Mobile Beats Pensacola
August 11, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos third baseman Nick Senzel continued his dog-and-pony show for the Cincinnati Reds.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft drilled two homers in a game for the first time in his professional career and recorded his fifth four-RBI game in Thursday’s 10-9 series opening loss to the Mobile BayBears in front of 4,102 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said the bad thing about Senzel is he comes up every nine batters.
“I wish I could hit him every inning,” Kelly said. “They only let him bat once every nine times. I wish he could get to the plate more.”
For his part, Senzel said he approaches the plate wanting to make good contact, not hit dingers.
“I’m not worried about hitting it over the fence,” Senzel said. “I’m just being aggressive and trying to hit the ball hard.”
Senzel, the Reds top prospect and the 11th ranked prospect in the minor leagues, crushed the ball to right center into the Hill-Kelly Dodge hill in the first inning with shortstop Blake Trahan on base to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 2-0.
In the second inning, Senzel earned his third RBI of the game when he lined a single to center that drove in Trahan and put Pensacola ahead, 5-3.
Senzel lead off the fifth inning with a solo shot just right of the 400-foot mark in dead center and the Blue Wahoos trailed, 8-6. He went 3-4 with a walk and stolen base Thursday and now is 14-40 or .350 in his last 11 games with two homers and 10 RBIs.
The last time the University of Tennessee product produced four RBIs happened in a June 10 game for the High-A Daytona Tortugas against the Palm Beach Cardinals in the Florida State League.
The 22-year-old, who is batting .341 in Double-A, upped his home run total to seven with Pensacola and 11 on the year including his first half with Daytona.
Both Kelly and Senzel admired his home run to center field.
“He hit a fastball neck-high over the center field fence,” Kelly said. “That’s pretty impressive.”
Senzel added: “I took a good swing at it. It finally got out. I was happy to see it go.”
However, Pensacola blew the 4-0 lead it built in the bottom of the first inning.
Mobile came right back in its next at bat in the top of the second inning when BayBears catcher Jose Briceno clubbed a three-run blast to left center with second baseman Jose Rojas and left fielder Zach Gibbons on base. Briceno seventh homer pulled Mobile within, 4-3. The catcher, who had a 6-RBI game, had his second four-RBI game this season. Briceno went 2-3 with a homer, double and walk.
Mobile overtook its rival Pensacola with a four-run inning of its own in the third inning to go ahead, 7-5. The teams are 8-8 in head-to-head games this year.
BayBears center fielder Brennon Lund scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded and second baseman Jose Rojas at the plate to trail Pensacola, 5-4. Rojas then tied the game, 5-5, with a sacrifice fly to right center that scored first baseman Matt Thaiss. BayBears left fielder Zach Gibbons smashed a grounder down the third base line into left field to drive in third baseman Zach Houchins, who had singled, for the go-ahead run, 6-5.
Pensacola reliever Domingo Tapia replaced starter Keury Mella and Briceno ripped a double to left field to drive in Gibbons for his fourth RBI and a 7-5 Mobile lead.
Back-to-back doubles by Mobile’s Rojas and Gibbons in the fifth inning put the BayBears ahead, 8-5.
Mella got knocked out of the game by Mobile after 2.2 innings after the BayBears scored seven runs on six hits a walk and one strikeout. It was his shortest outing since he lasted 1.2 innings in his second start of the year April 14 when he gave up five runs on six hits to the Biloxi Shuckers.
The 23-year-old Mella earned the loss and is 2-10 this season and remains winless at Blue Wahoos Stadium and in his last 10 starts.
Trailing 10-6 entering the ninth inning, Pensacola’s Trahan, left fielder Gabriel Guerrero and Senzel all scored but the game ended, 10-9.
The Blue Wahoos are now 3-8 in its last 11 games and have fallen to fourth place in the South Division with a 21-25 record. The first half champs are 61-55 overall.
Pensacola trails Mobile, which is 24-22 in the second half, by three games. The BayBears are 54-61 overall.
“We have to get better earlier in the game,” Senzel said. “We haven’t played well the last two and a half weeks. It’s been a rough stretch.”
Northview Chiefs Name Smith As New Athletic Director
August 10, 2017
Coach Obreonne Smith has been named the new athletic director at Northview High School.
“Coach Smith brings an element of ‘people skills’ to the position, as she exhibits great enthusiasm for the success of all sports at Northview and the goal of assisting all student athletes and other students involved in extracurricular activities,” Northview Principal Gayle Weaver said. “Northview is truly excited about the future of our athletic program under the guidance of Coach Smith.”
Smith is currently the head volleyball coach. She has taught and coached at Northview for 15 years, during which time she has coached multiple sports, including cheerleading.
