Wahoos Skim Past Barons 4-3
August 5, 2013
Pensacola overcame an early 3-0 deficit, tying the game at three and eventually taking the lead with a two-out rally in the sixth to knock off the Birmingham Barons on Sunday afternoon at Regions Field. The Blue Wahoos have now won two of the first three games in the series.
Birmingham jumped out to a quick three-run lead in the last of the first against Pensacola starter Tim Crabbe. Brandon Jacobs brought home a run with a sacrifice fly and Cody Puckett drove home a pair with a two-out double to open up the three-run advantage. That was all Crabbe would allow, though, over 6.2 innings. The right-hander allowed just four more baserunners throughout his outing, allowing a total three runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks to improve to 5-8 on the year.
The Pensacola offense responded immediately to the trio of tallies from Birmingham with three runs of their own in the top of the second. The first two batters reached on singles before Tucker Barnhart doubled off the right field wall to score a run and make it 3-1. Corey Wimberly notched an RBI with a groundout to short while Theo Bowe completed the rally with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Barnhart and tying the game.
The game remained knotted at two until the sixth inning when Pensacola mounted a two-out rally. Bowe tripled to the gap in left-center and scored on Devin Lohman’s ground rule double to make it 4-3. Lohman was 3-for-4 on the night, his third three-hit game in the last four contests.
All four runs came off Birmingham starter Michael Nix, who fell to 3-4 on the year. Nix allowed four runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and two walks in 5.2 innings.
Parker Frazier and Trevor Bell combined to retire the final seven Barons they faced over 2.1 innings to shut the door. For Bell, the perfect ninth was his 11th save in as many chances for Pensacola.
The Wahoos will look for a series win at Regions Field on Monday night at 7:05 p.m. Josh Smith (8-8, 3.90) will get the ball for Pensacola opposite Birmingham’s Chris Bassitt (2-1, 3.18).
story by Kevin Burke
Softball Tourney Benefits Northview Quarterback Club
August 4, 2013
A coed softball tournament in Walnut Hill Saturday benefited the Northview High School Quarterback Club. Winning the tournament was the team named “Balls Deep”. Team members included Justice Agerton, Daulton Tullis, Morgan Ward, Jadlyn Agerton, Chasen Freeman, Brannon Freeman, Morgan Payne, Kevin Vaughan, Mark Shipps Jr., Brad Lowery, Melissa McCall Ward and Nathan Shipps. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Birmingham Routs Pensacola 8-0
August 4, 2013
Stephen McCray carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, completely shutting down a Pensacola attack that scored 16 runs the night before in Birmingham’s 8-0 win over the Blue Wahoos on Saturday night at Regions Field.
McCray retired the first 12 batters he faced before giving up a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth to Donald Lutz for Pensacola’s first baserunner. Lutz was erased on a double play. Ryan LaMarre reached on an error by the second baseman David Herbek in the sixth inning, but he was stranded.
The no-hitter extended into the eighth inning before Tucker Barnhart blooped a single into shallow left-center field for the Wahoos first base knock. McCray (10-7) ended up departing after the first two batters reached in the ninth, allowing two total hits in 8-plus innings with six strikeouts and a pair of walks.
The Barons offense provided plenty of cushion for McCray, scoring eight runs for the second straight day. Tyler Saladino led off the first with a walk and came around to score a sacrifice fly from Trayce Thompson to make it 1-0.
In the fourth inning, Mike Blanke blasted a three-run homer off Pensacola starter Daniel Renken to make it 4-0. Birmingham added another run in the sixth on a David Herback single to make it 5-0. All five runs were charged to Renken, who saw his string of seven straight quality starts come to an end. He allowed five runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks in six frames.
The Barons left no doubt with an additional three runs in the seventh inning off of Drew Hayes, highlighted by a two-run double from Brandon Jacobs, who extended his hitting streak to 17 games.
Pensacola looks to bounce back with Tim Crabbe (4-8, 3.39) on the mound in Sunday’s middle game. Birmingham will counter with Michael Nix (3-3, 4.76). First pitch from Regions Field is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
story by Kevin Burke
Wahoos Pound Barons 16-8
August 3, 2013
The Blue Wahoos bats awakened in the first trip to Regions Field to the tune of a franchise-record 16 runs in a 16-8 win over the Birmingham Barons on Friday night. In addition to setting the franchise record for runs scored, Pensacola also broke the franchise record with 17 hits.
Pensacola fell behind early in the contest on a second-inning homer from Dan Black but responded in a big way in the third inning. Facing Scott Carroll, a minor league rehabber, the Wahoos put up five runs in the third inning. All five runs scored with two outs as Yorman Rodriguez smashed a two-run bases loaded double to right before Donald Lutz launched a three-run homer to right to make it 5-1. For Lutz, it was his first homer since April 21 for Pensacola.
