Tate’s Simmons Signs With Alabama State
May 5, 2015
Tate High School senior Regine Simmons has signed a volleyball scholarship with Alabama State University. Simmons is pictured being congratulated by Tate High Principal Rick Shackle. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate To State: Lady Aggies Hit The Road
May 5, 2015
The Tate Lady Aggies hit the road Monday for Vero Beach and the state semifinals. The Lady Aggies will face the Bartow High School Yellow Jackets in the Class 7A state semifinals Wednesday afternoon. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jackson Tops The Pcola Blue Wahoos 15-4
May 5, 2015
For the third time in the five-game series, the Jackson Generals hung six runs in an inning Monday on the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
After five innings, Jackson led the game, 14-1, on two three-run home runs by designated hitter Jabari Blash and third baseman Jody Lara on the way to winning the rubber match in the five-game series, 15-4, from Pensacola at The Ballpark in Jackson.
It was the most runs in a game the Generals have scored this season, going down in order in just two of eight innings. That included the eighth when Pensacola infielder Ray Chang made his third career relief appearance and first since July 7, 2009, and preserved his 0.00 ERA.
Despite the loss, a few Blue Wahoos did perform well. Right fielder Kyle Waldrop went 1-3, hitting a 320-foot, three-run blast to right field in the sixth inning. He scored a run and had four RBIs total. In his last nine games, Waldrop is batting .364 (12-33) with four doubles, a homer, eight RBIs, and three runs. For the season, he has three homers, batted-in 14 runners, and hit .259.
In addition, Pensacola first baseman Marquez Smith, who had two singles Monday, had a good series against Jackson. Smith hit .429 (9-21) in five games, including four multi-hit games to raise his batting average from .182 to .246 on the season.
Pensacola second baseman Ryan Wright, who went 2-4 with two runs, has hits in nine of his last 10 games. He’s batting .333 (11-33) since April 26.
Meanwhile, Blue Wahoos shortstop Juan Perez’s leadoff double in the sixth inning against the Generals Monday pushed his hitting streak to six games. He’s hitting .346 (9-26) during the streak and now leads Pensacola with a .308 average and is second in on-base percentage at .366.
But Monday was really all about the Generals, who had four hits, including a two-out, three-run blast by Blash, two walks and an error to go up, 6-0, after two innings. In all, Jackson sent nine batters to the plate.
Jackson tacked on three more runs to go up, 9-0, in the next inning, thanks to catcher Steve Baron. He smashed a double to left that scored two runs in the third. Baron then stole third and scored on Blue Wahoos catcher Chris Berset’s throwing error to second.
Finally, Jackson took a, 14-1, lead when Lara crushed a three-run blast in a five-run fifth inning.
Blue Wahoos Beat Jackson
May 4, 2015
Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Josh Smith picked up his second win of the season by throwing seven scoreless innings against the Jackson Generals on Sunday.
Smith, who last pitched for the Blue Wahoos in 2013, is now 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA after giving up six hits and striking out eight in Pensacola’s, 5-1, victory at The Ballpark in Jackson. The win ended a two-game losing streak to the Generals, who wrap up its five-game series Monday with Pensacola.
Smith wasn’t the only star for Pensacola on Sunday. Designated hitter Kyle Waldrop went 3-5 with a double, scored a run and drove in two more. Marquez Smith also had a 3-5 day and scored.
Pensacola scored first in the third inning. They took a 1-0 lead when Juan Silva tripled for the first time this season on a soft line drive to right field and Beau Amaral knocked him in with a single on a line drive to left field.
Marquez Smith then singled sharply to left field and Waldrop doubled on a fly ball to center field that drove in Smith to put Pensacola up, 2-0. Waldrop moved to third base on a Seth Mejias-Brean ground out to shortstop. Chris Berset drove Waldrop in on a sacrifice fly to center field for a 3-0 Pensacola lead.
Pensacola made it 4-0 when Jesse Winker reached first on a fielder’s choice and two out. Smith followed with a single to right field and Winker took third on a fielding error by Jackson right fielder Jabari Blash. Waldrop then drove in Winker with a two-out single to center field.
The Blue Wahoos added an insurance run in the ninth when Juan Perez singled on a ground ball to the second baseman and reached third on a wild pitch by Jackson’s Trevor Miller. Ryan Wright then drove Perez in on a sacrifice fly to go ahead, 5-0.
Perez went 2-5 and has now hit in six straight games and 15 of the last 16 games. He’s leading Pensacola with a .311 batting average.
Wahoos Lose…Again
May 3, 2015
The Jackson Generals won its second straight game over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on another six-run inning—this time in the fourth inning at The Ballpark at Jackson.
Jackson beat Pensacola, 7-4, on Saturday to move to 9-11 and just two games out of first place in the Southern League North Division. Meanwhile, Pensacola fell to 6-16 and is eight games back.
