Wahoos Earn 11 Hits In 7-4 Win Over Biloxi
August 10, 2016
This time the Pensacola Blue Wahoos changed up its game script a little bit. Instead of waiting until late in the game to score, the Blue Wahoos jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning.
Behind four players who had multi-hit games and seven of the nine starters getting a hit, Pensacola won the final game of the five-game series over the Biloxi Shuckers, 7-4, Tuesday at MGM Park.
The Pensacola lineup that scored 11 runs in the first four games and hit .236 broke out in the last game of the series with seven runs on 11-36 hitting for a .305 batting average.
Although Biloxi snapped a six series losing streak, beating Pensacola, 3-2, the Blue Wahoos closed out the season with the Shuckers Tuesday with a 13-12 record.
Pensacola, the first half Southern League South Division champions, is now 21-24 in the second half and 7.5 games behind the South Division leader Mississippi Braves that have a 28-16 record. Biloxi fell to 18-27 and are in last place after being neck-and-neck with the Blue Wahoos in the race for the first half title.
Blue Wahoos shortstop Zach Vincej and right fielder Sebastian Elizalde led the Pensacola offense on Tuesday. Vincej was 2-5 with a run scored and three RBIs. He is hitting .309 in the second half, so far, after hitting .258 in the first half of the season. Vincej leads the Blue Wahoos with 22 multi-hit games.
Elizalde went 2-5 with two runs scored and has 21 multi-hit games this season for Pensacola. He has gotten a hit in his last six games.
Also having a good game at the plate Tuesday was left fielder Phillip Ervin, who went 2-4 with a double, solo home run and scored twice. He leads Pensacola with 51 runs scored this season, plus is second on the team in both homers with 10 and RBIs with 36.
Pensacola scored five runs in the second inning when it sent all nine batters to the plate with four hits, including three doubles by Phillips, Vincej and second baseman Alex Blandino, and two walks.
Blue Wahoos left fielder Ervin started the big inning when he doubled in Elizalde to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 1-0. Vincej doubled in both catcher Joe Hudson (2-4, one run scored) and Ervin to give Pensacola a 3-0 lead. Vincej then scored when center fielder Brandon Dixon grounded out to second base to make the score, 4-0. The final run of the inning scored when Blandino doubled in first baseman Chad Wallach for a 5-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Pensacola starter Nick Travieso pitched for the first time since July 18 and threw 3.1 scoreless innings with three hits, three walks and two strikeouts. Pensacola reliever Barrett Astin relieved Travieso and got the win (7-3) working 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits, two walks and striking out two. Astin lowered his ERA to 2.37.
Biloxi did earn four in the bottom of the eighth inning when catcher Jacob Nottingham singled back up the middle to knock in both pinch hitter Tom Belza and left fielder Johnny Davis to trail Pensacola, 7-2.
Pensacola sent in its top closer Alejandro Chacin to rescue reliever Carlos Gonzalez, who loaded the bases with one out by walking first baseman Dustin DeMuth and hitting right fielder Clint Coulter.
Chacin then promptly walked Biloxi second baseman Javier Betancourt to score Nottingham making the score, 7-3, Pensacola. Shuckers third baseman Gabriel Noriega than hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored DeMuth to pull the Shuckers within, 7-4.
Chacin, who has a 1.76 ERA, settled down in the ninth inning setting down the Biloxi side with two strikeouts. He ended up working 1.2 innings with a walk and three strikeouts to earn his Southern League-leading 22nd save of the season.
Ernest Ward Middle Cheerleaders Attend Camp; Five Named As All Americans
August 9, 2016
Shuckers Stop Wahoos 3-1
August 9, 2016
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored one run in the ninth but the run came too late to make a difference as the Biloxi Shuckers held on for a 3-1 victory Monday to capture the five-game series at MGM Park.
Pensacola just couldn’t score on Biloxi starter Brandon Woodruff who helped the Shuckers take a 3-1 lead in the series.