Birmingham responded with a solo homer from former Wahoo Cody Puckett in the last of the third before taking the lead in the fourth with a five-spot of their own to take a 7-5 lead. All five runs were charged to starter Jon Moscot, who in his Double-A debut, gave up seven runs on seven hits in 3+ innings. Chris Manno came on to restore order with three scoreless frames, improving to 3-2 on the year.
Trailing 7-5 heading to the fifth, Pensacola put up 10 runs over the next three frames. In the fifth, Mike Costanzo’s two-run, two-out double tied the game up at seven. An inning later, Devin Lohman brought home another pair of runs with a two-out single that doubled the lead to make it 9-5.
The Wahoos blew the game open in the seventh inning, batting for the cycle as a team. Pensacola scored six runs on seven hits, including four doubles, a triple, and homer. Travis Mattair drove home two with a triple, Brandon Short and Ryan LaMarre brought home a run with doubles and Lohman capped things off with a two-run blast, his seventh of the season.
The teams traded runs in the last of the eighth and top of the ninth to account for the final two runs of the contest.
All nine hitters recorded at least a hit and scored a run in the offensive outburst while seven players recorded an RBI. Lohman (3-for-5, 2 R, 4 RBI) led the charge along with five other players that record multi-hit games: Costanzo (2-for-4, R, 2 RBI), Rodriguez (2-for-6, R, 2 RBI), Lutz (2-for-6, 2 R, 3 RBI), LaMarre (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI), and Chang (3-5, 3 R).
J.R. Ballinger (1-1) took the loss for Birmingham, allowing five runs on four hits with three walks in an inning and a third. Caroll received a no-decision despite allowing five runs on five hits in 3.1 frames.
The Blue Wahoos remain four games back of the Jacksonville Suns, with each of the South Division foes picking up wins on Friday night. Pensacola and Birmingham battle again on Saturday night from Regions Field. Daniel Renken (5-7, 3.37) gets the ball for Pensacola against Birmingham’s Stephen McCray (9-7, 3.49). First pitch is scheduled from 6:30 p.m.
story by Kevin Burke
Tri-County 12U Competes In Softball World Series This Weekend
August 2, 2013
The Tri-County 12-U All Star softball team is competing in the 2013 World Series in Alachua, Florida, this weekend.
Friday morning Tri- County, the Alabama Babe Ruth State Champions, lost to Floyds Knob, Indiana by the score of 10-8. They will play Independence, Kansas, later today. On Saturday, they will face Ormond Beach, Florida, and Creeks, Florida.
Team members include Hayylee Watson, Avarie Jackson, Kendall Barrow, Kassadi Borders, Kolbi Bray, Malarie Foster, Olivia Cook and Katlynn Hobbs.
Pictured: The Tri-County 12-U All Stars Thursday at the 2013 Babe Ruth World Series in Alachua, Florida. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Grad Nash Signs Division II Football Scholarship
August 2, 2013
Northview High School graduate Stetson Nash signed a football scholarship Thursday afternoon with NCAA Division II Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.
Nash, 19, was a member of the Chiefs’ state championship team last year as an offensive and defensive lineman. Nash, joined by Northview coaches Sid Wheatley and Derek Marshman, visited several Arkansas schools.
“We felt like all along he could go and do great things in the classroom as well as in the game of football,” Wheatley said. “Harding has a great coaching staff and it’s a Christian school. Stetson will be a good fit.”
The 19-year old is expected to leave for Arkansas in about a week. He expects to play defense for Harding.
Pictured top: Northview grad Stetson Nash (seated) signs a Harding University Scholarship Thursday afternoon, joined by his aunt Linda Houston and (top, L-R) cousin Charles Houston, Jr., uncle Charles Houston and Christian Valasquez. Pictured inset: Nash is joined by Northview coaches Dereck Marshman (left) and Sid Wheatley. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Knock Off BayBears 2-0
August 2, 2013
Having been dealt a pair of devastating one-run losses the last two days, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos responded with a 2-0 shutout of the Mobile BayBears in front of the 23rd sellout crowd of the season at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium on Thursday night. It was the third 2-0 shutout win of the series for Pensacola who took its first series in four tries against the BayBears.
Carlos Contreras spearheaded the shutout effort while picking up his first Double-A win in three tries. Contreras (1-1) carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before yielding a one-out infield single to Ender Inciarte. The right-hander was able to work around the hit and work through six innings for the first time as a Wahoo. In total, he tossed six one-hit innings with a strikeout and two walks.
