Pelicans Top Grand Prairie 6-3
August 13, 2009
In a game that took two hours and ten minutes to get started due to rain, the Pelicans rewarded their faithful by defeating the Grand Prairie Air Hogs 6-3. Wednesday’s game was originally scheduled for 6:35 p.m.; when Hunter Davis rolled up a double play to end the ball game, the clock displayed 11:59 p.m. Randy Beam pitched solidly, earning his ninth win of the year, and Davis picked up save number twenty on Wednesday night.
The Pelicans scored all the runs they would need in the bottom of the third. Lou Palmisano led off and reached on an error by the shortstop, advancing to second when Kevin Reynolds had a bunt single. Leandro walked to load the bases, and Antoin Gray hit a two RBI double that plated Palmisano and Reynolds. Marshall McDougall followed with a base hit to score Leandro, and Rodriguez succeeded him with a single to bring Gray in.
The Air Hogs acquired their only earned run on Pelicans’ starter Randy Beam in the top of the fourth when Javier Brito hit his tenth homer of the year, a solo bomb to left. The Pelicans recovered the run in the bottom of the inning when Reynolds reached first on his second bunt single, moved to third on two walks, and scored on a wild pitch.
Grand Prairie did notch two more runs in the top of the fifth, as J.B. Tucker singled, Incaviglia doubled, and with two out both scored on a throwing error by the shortstop.
Randy Beam pitched through the end of the sixth inning, yielding five hits, walking no one, and striking out six. Bubba Nelson pitched a one-hit seventh inning with a strikeout and Ron Hill pitched a shutout eighth with two punch-outs. Hunter Davis picked up his twentieth save of the year by allowing only one batter to reach first via walk.
Kevin Reynolds and Marcos Rodriguez both went 2-4, with Rodriguez driving in a run and Reynolds scoring twice. Antoin Gray had the two RBI single, scoring once himself. Fresh Pelicans Marshall McDougall and Lee Huggins went 1-3 each, with McDougall driving in a run, and Huggins stealing his first professional base and scoring as well.
The Pelicans have a travel day Thursday before playing the Diablos in El Paso on Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. Central Time, and can be heard on NewsRadio 1620 and online via SportsJuice.com.
Northview Quarterback Club Holds Dinner For Football Players, Cheerleaders
August 12, 2009
The Northview High School Quarterback Club held an appreciation dinner for the school’s football players and cheerleaders Tuesday night.
Joey McCall, NHS Quarterback Club president, told the players and cheerleaders that the Quarterback Club will stand behind them this year. He wished them the best of luck, and encouraged them to be good representatives of themselves, their families, their school and their community.
The football players and cheerleaders were served hot dogs and homemade ice cream to top off the evening.
Northview’s football season gets underway on September 4 with a home game against Graceville.
For more photos from Tuesday night’s appreciation dinner, click here.
Pictured top: James Shook (left) and John Sellars at the Northview High School Quarterback Club appreciation dinner for the school’s football players and cheerleaders Tuesday night. Pictured below: Cheerleaders Sarah Killam (left) and Ande Gideons at the dinner. Submitted photos by Heather Leonard for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pelicans Out-Hit Air Hogs, But Lose 12-10
August 12, 2009
A day after the Pelicans came back from a ninth-inning deficit, the Pelicans put up five runs to find themselves trailing to the Air Hogs 12-10 in the bottom of the ninth. With Francisco Leandro at third and Antoin Gray at first and one out, Marcos Rodriguez hit a ground ball to Javier Brito at first. Brito tagged the base and threw to Berg covering second. Gray headed back to first but Berg threw to Brito, Brito tagged Gray, and the ballgame was over with the Air Hogs victorious.
The Air Hogs scored six runs in the first inning against Pelicans’ starter Adam Brandenburg. Brandenburg pitched until the fifth inning, allowing 11 runs (seven earned) on eight hits, with eight walks and three strikeouts. The Air Hogs’ Caesar Nicolas was the first batter to face Aaron Jackson, and though Nicolas hit a three run homer, the runners on base were attributed to Brandenburg. After that one hit, Jackson joined with Bubba Nelson, Ulysses Roque, and Hunter Davis to retire the rest of the Air Hogs without a hit, setting the Pelicans up for a comeback run.
The comeback would fall short however, as the Pelicans did score two runs in the first inning, the first coming on Kevin Reynolds’ home run as the first Pelicans batter. Leandro followed with a double, and after moving to third on Gray’s single, Leandro scored on Marcos Rodriguez’s sacrifice line-out to left field.
Pensacola added three more runs in the fourth inning, using a Reynolds’ base hit to score Lou Palmisano, and Dallas Christison and Reynolds both scored as well. Trailing 12-5 entering the ninth, the Pelicans chances looked grim, but then the hits came.
Chase Burch singled, Darby as well, and Lou Palmisano brought Burch home with one of his own. Christison plated Darby with a base knock, and Kevin Reynolds did the same for Palmisano. Leandro doubled to drive in Christison and Reynolds, and Antoin singled to advance Leandro to third. Marshall McDougall, signed today, flied to right field, and then Rodriguez hit the aforementioned groundball to first, and the comeback fell short.
The Pelicans can look to their 13 runners left on base, four errors, and 11 walks as reasons why the Air Hogs won. Still the Pelicans recorded twice as many hits as the Air Hogs, notching 18.
Kevin Reynolds went 3-6 with his first homer as a Pelican, driving in three, and Francisco Leandro went 3-5 with two doubles and two runs batted in. Antoin Gray went 3-6 with a RBI and Dallas Christison went 3-4, scoring twice. In his Pelicans debut, Marshall McDougall made a couple nice plays at third.