In fact, Pensacola batters haven’t earned a run off of Woodruff in all three of his starts against the Blue Wahoos. After throwing 20 scoreless innings against Pensacola, Woodruff probably wishes he could throw against them in every game. He has struck out 25 batters and allowed just nine hits. Woodruff improved to 5-4 and his earned-run average dropped to 2.87.
Pensacola, which won the first half title, is now 20-24 in the second half and in fourth place in the Southern League South division. Biloxi is 18-26 and in last place.
In the ninth inning, Blue Wahoos right fielder Sebastian Elizalde lead off with a single to center and reached third on Biloxi center fielder Brett Phillips error. Pensacola shortstop Zach Vincej then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Elizalde to pull Pensacola within 3-1.
But Biloxi’s top closer Stephen Kohlscheen then struck out both Pensacola third baseman Taylor Sparks and first baseman Eric Jagielo to end the game and earn his 18th save of the season.
Biloxi scored first in the bottom of the third inning when Shuckers center fielder Brett Phillips homered, his 13th of the season, to lead off the inning and give his team a 1-0 lead. Biloxi tacked on another run in the inning when first baseman Dustin DeMuth singled in left fielder Tyrone Taylor, who had doubled, putting the Shuckers ahead, 2-0.
Biloxi catcher Jacob Nottingham extended the Shuckers lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning with a homer over the center field wall — his eighth home run of the season.
Pensacola starter Sal Romano gave up three runs on two homers in five innings of work. He scattered nine hits, walked none and struck out four. He is 4-11 with a 3.92 ERA and is second in the Southern League with 116 strikeouts.
Leading the way at the plate for Pensacola was second baseman Alex Blandino, who went 3-4. He is now 7-12 in the series against Biloxi in three games with one run, one RBI and one walk.
Pensacola center fielder Jeff Gelalich also got on base twice going 1-3 with a walk.
Northview JV Cheerleaders Attend Camp; Three Named All American
August 8, 2016
The Northview High School junior varsity cheerleaders recently attended a home UCA camp. Three squad members — Ashlan Hargel, Briana White and Bailey VanPelt – made All American. They will have the opportunity to march in the Disney Thanksgiving Day Parade this fall. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Win Over Biloxi
August 8, 2016
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos let its pitching and defense keep the game close and then struck with three runs off of the Biloxi Shuckers in the top of the ninth inning to snap a four-game losing streak Sunday at MGM Park.
Thanks to Jackson Stephens, Abel De Los Santos and Alejandro Chacin, Biloxi scored only one run and Pensacola pulled out a, 4-1, victory.
Stephens spread seven hits and one walk over seven innings, giving up one earned run, while striking out six batters. Stephens has now pitched seven innings in his last two starts and given up only two earned runs. His earned-run average has dropped from 3.44 on July 11 to 3.16 Sunday.
Meanwhile, Abel De Los Santos pitched one inning with one strikeout to get the win to even his record at 1-1. De Los Santos has allowed two unearned runs over 10.2 innings of relief for Pensacola and struck out 13.
Pensacola went to closer Alejandro Chacin to protect its lead in the bottom of the ninth and he got a double play and strikeout to earning his Southern League-leading 21st save of the season. Chacin is now 4-1 with a 1.82 ERA and has struck out 55 in 49.1 innings.
Pensacola has started making late inning comebacks a routine. In Sunday’s game, Blue Wahoos right fielder Sebastian Elizalde started the ninth inning with a single to right field. Left fielder Brandon Dixon followed him with a bunt back to the pitcher who threw the ball away. Shortstop Zach Vincej singled to left field to load the bases with no outs.
Biloxi reliever Junior Rincon then came in for Stephen Peterson and promptly walked Pensacola third baseman Taylor Sparks to score Elizalde, giving the Blue Wahoos a 2-1 lead. First baseman Eric Jagielo then grounded out into a double play but Dixon scored putting Pensacola up, 3-1. Biloxi’s Rincon’s ball four pitch to Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth was a wild pitch that allowed Vincej to score from third and gave Pensacola a commanding, 4-1 lead.