Wahoos And Smokies Split Doubleheader
August 9, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Jose Lopez pitched a complete, seven inning shutout Tuesday against the Tennessee Smokies.
Lopez gave up just one hit and struck out seven as Pensacola won the first game of a seven-inning doubleheader, 5-0, at Smokies Stadium. The victory snapped a four-game Blue Wahoos losing streak.
Pensacola dropped the second game to Tennessee, 2-1 when right fielder Yasiel Balaguert drove in left fielder Charcer Burks twice for 63 RBIs on the year, which is fourth in the Southern League.
The Smokies won the five-game series, 4-1.
In the first game Tuesday, the 23-year-old Lopez helped the Blue Wahoos tie the Chattanooga Lookouts with a Southern League-leading 13 shutouts this season.
Lopez pitched to just one batter over the minimum 21 batters when he gave up a line drive single to center field to catcher Ian Rice in the second inning. The right hander, who improved to 7-1 and lowered his ERA to 2.43, has allowed five runs in his last 47 innings for a 0.96 ERA.
Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson doubled to left field to drive in center fielder Jonathan Reynoso for a 1-0 Pensacola lead in the second inning. In the fifth inning, Pensacola third baseman Nick Senzel smacked his 12th double for the Blue Wahoos that drove in shortstop Blake Trahan.
First baseman Gavin LaValley then singled to put Pensacola ahead, 3-0. The final two runs scored in the seventh when Senzel singled in Trahan and second baseman Josh VanMeter grounded out to second base allowing right fielder Gabriel Guerrero to score the fifth and last run of in Tuesday’s first game.
Senzel was 3-for-4, with a run scored, double and two RBIs. Guerrero was 2-for-4 with a run scored, getting his 33rd multi-hit game of the year. Trahan was 2-for-4 with a double and scored twice. VanMeter was 1-for-3 and drove in his team-leading 45th RBI.
In the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader, Austin Ross pitched his first game since July 7. He threw 42 pitches, 30 for strikes over three innings of work. The righty gave up one run on five hits, no walks and struck out two.
Pensacola scored first in the third inning when Guerrero grounded out to first allowing second baseman Alberti Chavez, who doubled, to score for a 1-0 Blue Wahoos lead.
Balaguert tied the game in the bottom of the third inning when Balaguert grounded out to shortstop and Burks, who singled to center, scored to tie the game, 1-1. Balaguert then smacked a sharp line drive single to left field that drove in Burks, who reached on a double, to score the game-winning run, 2-1.
Pensacola has lost four one-run games on its 10-game road trip and is now 19-21 overall in such games. The Blue Wahoos, who won the first half South Division title, are now 21-24 and in fourth place in the second half.
Wahoos At Tennessee Postponed By Smoky Mountain Rain
August 8, 2017
KODAK, Tenn., – The Pensacola Blue Wahoos’ scheduled game Monday evening at Smokies Stadium against the Tennessee Smokies has been postponed due to field conditions caused by rain.
The contest will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Tuesday, with the first game scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CT. Game two of the doubleheader will get underway approximately 30 minutes after first game’s conclusion.
Wahoos Drop Fourth Straight
August 7, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos jumped out to a 5-0 lead, thanks largely to second baseman Josh VanMeter, who has delivered clutch hits all season long and now leads the team with 44 RBIs.
However, the Tennessee Smokies scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game and then Charcer Burks drove in the game-winning in the sixth inning for a 6-5 victory Sunday over Pensacola at Smokies Stadium. It was the fourth straight loss for the Blue Wahoos and the defeat allowed Tennessee to clinch the five-game series, going up 3-0.
Pensacola center fielder Gabriel Guerrero hit his 18th double of the year in the first inning. Blue Wahoos third baseman Nick Senzel then followed with a liner to center field to put runners on first and third. That’s when VanMeter came up with two outs and smacked a line drive single to right field that scored Guerrero for a 1-0 Pensacola lead.
VanMeter is now 19-50, or .380, with two outs and runners in scoring position and has 25 RBIs.
In Pensacola’s four-run third inning, VanMeter singled in his second run of the game and also scored. He was 3-for-3 in the game and hit his 26th double, which ties him for fourth in the Southern League.
Pensacola first baseman Gavin LaValley singled in Guerrero to put Pensacola ahead, 2-0. VanMeter hit a soft liner to left field that drove in third baseman Nick Senzel for a 3-0 lead. Catcher Joe Hudson grounded out into a double play with the bases loaded that scored LaValley and Pensacola was up, 4-0. The final run of the inning came when center fielder Jonathan Reyonoso drilled a single to left to bring in VanMeter and give Pensacola what seemed like a commanding, 5-0, start.
Guerrero was 4-5 in the game and scored two runs and now has 32 multi-hit games this season and twice has had four hits in a game.