Lee Hyde came on to pitch a scoreless inning and a third to extend his scoreless innings streak to 28.1 frames before Josh Ravin picked up the final two outs in the eighth. Trevor Bell entered in the ninth inning and worked around a pair of one-out singles to nail down his 10th save in as many tries.
Offensively, Pensacola had multiple opportunities to blow the game open, out-hitting Mobile 13-4. However, the Wahoos settled for the pair of runs, the first of which came in the first inning on a Tucker Barnhart bases loaded RBI single. Pensacola left a runner on base in every inning except for the second before finally adding some insurance on a Travis Mattair solo homer in the last of the eighth. The home run was Mattair’s team-leading 13th of the year and 46th RBI, tying the single-season franchise record.
Bradin Hagens was the tough luck loser for the BayBears, giving up a run on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks in five innings to fall to 9-7 on the year.
The Wahoos now travel to Birmingham to face the Barons for the first time this season. Jon Moscot, called up from High-A Bakersfield on Thursday, will make his Double-A debut for Pensacola against Birmingham southpaw Spencer Arroyo (8-4, 3.16). First pitch from Regions Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Friday night.
story by Keving Burke
NHS QB Club Still Needs Teams For Weekend Softball Tournament
August 1, 2013
The Northview High School Quarterback Club still needs a few teams for a coed softball tournament to be held this Saturday.
The entry fee is $150 per team. To register a team and support the Class 1A state football champions in their upcoming season, call Bodie Tullis at (850) 390-3945.
BayBears Top Wahoos 4-3
August 1, 2013
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos rallied from two separate deficits on Wednesday night, but still fell victim of a late-inning run in a 4-3 setback to the Mobile BayBears at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The game was tied at three headed to the eighth inning before the BayBears took the lead against Pensacola reliever Parker Frazier. Mobile loaded the bases with nobody out against Frazier who then gave up a sacrifice fly to Ryan Court to give the BayBears a 4-3 lead. Lee Hyde entered to limit the damage thanks to a pick off and a groundout.
Frazier took the loss for Pensacola, falling to 1-1. The right-hander allowed a run on two hits with a walk in just a third of an inning.
Pensacola had chances to tie and win the game in their last two at-bats but stranded three runners in the final two frames, including the tying run at second in the ninth when closer Jake Barrett struck out Yorman Rodriguez to end the game.
Mobile jumped out on top early in the contest against Pensacola starter Josh Smith. Ender Inciarte doubled on the first pitch of the game, stole third, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Justin Greene to make it 1-0.
Former Wahoo Mark Serrano got the start for the BayBears and dominated his former team with three shutout innings before running into a bit of trouble in the fourth. Mike Costanzo led off with a walk, moved to third on a Rodriguez double and scored on a groundout from Lutz to knot the game at one.
The two teams traded a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. In the top half, Mobile loaded the bases with two outs against Smith and scored a run on an RBI infield single from Raywilly Gomez that deflected off the glove of a diving Costanzo at first base. Drew Hayes came on to relieve Smith and uncorked a wild pitch, allowing a run to score and giving the BayBears a 3-1 lead.
Smith didn’t factor in the decision as he went 5.2 innings allowing three runs on eight hits while notching eight punchouts, one shy of a season high.
Pensacola battled right back in the bottom half to tie things up at three despite a baserunning mistake. With runners at first and second, Donald Lutz singled to left but Rodriguez was caught rounding second to far and induced a rundown between second and third before Corey Wimberly took off for home and was thrown out at the plate. Tucker Barnhart picked up the slack, though, with a two-run single to right scoring Lutz and Rodriguez.
However, Pensacola stranded runners on base in each of their last four at-bats adding up to a total of nine on the night. Six of the nine runners were left in scoring position.
Blake Cooper (3-2) picked up the win for the BayBears by getting the final out of the seventh inning and tossing a scoreless eighth.
The series wraps up on Thursday with the rubber game between the two squads at 7 p.m. Carlos Contreras (0-1, 4.66) will toe the rubber for Pensacola against Mobile’s Bradin Hagens (9-3, 3.63).
story by Kevin Burke
Pensacola Posse Wins World Series 14U Fastpitch Softball Tourney
July 31, 2013
The Pensacola Posse won the recent USSSA 2013 World Series 14U Fastpitch Softball Tournament in Gulf Shores. Team members are: (bottom, L-R) Kaili Okahashi, Pace; Paige Palmer, Cantonment; Savannah Rowell, Cantonment; Mallory Miller, Cantonment; Meagan Jones, Cantonment; (top row) Bryce Miller, Pace; Hadley Starratt, Cantonment; Destiny Herring, Jay; Samantha Kummer, Pace; Morgan Bolen, Cantonment; Kristin Quina, Cantonment; (back row) coaches Randy Miller, Sean Starratt, Pete Kummer, and John Quina. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.