Pensacola had tied the game, 1-1, in the sixth inning when second baseman Alex Blandino doubled in Jeff Gelalich, who reached on an infield error.
A night after scoring a Biloxi record four runs, right fielder Clint Coulter continued to hit and score for Biloxi. He singled to left field, advanced to second on a slow roller to shortstop and crossed the plate on a double to left by catcher Rene Garcia to give the Shuckers its only run of the game Sunday.
Coulter, playing in his third game since being called up from the High-A Brevard County Manatees, went 2-3 in Sunday’s game.
Biloxi starter Taylor Jungmann also had a strong start, going six innings and allowing one unearned run on three hits and one walk, while striking out eight. Opponents are hitting .194 against him this year.
Leading Pensacola at the plate was Elizalde who went 2-4 and scored a run. He now has 20 multi-hit games, which is one behind Vincej for the team lead.
Blandino also went 1-4 with a double and RBI and is hitting .313 in seven games in August and has one homer with five RBIs.
Biloxi Beats The Wahoos
August 7, 2016
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lost its fourth straight game, falling, 7-2, Saturday to the Biloxi Shuckers at MGM Park.
The Shuckers starter Luis Ortiz and reliever Tayler Scott combined to shut out Pensacola through five innings, allowing one hit, walking two and striking out six. Reliever Stephen Kohlscheen earned his 17th save of the season throwing 1.1 innings, allowing two hits and two walks, while striking out three.
Kohlscheen loaded the bases in the ninth allowing singles to Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth and center field Ronald Bueno and a walk to Phillip Ervin. But Biloxi Kohlscheen worked out of the jam to end the game by striking out second baseman Alex Blandino and right fielder Sebastian Elizalde.
For the game, Pensacola had 10 hits but was 1-6 with runners in scoring position and left 10 base runners stranded. The Blue Wahoos also struck out 10 times.
Leading Biloxi’s offense was right fielder Clint Coulter, who went 2-2 and scored four of the Shuckers’ seven runs. It was just his second game after being called up from High-A Brevard County Manatees.
Pensacola, which is 19-23 in the second half after winning the first half Southern League South Division crown, were led by Alex Blandino, who got on base four times in five plate appearances and scored one of the Blue Wahoos two runs. Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth was also 2-3 with one run scored and one RBI.
However, Biloxi center fielder Brett Phillips hit a sacrifice fly to right field scored the first five runs of the game to lead, 5-0, in the sixth inning. Coulter scored three times.
Pensacola finally scored its first run of the game when Skipworth doubled to lead off the eighth inning and scored when center fielder Ronald Bueno singled to center field to pull the Blue Wahoos within, 5-1. The Blue Wahoos scored a second and final run of the game when Blandino crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by right fielder Sebastian Elizalde to make the score, 5-2. With two outs, Pensacola loaded the bases but third baseman Taylor Sparks struck out to end the inning.
Biloxi extended its lead to 6-2 when pinch hitter Nick Ramirez singled to center to score Coulter for the fourth time. It went up, 7-2, when left fielder Tyrone Taylor singled to center field with two outs to drive in Ortega.
Pensacola started reliever El’Hajj Muhammad for the first time this season in place of Rookie Davis, who was called up to Triple-A Louisville Bats. Muhammad had made 27 appearances for the Blue Wahoos this season. He threw 46 pitches over three innings without giving up a hit and allowed one unearned run, walking one and striking out two.
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos return home Thursday, August 11 to take on the Tennessee Smokies.
Northview Names Greenwell As Head Baseball Coach, Football Offensive Coordinator
August 6, 2016
Northview High School has named Jeremy Greenwell as their new head baseball coach and offensive coordinator for football.
