Escambia River Catfish Falls Just Short Of State Record
July 15, 2015
Darrin Smith of Byrneville recently caught this huge flathead catfish on the Escambia River near Bluff Springs using a rod and reel. He met a Florida Fish and Wildlife officer for a certified weight. The fish weighed in at 50.5 pounds — 4.5 pounds short of the state record. Photo for North Escambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Win Record Sixth Straight
July 14, 2015
The Pensacola Blue s set franchise records Monday night by winning its sixth game in a row and sweeping its first five-game series.
Not only that, Pensacola is now 11-7 in the second half of the Southern League season and in sole possession of first place in the South Division. The last time the Blue Wahoos were in first place this late in the season was July 22, 2012.
The Blue Wahoos defeated the Montgomery Biscuits, 6-2, on Monday in front of 4,143 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
How have they turned around a last place team in the first half to a first place team in the second half?
Pitching and defense, says Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly.
“All along I have thought this was a good ball club,” Kelly said. “Pitching and defense wins this league.”
During the first half, Pensacola finished in last place at 25-43 and 18 games behind the Biloxi Shuckers, who were 43-25. Kelly has said that Biloxi is the only team that he thought was better than Pensacola, winning eight of 10 games against the Blue Wahoos to start the year.
They face the hottest team in the Southern League North Division next — the Birmingham Barons. After winning, 2-0, over Jackson Generals Monday, the Barons are 14-3.
“They may be hotter than us,” Kelly said of the Barons. “It’ll be a good test for us. Our motto has been to win every series.”
Pitching and defense beat the Biscuits Monday night.
Tim Adleman earned his fourth win in a row and improved to 6-6 on the season with a 1.95 ERA. He allowed a solo home run by Montgomery catcher Justin O’Conner. In seven innings he gave up five hits, one walk and struck out five.
In his past four games, Adleman has allowed three earned runs in 28 innings for a 0.96 ERA. He also has given up 20 hits, four walks and struck out 24.
Plus, the Blue Wahoos turned three double plays and leads the Southern League with 102 double plays total.
Pensacola utility infielder Ray Chang, who is batting .323 this season, says player development is great but winning is even better. He endured a 59-79 record in 2013 and 60-80 in 2014.
“It feels great,” Chang said. “Throughout my career, I have not been a part of too many winning clubs. The last two years were rough. To start off the way we have in the second half gives the fans something to cheer about. It has been awesome.”
Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth hit his third homer in three games and fourth in six when he launched a bomb to straight away center field that scored three runs and put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 3-1, in the fourth inning.
“We’re just enjoying it right now,” said Skipworth, who said he didn’t want to know how many games the team has won in a row.
Adleman, the Blue Wahoos mainstay in the rotation this year, said he hopes to keep winning.
“It would be nice to win the second half and send the Blue Wahoos to the playoffs,” he said. “It would be fun, a lot of fun.”
Pensacola’s main closer Zack Weiss, who has a team-leading nine saves, added: “We just want to be competitive and give ourselves a chance to make the post season. It’s nice to get rolling. We’re not thinking about the first half.”
After second baseman Zach Vincej singled to lead off the first inning for Pensacola, Montgomery right-hander Austin Pruitt struck out five of the next six batters between the first and second innings.
Vincej also scored during a three-run eighth inning on a double into the left field corner by third baseman Marquez Smith. Vincej singled in three at bats to extend his hitting streak to eight games. He’s batting .444 (12-27) over that span.
The 24-year-old is hitting .248 this season, raising his average from .210 on July 2. This series against Montgomery, Vincej went 7-14 or .500 with three runs, one RBI and a walk.
No matter what happens, Kelly said he likes this team.
“At no time do they quit,” he said. “They always play hard.”
The Blue Washoos start a five-game series at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, July 15-19 with the Chicago White Sox Double-A affiliate Birmingham Barons. Pensacola returns home to host a two-game series at 6:35 p.m. Monday, July 20-21 with the Miami Marlins Double-A affiliate Jacksonville Suns.
Wahoos Win Record Tying Five In A Row
July 13, 2015
Power has surged through Pensacola Blue Wahoos catcher Kyle Skipworth’s swing recently. The 25-year-old’s solo home run deep to right field in the fourth inning against the Montgomery Biscuits put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 3-0, at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Pensacola tied its franchise record by winning its fifth game in a row over Montgomery, 4-1, Sunday in front of 4,168 fans. It is now 10-7 in the second half of the Southern League season and 35-50 overall. The Biscuits fell to 8-8 and 42-42 and now have lost eight straight games on the road.