The Generals sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth to score its six runs, five of them with two out after starter Daniel Wright (0-4) struck out two batters. Dano Pizzano knocked in two on a single to right field and Jody Lara singled to left off of Blue Wahoos reliever Chad Rodgers for two more in the inning.
On Friday, Jackson drove in six runs in the first inning off of Pensacola starter Robert Stephenson.
Pensacola shortstop Juan Perez continued his hot hitting with a triple in the second inning that drove in Seth Mejias-Brean and Ray Chang to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 3-0. He now has four RBIs and has hit in five straight games and 14 of the last 15 games. He’s hitting .304 to lead Pensacola.
Beau Amaral singled in the eighth to score Chang and bring Pensacola within two, 6-4. He went 3-4 on the night.
Meanwhile, Jesse Winker, the Cincinnati Reds No. 4 prospect, went 1-5 to extend his on-base streak to six games, while Wahoos Kyle Waldrop went 0-3 to end his six-game hitting streak.
Tate To State After Regional Final Win
May 2, 2015
For the second year in a row, the Tate Lady Aggies are headed to the State Final Four.
The Lady Aggies beat Atlantic Coast High School in Jacksonville 2-1 Friday night to claim the Region 1-7A championship.
Tate was led by pitcher Tori Perkins on the mound. In seven innings, she allowed five hits while striking out five. Hitting for Tate were Lauren Brennan 1-2, 2 RBI; Casey McCrackin 1-3, 2 R; Elizabeth Werdann 1-3; Hayden Lindsay 1-3; Savannah Rowell 1-2.
The Aggies will travel to Vero Beach to take on the Bartow Yellow Jackets Wednesday at Historic Dogertown in the Class 7A state semifinals.
Pictured: The Tate Lady Aggies celebrate their regional championship win Friday night in Jacksonville. Photo by Mike Brennan for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jackson Generals Beat Wahoos
May 2, 2015
The Jackson Generals wasted little time in jumping on Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Robert Stephenson at The Ballpark at Jackson.
Jackson defeated Pensacola, 8-3, by scoring six runs in the first inning off of Stephenson, who has been rated as the Cincinnati Reds top prospect the past two seasons.
Stephenson loaded the bases in the first inning by walking the first two batters and then allowing a single. Jackson’s D.J. Peterson then doubled in two runs on a sharp line drive to left field for a, 2-0, General lead.
With men on second and third with none out, Pensacola pitching coach Jeff Fassero visited the mound to calm his young flamethrower.
Stephenson got the first out of the inning on a long fly ball by Gabby Guerrero, but it scored Darrio Pizzano to put Jackson up, 3-0. Stephenson then walked Jordy Lara before giving up his third home run in three games, this one to Daniel Paolini, who smashed a three-run homer to left center field to put Jackson ahead, 6-0.
Stephenson then struck out the next batter before walking the No. 9 hitter and being replaced by reliever Tim Adleman. In all, Jackson sent 10 batters to the plate in the first.
In 0.2 innings, one of Stephenson’s shortest outings in his minor league career, he gave up six earned runs on three hits, four walks and one strikeout. He saw his ERA jump from 5.40 to 8.31.
Marquez Smith is 4-7 against Jackson in two games including his first RBI of the season Friday, when he knocked in Ryan Wright on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. Last year, he led the Reds organization with 131 RBIs between High-A Bakersfield and Double-A Pensacola.
Waldrop, the Reds No. 14 prospect, singled in the fourth inning to extend his hitting streak to six games and is now 8-24 (.333).
Jay Wins Regional Title; Headed To State
May 2, 2015
The Jay Lady Royals won the Region 2-1A championship Friday night with a 2-1 win over the Chipley Tigers. It will be the third trip to state in the last four years for the Lady Royals
Destiny Herring pitched seven innings for Jay, allowing just two hits and striking out six. At the plate, Herring as 1-3 with a run, while Samantha Steadham wen 1-3 with a double. It was Coach Brian Watson’s 200th win.
The Jay Lady Royals will travel to Vero Beach for a Wednesday morning game against Sneads at Historic Dodgertown in the state semifinals.
Pictured: The Jay Lady Royals after their regional win Friday night. Photo By Diann Tagert for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two West Florida Seniors Sign
May 2, 2015
Two West Florida High School seniors signed letters of intent Friday. Keandre Prim signed to play football with Faulkner University, while Teandre Jones signed a basketball scholarship with Shelton State. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Chiefs’ Lambert, Newsome Sign Letters Of Intent
May 1, 2015
Two Northview High School seniors signed football letters of intent Thursday. Cameron Newsome (right) signed with Waldorf College in Iowa, and Nick Lambert signed with Faulkner University in Montgomery. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