But then came the fifth inning when the Smokies batted through its order, scoring five runs on four hits, a walk and a fielding error. Tennessee catcher Erick Castillo, who was 3-3 in the game, doubled to drive in shortstop Carlos Penalver with the first run to trail Pensacola, 5-1.
Pensacola starter Deck McGuire then got the next two batters out on a sacrifice bunt and flyout. However, Tennessee right fielder Daniel Spingola singled to center to bring home Castillo and pull the Smokies within, 5-2. Tennessee second baseman David Bote followed with a double to score Spingola and make it a 5-3 game. Yasiel Balaguert hit a fly ball to Pensacola Aristides Aquino, who was charged with an error, and allowed both Bote and third baseman Jason Vosler to score, knotting the game, 5-5.
All five runs, three earned, came off McGuire, who allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out eight in his five innings of work.
Then in the bottom of the sixth, Burks, the Chicago Cubs No. 22 ranked prospect by MLBPipeline.com, singled to center to score Castillo to put Tennessee on top, 6-5.
Pensacola reliever Robert Stock gave up the game-winning run and dropped to 6-2 on the year. He pitched two innings and gave up three hits.
Meanwhile, Tennessee relievers Daury Torrez, Jake Stinnett and Craig Brooks combined to pitch 5.1 scoreless innings and give up just three hits to the Blue Wahoos, which had 13 in the game.
Pensacola fell to 20-23 in the second half in the Southern League South Division. Pensacola is 60-53 overall and won the first half title. Tennessee improved to 23-20 in the North Division and is 59-53 overall.
Lady Astros Win USSSA Southern Nationals Tournament
August 6, 2017
The “Lady Astros” went undefeated in six straight games to win the USSSA Southern Nationals Softball Tournament in Gulf Shores recently. Players from Northview, Jay, Milton, West Florida, and Central high schools made up the championship team.
“Our players worked very hard and did great on defense and offense,” said Coach Donnie Nicholson. “I am very proud of all of our players.”
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Fall To Smokies
August 6, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lost its third straight game Saturday, losing 6-2, to Tennessee at Smokies Stadium.
The Smokies benefited from a two-run homer by right fielder Daniel Spingola and five scoreless innings from right-hander Steve Perakslis to take a 2-0 lead in the five-game series.
Pensacola had pulled within, 3-2, in the seventh inning when Spingola launched his fourth homer of the season in the bottom of the inning, which also scored left fielder Charcer Burkes, to put Tennessee ahead, 5-2.
Tennessee earned an insurance run in the eighth inning, when Ian Rice singled in first baseman Yasiel Balaguert, who had singled to start the inning, to extend its lead to 6-2.
Pensacola scored two runs in the seventh inning to trail Tennessee, 3-2. Blue Wahoos first baseman Gavin LaValley, who singled to start the inning, scored when catcher Chad Tromp grounded out to second base. Pensacola second baseman Josh VanMeter scored the Blue Wahoos second run with two outs when left fielder Brian O’Grady grounded to first base and reached on an error.
The Smokies went up, 3-0, on Pensacola when it scored two runs in the third inning when second baseman David Bote that drove in Burks and Spingola. It added another run in the fourth inning when center fielder Trey Martin hit a line drive to left field that drove in Balaguert.
Perakslis, who has made 19 relief appearances for the Smokies, made his first spot start of the season and worked five scoreless innings, allowing one hit, walking none and striking out nine. He improved to 4-1 and lowered his ERA to 2.60.
Pensacola shortstop Blake Trahan earned the only hit off Perakslis when he doubled to left field to start the game.
Blue Wahoos center fielder Gabriel Guerrero contributed two of the team’s five hits, going 2-4 to give him 31 multi-hit games this season.
Pensacola fell to 20-22 in the second half in the Southern League South Division. Pensacola is 60-52 overall and won the first half title. Tennessee improved to 22-20 in the North Division and is 58-53 overall.
Wahoos Lose Series Opener 5-4 To Tennessee
August 5, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos two-out, ninth inning rally Friday against the Tennessee Smokies fell one run short at Smokies Stadium in the opening game of a five-game series.
Tennessee edged Pensacola, 5-4, thanks to both the bat and arm of Smokies right hander Duane Underwood Jr., who went 2-3 and knocked in two runs.
Not only that, Underwood also earned his 11th win to tie for the Southern League lead by giving up two runs on four hits, no walks and striking out seven over seven innings.
Trailing, 5-2, entering the ninth Pensacola center fielder Gabriel Guerrero walked and third baseman Nick Senzel singled to right to put base runners on first and second with two outs. That’s when second baseman Josh VanMeter stepped to the plate and lined a single to center that scored Guerrero. VanMeter is 18-47, or batting .382 with two outs and runners in scoring position and has 24 RBIs.