A bolt of lightning knocked out the score board Sunday and 1.5 inches of rain in about 45 minutes flooded downtown streets and delayed the start of the game from 4:05 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
It was Skipworth’s second dinger in two days and third in five games. His homer on Friday jump started a five-run inning. Skipworth now has five home runs on the season, tying him with Blue Wahoos right fielder Jesse Winker for the team lead.
“I just had to kick myself in the butt,” Skipworth said. “Sometimes I don’t bare down mentally enough. When I do bare down I get a good approach and get better at bats.”
Skipworth has also been a force behind the plate especially this series. He ended a Blue Wahoos victory Thursday by throwing out a runner trying to steal. He also received a Juan Duran throw to get a runner out at the plate against Montgomery.
He tore a ligament May 27 and was out of the lineup for a month and the Blue Wahoos went into a tail spin, going 4-18. In addition, the team’s ERA wen from 3.61 (third in the Southern League) to 3.86 (seventh).
Skipworth said the pitchers have just improved.
“A lot of it is just them,” he said. “They understand what they do well and what they don’t do well. They’re hitting their mid-season form.”
Pensacola starter Daniel Wright threw another strong game, using his fastball to get ahead in the count and then relying on his slider and changeup. He improved to 5-7 with a 4.87 ERA. He pitched seven innings, giving up five hits, two walks and striking out five. Wright gave up the run and three hits by the Biscuits in the seventh with right fielder Johnny Field Jr. scoring on a single by third baseman Patrick Leonard.
Wright has now completed seven innings in four of his last six starts, going 3-1 with a 1.29 ERA in those games. He blanked the Jacksonville Suns July 2 over seven innings.
Pensacola scored first in the second inning when third baseman Marquez Smith, who hit his third triple of the year, put the Blue Wahoos up, 1-0. He crossed the plate when Montgomery first baseman Cameron Seitzer couldn’t hold on to a throw by pitcher Ryne Stanek to get the charging Pensacola first baseman Seth Mejias-Brean out.
Blue Wahoos second baseman Ray Chang scored in the second inning when Smith knocked him in with a single to right field to put Pensacola up, 2-0.
Skipworth smacked his homer in the fourth and Pensacola tacked on another run in the sixth when center fielder Beau Amaral singled to score shortstop Juan Perez for a 4-0 lead. Amaral was 1-3 with a single and RBI and is now 5-8 or .625 in his last three games after entering the series against Montgomery in a 1-16 slump.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said he sat Amaral a few games to work on his hitting.
“He looks more aggressive at the plate to me,” Kelly said. “He has got to be aggressive, not tentative.”
The final game of the five-game series is scheduled at 6:35 p.m. Monday with the Tampa Bay Rays Double-A affiliate Montgomery Biscuits. RHP Timothy Adleman (5-6, 2.00) takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by a Biscuits RHP Austin Pruitt (5-4, 2.99).
Wahoos Win Fourth In A Row
July 12, 2015
Zack Weiss made sure he preserved the Pensacola Blue Wahoos one-run victory, 4-3, over the Montgomery Biscuits Saturday night.
Throwing his fastball in the mid-90s, Weiss earned his team leading ninth save in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038. It was the 18th sellout of the season and the 122 sold out game since the Blue Wahoos inaugural year in 2012.
Weiss entered the game in the eighth inning with runners on first and third and got a strikeout. On the very next play, right fielder Juan Duran stretched out and made a diving catch to rob Biscuits left fielder Tyler Goeddel of a hit.
Weiss said he likes the closer role that he’s assumed during the past four weeks. His fastball helped Pensacola win its fourth straight game and extended the Biscuits road losing streak to seven games.
“I enjoy pitching in the ninth inning,” he said. “That’s fun. Getting those last three outs and going to shake the catcher’s hand, give him a hug, that’s awesome. I really do enjoy that.”
Weiss now has 20 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched in his last 12 relief appearances.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said both Weiss and Duran saved the day for the Blue Wahoos.
“(Duran) saved the ball game with that catch,” Kelly said. “It was a tremendous play in the eighth inning.”
Kelly added that Weiss, who he first coached in Billings, also did well. “We put him in with the tying run on third in the eighth inning. Now he’s got to get five outs. That’s very special. There are not a lot of guys who can do that.”
Pensacola is now 9-7 and tied for first place in the Southern League Southern Division in the second half. They are 34-50 overall this season.
