gave up a lead-off double to No. 9 hitter Corey Joyce. Pedro Ramirez singled and B.J. Murray Jr. walked to load the bases. A sacrifice fly scored the first run, followed by Ethan Hearn’s RBI single.
An RBI ground out made it 3-0 with two out. And then it got worse for Palacios. Hits and three consecutive errors followed.
Another single and fielding error by left fielder Dalvy Rosario allowed two runners in scoring position. Jordan Nwogu’s two-run single included a fielding error by Shane Sasaki, to put Nwogu on second. A ground ball was misplayed by second baseman Josh Zamora to allow another run to score.
After a wild pitch and a walk, Blue Wahoos manager Nelson Prada pulled Palacios. With Zach McCambley in relief, the Blue Wahoos pulled off a double steal for the seventh run.
From that point, the Smokies did not have another hit until the ninth inning as the Blue Wahoos bullpen again put up zeroes.
That enabled a comeback to begin. Catcher Spencer Bramwell drove in the first run with his fifth inning single, scoring Josh Zamora who led off with a single. Dalvy Rosario followed with a sacrifice fly to score the second run.
In the sixth, Tony Bullard had a two-run single. But with two runners on, reliever Zac Leigh, who wound up winning his third game, got Bramwell to ground out and struck out Rosario.
In the eighth, the Blue Wahoos had two runners on, none out, but two pop outs and a flyout ended that inning.
In the ninth, Shane Sasaki led off with a single. Jake Thompson walked. Smokies reliever Mitchell Tyranski earned his second save by striking out Kemp Alderman, getting Nathan Martorella to pop out and ending the game when Josh Zamora flew out to right.
The Blue Wahoos will travel Tuesday to Birmingham to begin a six-game series against the Barons.
Tate Aggies Beat Fletcher, Advance To Regional Semifinals
April 27, 2025
The Tate Aggies beat the Fletcher Senators 8-3 on Saturday afternoon in game three of a best-of-three series in the FHSAA 6A Baseball State Championship regional quarterfinals in Neptune Beach.
With the win, Tate took the series 3-0,0-8,8-3.
The No. 4 Tate Aggies (16-12) will travel to Gainesville on Wednesday, April 30 for the first game in a best-of-three regional semifinal series with the No. 1 Buchholz Bobcats (28-1). The third game, if necessary, will move back to Cantonment.
Lance Brady earned the win for Tate, giving up four hits and three runs in a full seven inning game, while striking out two and walking four.
Kaden Posta went 2-for-5 with three RBIs for the Aggies. Cal Foxworth went 2-3, and Tate also had one hit each from Kaleb Posta, Nathan Ozuna, Brayden Beck, Griffin Cook, and Connor Dethlefs.
In other regional semifinal action, No. 2 Pace will host No. 3 Tocoi Creek on April 30.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.