The Blue Wahoos pulled within, 5-4, when Aristides Aquino smashed a sizzling ground ball to center for his third hit of the game and drove in Senzel.
Aquino, the Cincinnati Reds No. 6 prospect according to MLB.Pipeline.com, crushed a solo homer to left field in the second inning, ripped a double and smacked the single to go 3-4 in Thursday’s game with two runs scored and two RBIs. He broke a 1-24 slump and now leads Pensacola with 12 home runs and 43 RBIs.
Pensacola fell to 19-19 in one-run games and dropped to 20-21 in the second half in the Southern League South Division. Pensacola is 60-51 overall and won the first half title. Tennessee improved to 21-20 in the North Division and 57-53 overall.
Pensacola scored first to take a 1-0 lead when right fielder Aquino clubbed his solo shot in the second inning.
However, Tennessee wasted little time in taking the lead when they scored three runs in the bottom of the second to go up, 3-1. Smokies catcher Erick Castillo singled to left field to score both first baseman Yasiel Balaguert and center fielder Trey Martin to go ahead, 2-1. Tennessee right fielder Daniel Spingola then scored making it a, 3-1, game when second baseman Andrew Ely grounded out into a double play.
Tennessee tacked on another run when Underwood, the pitcher, grounded up the middle to centerfield to drive in Spingola for a, 4-1, Smokies lead.
Blue Wahoos catcher Chad Tromp doubled in Aquino, who had smacked his 15th double of the year, in the fifth inning to pull Pensacola within, 4-2.
The Smokies’ Underwood blasted a line drive to center field to drive in his second run of the game when Castillo crossed the plate to take a, 5-2, lead in the sixth inning. The 23-year-old Underwood, who has four hits and is batting .190 this year, went 2-3 with two RBIs — his first runs driven in during his six-year professional career.
Wahoos Drop Series To Birmingham
August 4, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos came within, 3-2, in the seventh inning but the Birmingham Barons held on to win, 5-2, Thursday at Regions Field.
Birmingham captured the series, 3-2, but Pensacola won the head-to-head matchup 6-4 this season.
Pensacola third baseman Nick Senzel, the Cincinnati Reds top prospect, blasted a solo homer to left field to lead off the seventh inning to trail the Barons, 3-1. It was his fifth homer with the Blue Wahoos and 22nd RBI in 38 games.
Pensacola scored a second run in the inning when DH Chad Tromp singled to left field with two outs to drive in left fielder Josh VanMeter to pull within, 3-2. But that was as close as the Blue Wahoos would get.
Birmingham scored first in the second inning when left fielder Courtney Hawkins scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by catcher Brett Austin for a 1-0 lead.
Barons second baseman Danny Mendick then put Birmingham ahead, 2-0, in the third inning when he scored when right fielder Mason Robbins grounded out into a double play.
Birmingham added another run in the sixth inning to go up, 3-0, when DH Keon Barnum smacked a single to right field that scored Hawkins.
Blue Wahoos pitcher Domingo Tapia made his eighth spot start and worked five innings. He gave up two runs on eight hits and two walks and struck out two. As a starter for Pensacola, he is 1-4 on the year.
Birmingham scored two more runs in the eighth inning off Pensacola reliever Brennan Bernardino to go ahead, 5-2.
Pensacola fell into second place in the Southern League South Division with a 20-20 record in the second half. Pensacola is 60-50 overall and won the first half title. Birmingham, which is in last place in the Southern League North Division, is 17-23 and are 43-66 overall.
Youth Sports Grant Applications Being Accepted
August 4, 2017
The Pensacola Sports Foundation is accepting applications for its 2018 grant program. Community organizations involved in providing youth sports opportunities are eligible to apply for funding. Applications must be received by November 1,2017.
The mission of the Pensacola Sports Foundation is to “support that part of the mission of the Pensacola Sports that focuses on the development, education, promotion and recognition of youth sports, amateur sports, scholar athletes, and athletic excellence in the Greater Pensacola area.” Since its inception in 1984, the Foundation has distributed over $500,000 in funding to organizations in the Greater Pensacola area.
Foundation Grant application forms can be downloaded from the Pensacola Sports website – www.pensacolasports.org or by contacting the Pensacola Sports office at (850) 434-2800. Completed forms may be either mailed to the Pensacola Sports Foundation, P.O. Box 12463, Pensacola FL 32591, or delivered to the Pensacola Sports office downtown at 101 W. Main Street, Pensacola FL 32502.
Questions regarding the Pensacola Sports Foundation grant program should be submitted in writing to Pensacola Sports, to the attention of Sally Garst (sgarst@pensacolasports.org).