It’s the first time since 2012 that Pensacola has been in first place this late in a half. They were last in first place July 22, 2012. Montgomery fell to 8-7 in the second half and is 42-41 on the year.
Pensacola took the lead, 3-2, in the fifth inning when left fielder Jesse Winker grounded a single to right field to score catcher Yovan Gonzalez. Gonzalez tied the game, 2-2, when he singled to center to score second baseman Juan Perez, who doubled to lead off the inning.
The Blue Wahoos tacked on what ended up being the game-winning run in the seventh when shortstop Zach Vincej lined a single to center to score center fielder Beau Amaral to put Pensacola ahead, 4-2.
Montgomery cut the lead to 4-3 when first baseman Jake Bauers smacked a liner to the left-center gap to score right fielder Johnny Field Jr. in the eighth inning before Weiss came in and shut the Biscuits down.
Pensacola starter Wandy Peralta went six innings, which was his longest start since going 6.2 inning against the Mobile BayBears June 17. Peralta rebounded from two bad starts, leaving the game with a 3-2 lead. He scattered eight hits, walked two and struck out four Montgomery batters.
In his previous two starts, Peralta allowed 10 runs on 13 hits and two walks in 5.1 innings of work for a 16.88 ERA.
Winker went 1-4 with two RBIs Saturday. He’s now 3-10 with a home run, six RBIs, two runs scored and two walks. He has 5 HR 29 RBI and hitting .271 on year. Winker is hitting .363 (20-55) in 16 games in the second half. He has multi-hit games in eight of his last 18 starts.
Former NBA Coach To Lead Bratt Basketball Camp This Week
July 12, 2015
The First Baptist Church of Bratt will host a basketball camp this week with a former NBA, college and high school coach.
The camp for children ages 8-14 will be held July 13-17 from 9 a.m. until noon at the church. Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach will teach kids the fundamentals of basketball and Biblical awareness.
“We are fortunate to get someone of Coach Roger’s talents and achievements to head up this camp” said First Baptist Bratt Student Pastor Tim Hawsey. “He has a unique ability to deal with children, and his love for them is evident.” This is the fourth year the church has offered this camp.
Dutremble is a a retired coach and member of the International Basketball Hall of Fame. He career includes coaching at every level from high school to the NBA, and into international arenas, with a lifetime coaching record of 687-117 and seven national championships. He was selected “Coach of the Year” six times, and served as national team head coach to Belgium, Scotland, and Jordan. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, serving under Paul Westhead and Pat Riley, from 1979-83 and helping the team to three NBA championships with players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The cost is $45 per student with a limited number of scholarships available. The funds are used exclusively to purchase shoes and basketballs for needy children in other countries where Dutremble conducts camps.
Students can register Monday morning prior to the camp at the church on Highway 4 just west of Northview High School.
Pictured: Students that participated in a previous basketball camp at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. Inset: Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Winker Grand Slam Seals Wahoos Win
July 11, 2015
Left fielder Jesse Winker hit the Pensacola Blue Wahoos first grand slam of the season when he took Montgomery Biscuits starter Jaime Schultz’s fastball deep to left field with one out.
His fifth homer of the year capped a five-run fifth inning that also included catcher Kyle Skipworth’s solo shot to right field into the Hill-Kelly Hill area to lead off the inning.
Pensacola went on to win its third straight game and hand Montgomery its sixth straight road loss, 6-3, Friday in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos improved to 8-7 (33-50) and remained in a four-way tie for first place in the second half of the Southern League South Division season. The Biscuits dropped to 8-6 (42-40) on the year.
Winker, the Cincinnati Reds No. 3 prospect according to Baseball America, hit his last grand slam two years ago to the day with the Low-A Dayton Dragons.
The newly bearded Winker is hitting .373 (19-51) in 15 games in the second half with a .492 on-base percentage. And Winker has multi-hit games in eight of his last 17 starts.
Winker said he was waiting for Schultz to bring his 90-95 mph heater over the plate, after watching him walk shortstop Zach Vincej.
“I wanted to elevate a fastball,” Winker said. “I didn’t want to get cheated there. I got it up and over the wall. It was really cool.”
Seth Mejias-Brean added a solo blast in the sixth inning over the left field wall just inside the foul pole. It was his fourth homer of the year and gave him a team-leading 32 RBIs on the season.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly was most impressed with Skipworth’s homer of the three Friday.