Greenwell comes from Ernest Ward Middle School, where he worked as a physical education teacher and led a successful football program (career record 28-11). EWMS has the only middle school football program in Escambia County.
He played baseball as a student at Northview from 2002-2005 and pitched for Jeff Davis Community College (2006). Greenwell played football and lettered all four years at Northview and then played football at the University of West Alabama. He has coached baseball for four seasons. He coached football under legendary coach Jay Jeffcoat at Ernest Ward from 2008 to 2010 before taking over as head football coach at Ernest Ward from 2011 to 2015.
Greenwell’s hiring comes on the heels of the recent resignation of Sid Wheatley, who returned to his native Mississippi. Wheatley served as head football and head baseball coach at Northview. Former offensive coordinator Derek Marshman was promoted to head football coach a week ago, just days before fall practice began.
Wahoos Drop Series Opener To Biloxi
August 6, 2016
For the second game in a row, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos played in an extra inning game.
This time, the Blue Wahoos lost to the Biloxi Shuckers, 5-4, Friday at MGM Park when second baseman Brandon Dixon made a throwing error trying to turn a double play to end the inning that allowed the Shuckers pinch runner Clint Coulter to score the winning run.
On Thursday, Pensacola lost a nearly five-hour game to the Mississippi Braves, 10-2, in 14 innings at home.
Pensacola fell to 9-5 in extra-inning games and the first half champions dropped to 19-22 in the second half. Biloxi improved to 16-25.
The Biloxi Shuckers scored first when right fielder Tyrone Taylor smacked a two out solo homer over the left center wall for a 1-0 Shuckers lead in the bottom of the first. Biloxi went up, 2-0, when third baseman Tom Belza doubled to center field to drive in first baseman Dustin DeMuth
Pensacola pitcher Tyler Mahle walked to start the third inning and was knocked in by Blue Wahoos left fielder Phillip Ervin’s 19th double of the season to pull within, 2-1.
Pensacola third baseman Taylor Sparks hit a two-run homer to left center field to put Pensacola on top in the fourth inning, 3-2. Sparks eighth dinger this year also brought in Zach Vincej who started the inning with a single to center field.
Biloxi tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning when second baseman Javier Betancourt doubled to center field to drive in Belza.
Mahle, Pensacola’s starting pitcher, helped himself in the sixth inning with the bases loaded when he singled to left field to score Vincej, who led off the inning with a single. It was Vincej’s 21st multi-hit game and 19th in the second half.
Biloxi shortstop Angel Ortega homered on a line drive to left field, his second of the season, to start the seventh inning and tie the game, 4-4.
Pensacola’s Vincej has been one of the hottest hitters in the Southern League since June 1. He’s hitting .337 (61-181) in 54 games.
Also leading Pensacola at the plate Friday was Sparks, who now has three homers in his last six games. He went 2-5 with a two-run homer and scored twice. Sebastian Elizalde also went 2-5 with a double and has 19 multi-hit games with 15 of those coming in the second half.
Tate Cheerleaders Take Honors At Camp; Four Headed To London
August 5, 2016
The Tate High School cheerleading squads recently attended the UCA Cheerleading Camp in Panama City Beach. The Tate varsity and junior varsity brought home Superior Overall in both of their categories.
Varsity received first place extreme routine, first place sideline, second place game day and Superior Overall.
Junior varsity received second place extreme routine, second place cheer and Superior Overall, and the freshman squad received second in game day.
Four Tate High cheerleaders — Payton Simmons, Zoe Williams, Jasmine Crabtree, and Mallory Stephens — were All-American Cheerleaders out of hundreds who attended the camp. Those who earned All-American status have been invited to cheer in the New Year’s Day parade in London.
Members of the Tate Varsity cheerleaders are: Taylor Roushon, Gloria Jones, Jasmine Crabtree, Emilee Potter, Cole Stillwater, Jonah Cass, Kinsey Gill, Krysanne Hagen, Mallory Stephens, Blessing Kirk, Lexi Holley, Elena Lucci, Morgan Austin, Brylee Dodd, Alexis Wilson, Kennedy Bellard, Hayden Lindsay, Abi Manoso, Kearstyn Lile, Bailey Carter, Shelby Flemming, and Coach Jessica King.