“The one that was impressive was Skipworth’s,” Kelly said. “That ball had an over spin, which is basically impossible to do.”
Meanwhile, Barrett Astin earned his first victory in Double-A after two no-decision games since being called up June 25 to Pensacola. The 23-year-old is now 1-0 with a 2.95 ERA, allowing 13 hits, 10 walks and striking out 16 batters in 18.1 innings.
Kelly said Astin has looked good in his three starts.
“That’s what you want is a starter who can give you six innings and then turn it over to the bullpen with a lead,” he said. “Barrett’s done that all three times he’s been out there.”
One other impressive play came defensively from Juan Duran in right field that saved a run. The 6-foot-7 prospect charged a soft liner by Montgomery shortstop Leonardo Reginatto and threw a perfect strike to Skipworth to nail third baseman Patrick Leonard at the plate for the second out of the seventh inning.
Kelly said he coached Duran when he was a 16-year-old “baby giraffe.”
“He could barely stand up,” Kelly joked. “But every year he gets better. He’s got a more controlled swing at the plate and a better throwing arm than you think.”
By the way, Winker said his mom is getting used to his new beard.
Photo courtesy Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Smith Strikes Out 10, Wahoos Beat Biscuits
July 10, 2015
Before returning to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, Josh Smith earned a rare distinction — pitching at every level from Single-A to the major leagues in one season.
“It has been interesting,” Smith said after the game. “Before this year, I’ve never been moved up. This year, I’ve been traveling so much and playing at so many levels. It’s a crazy ride, a crazy journey.”
Smith looked every bit of a big league pitcher Thursday after getting sent down from the Cincinnati Reds to Double-A Pensacola.
Behind his 4.1 hitless innings to start the game and 10 strikeouts, Pensacola held on to capture the opener of the five-game series with the Montgomery Biscuits, 3-2, in front of 4,502 fans at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos are now in a five-way tie for first place in the Southern League South Division as each team is 7-7. It’s the first time since 2012 that they have been in first place this late in a half. They were last in first place July 22, 2012.
Smith’s no-hitter ended — undoubtedly — on a sharp double to right field by 19-year-old Jake Bauers. He ended up giving up three hits and one walk in eight innings of work.
He said it was great to get back on the mound and forget his last start with the Reds on the Fourth of July. Smith pitched 4.1 innings and left the game after hitting his fourth batter. He also struggled with his control walking 19 batters in 12.1 innings.
“That competitive nature kicks in after doing what I did in Cincinnati of the Fourth of July,” Smith said. “I know the fans weren’t happy. I wasn’t happy. But that’s in the past.”
When he came off the field in the eighth inning Thursday, Smith pumped both arms in the air to cheers by fans near the dugout.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly joked that it was “terrific” to get a starter from the Reds.
“He was excited,” Kelly said. “He wanted to pitch. There was no moping. He was ready to go. Nerves get you the first time you’re in the big leagues.”
The 27-year-old Smith made his major league debut with the Reds starting rotation June 25 and pitched in three games. He went 0-2 with 7.30 ERA, including eight strike outs in 12.1 innings. In his previous stint with Double-A Pensacola, he was 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA in 25 innings and struck out 24.
At the Triple-A Louisville Bats, Smith had eight starts and was 1-3 with a 3.56 ERA and struck out 35 in 48 innings. He also pitched one inning and struck out one batter on June 19 for the High-A Daytona Tortugas.
Combined at the four levels, Smith is now 5-7 with a 3.35 ERA and in 94.1 innings the right-hander has 80 total strikeouts.
The Blue Wahoos scored first, going ahead, 1-0, when right fielder Juan Duran blasted a triple off the center field wall to start the second inning and was driven in by third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean.
They added two more in the third inning when Duran crushed a double to center that scored shortstop Zach Vincej to make the score, 2-0. Then Winker, who went 1-2, scored on a wild pitch by Montgomery’s starter Jake Faria to go up, 3-0.
However, Montgomery scored two runs on three hits in the ninth and had the tying run on third. But Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth threw out Leonardo Reginatto trying to steal second to end the game.
“It was a fantastic play and got us out of a big jam,” Kelly said.
Blue Wahoos reliever Zack Weiss pitched to one batter in the ninth to earn his team-leading eighth save. He now has 18 strikeouts in 12.2 innings pitched in his last 11 appearances.
The second game of the five-game series is scheduled at 6:35 p.m. Friday with the Tampa Bay Rays Double-A affiliate Montgomery Biscuits. RHP Barrett Astin (0-0, 3.09) takes the mound for the Wahoos and is scheduled to be opposed by the Biscuits RHP Jamie Schultz (5-4, 3.73).
Photo courtesy Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Concussion Baseline Testing Monday For Northview Student Athletes
July 9, 2015
Student athletes in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are participating in a concussion study.
For Northview High student athletes, concussion baseline testing will be held on Monday, July 13 at 1 p.m. at Ernest Ward Middle School. Each student will need to arrive with a consent form signed by their parents. Click here to print the form.
Each athlete will be screened for their cognitive, balance, and vision baseline.
Wahoos Take Final Game Of Series Against The BayBears
July 9, 2015
Pensacola Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Timothy Adleman continued to prove why he made the Southern League All-Star team.
Adleman improved to 5-6 on the season and lowered his ERA to 2.00 – third among all pitchers in the league.
Thanks to his pitching, Pensacola took the final game of the five-game series Wednesday against the rival Mobile BayBears, 4-1, at Hank Aaron Stadium. Pensacola is now 6-7 in the second half, just one game behind Mobile in the Southern League South Division.
Adleman allowed just one run on a solo homer by Mobile right fielder Socrates Brito with one out in the fourth inning. It was one of three hits he gave up, plus Adleman walked one and struck out seven in seven innings of work.
Adleman out pitched Mobile’s Braden Shipley (4-8), who gave up three runs in six innings on five hits and two walks and struck out two. Shipley, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ No. 3 prospect, entered the game holding Pensacola in his past two starts to one earned run in 12 innings for a 0.75 ERA.
Blue Wahoos reliever Zack Weiss pitched the ninth to earn his team-leading seventh save. He struck out one and now has 18 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched in his last 10 appearances.
Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth, who was 1-4 on the night, got the Blue Wahoos on the board first. His double knocked in right fielder Juan Duran and third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean to put Pensacola ahead, 2-0. Then shortstop Zach Vincej singled to right field to score center fielder Juan Perez and put Pensacola up, 3-0, in the second inning.
Skipworth went 4-15 or .267 against Mobile. He hit one home run, doubled and drove in four runs in the series.
In the top of the eighth, first baseman Marquez Smith added an insurance run. Smith smacked his second triple of the season deep to center field. He then scored on a wild pitch by Mobile reliever Dominic Leone to give Pensacola a 4-1 lead.
Smith had the best series against Mobile, going 10-19 and hitting .526, including three multi-hit games, two triples, two runs and two RBIs.
Mobile Beats Wahoos
July 8, 2015
Pensacola and Mobile remained scoreless until the BayBears broke out with six runs in the fifth inning Tuesday and went on to defeat the Blue Wahoos, 9-4, at Hank Aaron Stadium.
Both teams remained scoreless the first four innings. In fact, Pensacola starter Daniel Wright had given up just three singles, walked two and benefitted from two double plays. Meanwhile, Mobile righty A.J. Schugel gave up just two hits to the Blue Wahoos to that point.
But in the bottom of the fifth inning, Gabriel Guerrero, who hit a walk-off two-run homer Monday, hit his 16th double of the year to left field and would score on a fielder’s choice by Schugel to put Mobile up, 1-0. Second baseman Kevin Medrano would then double to center field for Mobile to drive in Rudy Flores and Schugel for a 3-0 BayBears’ lead.
Mobile shortstop Jack Reinheimer would then single on a soft line drive to left field to score Medrano to put the BayBears up, 4-0. Wright would be replaced by reliever Jimmy Moran, who would make a throwing error on center fielder Socrates Brito hit, allowing Reinheimer to score. Finally, left fielder Zach Borenstein would hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring in Brito and put the BayBears ahead, 6-0.
Schugel improved to 4-2 this season for Mobile working seven innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, a walk and he struck out seven.
Borenstein has owned the Blue Wahoos pitchers, batting .325 with four homers and 16 RBIs in three series. He hit a two-run homer Tuesday off of Pensacola reliever Ben Klimesh—his seventh of the year—in the seventh inning to put Mobile ahead, 9-2.
Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth, who was 1-3, also hit a solo home run in the seventh off of Schugel to cut Mobile’s lead to 7-2. Skipworth now has three homers and eight RBIs on the year and is hitting .290 since coming off the disabled list June 26.
Duran continues to hit well in his seven games back with Pensacola after recovering from an injury. He’s hitting .316 after going 1-4 and knocking in a run Tuesday.