Members of the Tate Junior Varsity cheerleaders are: Payton Simmons, Tayler Mills, Kyndal Milstead, Zoe Williams, Taylor Barnes, Kensley Foley, Payton Herring, Keaden Martin, Kyanna Woods, Hannah Hamilton, Destiny Campbell, Madyson Reaves, Carlie Boswell, Danyah Turner, Ally Stephens, Skylar Smith and Coach Jamie Southard.
Members of the Tate Freshman cheerleaders are: Leila Jones, Madison Lucio, Skye Stillwater, Sherrie Swinson, Maddie Ray, Hailey Morphis, Savannah Weaver, Savanna Bowen, Lillie Hamrac, Karis Parmley and Coach Karen Potter.
Pictured top: Tate Varsity cheerleaders. Pictured first below: Invited to London are All-American cheerleaders Jasmine Crabtree, Mallory Stephens, Zoe Williams and Payton Simmons. Pictured second below: Tate JV cheerleaders. Pictured third below: Tate Freshmen cheerleaders. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mississippi Beats The Wahoos In Five Hour Game
August 5, 2016
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Mississippi Braves were locked in a 2-2 tie for 13 innings and then the 14th inning happened.
That’s when the Braves sent 12 batters to the plate scoring eight runs on four walks, four singles and four errors by the Blue Wahoos. Mississippi won, 10-2, over Pensacola Thursday in a four hour, 57 minute game at Blue Wahoos Stadium to stay tied with Mobile for first place in the Southern League South Division. Both teams are 24-16, while Mississippi improved to 58-51 this season.
Pensacola fell to 9-4 on the season in extra-inning games. They also dropped to 9-2 in five-game series at home on the year after going a perfect 7-7 in the first half.
Pensacola is now 19-21 in the second half and 60-50 on the season.
In the top of the 14th inning, Pensacola relief pitcher Jake Ehret gave up a one out, bases loaded walk to center fielder Connor Lien to score third baseman Johan Camargo, who started the inning with a single. It gave the Braves a 3-2 lead and opened a flood gate of runs for Mississippi.
Pensacola set a franchise record with 20 strikeouts in the extra-inning game. The previous high was 18, including one that was a regular nine inning game.
Pensacola second baseman Ronald Bueno came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning. Bueno, who was called up from High-A Daytona Tortugas Tuesday, took a 2-2 pitch and sent a liner to left field to score right fielder Brandon Dixon to tie the game, 2-2, and send it into extra innings for the second time this series.
It was no pressure on the 23-year-old Bueno, who in his last bases loaded situation this season hit a double and drove in two runs for Daytona.
The Braves scored first, going up, 2-0, when first baseman Carlos Franco hit a two-out, two-run line drive over the center field wall in the sixth inning.
Pensacola got a run back in the seventh inning when the Blue Wahoos loaded the bases with one out and right fielder Brandon Dixon scored from third on a wild pitch, pulling them within 2-1.
Pensacola went 6-50 or .120 with runners in scoring position against Mississippi in the series. In the previous series against the Montgomery Biscuits, the Blue Wahoos hit .190.
Sean Newcomb, the top Atlanta Braves pitching prospect, retired 16 in a row Thursday. He struck out a season-high 10 Blue Wahoos and gave up three hits in 6.2 innings.
Newcomb, who has allowed one run or less in nine of his 22 starts, did not get a decision Thursday and remains 5-7 on the year with a 4.26 ERA.
A first round pick in 2014, Newcomb dueled Pensacola spot starter Barrett Astin matched goose eggs through the first five innings. Astin, who had started in his last three outings and eight times this season, finished his outing pitching 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and one walk and striking out six.