The Pelicans and Air Hogs play the rubber match of the series tomorrow, with Randy Beam throwing the first pitch at 6:35 p.m.
Teams Needed For Coed Softball Tournament
August 11, 2009
The Northview High School Quarterback Club will host a coed softball tournament on Saturday, August 22 at Showalter Park In Century beginning at 8 a.m.
The entry fee for the double elimination tournament is $200 per team. The proceeds will benefit the football program at Northview High School.
Organizers are encouraging all businesses, churches and local organizations to support the football program at Northview High School by organizing a team and joing in a great day of fun.
For complete details and contact information, click here (pdf).
Pelicans Crash Air Hogs 11-10 in Eleven Innings; Pels Extends Lead in First Place to Three Games
August 11, 2009
he Pelicans won an improbable game on Monday night, topping the Air Hogs 11-10 in 11 innings Monday night. Even though Grand Prairie led by three in the bottom of the ninth, and in the bottom of the eleventh, Pensacola still rallied to overcome the deficits and pull out the victory. The Air Hogs went through seven pitchers in their third straight loss to the Pelicans. With the win, Pensacola increases their lead atop the American Association South Division to three games.
The Air Hogs took a four-nothing lead in the very first inning, three of which came on Chad Gabriel’s sixth home run of the year. The Pelicans started chipping away at the Air Hogs’ lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Chase Burch walked with one out and Darby followed with a walk of his own. Dallas Christison singled to drive in Burch, and Palmisano hit a base hit to drive in Darby and the Pelicans cut the Air Hogs’ lead in half. The Pelicans pulled within one run an inning later.
With one out, Antoin Gray walked. After a groundout advanced Gray to second base, Gray scored when Burch hit an infield single to the shortstop. The Pelicans trailed the Air Hogs by one from the bottom of the third until the top of the seventh.
In the seventh, the Air Hogs added three more runs to their total by plating Tucker, Dziomba, and Garza. Mike Conroy drove in two of them with a one-out single, and the game seemed over.
Key word: “seemed”. The Pelicans added a run in the bottom of the eighth when Dallas Christison doubled. He scored when Lou Palmisano drove him in with a base-hit. The Pelicans rallied to tie the game in bottom of the ninth, scoring their first run of the frame when Francisco Leandro singled and stole second, coming home on an Antoin Gray base knock. Rodriguez walked to follow, and Chase Burch hit a RBI single to bring Gray in. Dallas Christison grounded out to the shortstop, but Rodriguez came home on the play and the Pelicans had tied the game at seven to force extras.
In the eleventh inning the Air Hogs rallied for three runs, one coming in on a bases-loaded single by Chad Gabriel, and two more coming home when J.B. Tucker doubled. Things looked grim for Pensacola, but the Pelicans had overcome larger deficits against Grand Prairie: on May 29 of this year Pensacola rallied back from a four-run Air Hogs’ tenth to score five runs and win 10-9. History would repeat itself tonight.
After the Pelicans’ first two batters were retired to start the bottom of the eleventh, Pensacola started scoring. Adam Darby singled. Dallas Christison walked. Lou Palmisano walked to load the bases, and Lou Huggins delivered a two RBI single to left. Trailing by one, Kevin Reynolds hit an infield single to the shortstop that brought Palmisano home from third to tie the game. After Francisco Leandro walked, Antoin Gray lifted a trouble-ball to shallow left. The Grand Prairie shortstop couldn’t secure the ball, and as the sphere hit the turf, Huggins touched home plate and the Pelicans won 11-10.
Tyler Wilson earned win, improving to 4-1, while Jose Cordero was hit with the loss. The Pelicans started Dane DeValk, but after six innings, six (earned) runs, eight hits, three walks, and a strikeout, Ron Hill relieved him. Hill pitched through the end of the ninth, allowing one earned run on five hits, walking one and striking out two. Tyler Wilson pitched the tenth and eleventh innings, yielding three runs on four hits with a pair of both strikeouts and walks.
Leandro, Burch, and Christison all went 2-5, with Burch and Christison picking up two RBI and Leandro stealing two bases. Lee Huggins made his debut for the Pelicans, but not his debut at Pelican Park: the 2009 UWF Argonaut went 1-4 with two RBI, scoring the game-winning run on his Alma Mater Terra Firma.
The Pelicans and Air Hogs resume their series tomorrow, playing the middle match of this three-game set at 6:35 p.m.
Molino Duo Win Pensacola’s Outcast Mega Shark Tournament
August 10, 2009
A Molino duo claimed the top spot in the 2009 Outcast Mega Shark Tournament this weekend in Pensacola.
Anthony Adams and Jeff Jordan reeled in a massive hammerhead shark weighing in at 399.4 pounds aboard Adam’s boat “My Amy”. The hammerhead was tops in the hammerhead divison of the fourth annual tournament at Palafox Pier, and it made My Amy the top small boat.
The almost 400-pound hammerhead was also large enough to give the Molino men the biggest overall shark in the 2009 Outcast Mega Shark Tournament by about 150 pounds. The second place finishers, Matt Bosler and Mark Bosler pulled in a bull shark at 246.6 pounds. The Bosler brothers were last year’s overall winners.
Funds raised in the shark tournament benefit the United Cerebral Palsey Foundation.
Pictured top: Jeff Jordan (left) and Anthony Adams won the 2009 Outcast Mega Shark Tournament this weekend in Pensacola with this 399.4 pound hammerhead shark. Pictured inset and below: More photos of the winning shark. Submitted photos by Deni Deron for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cats Scratch Pelicans; Pels Remain In First Place
August 10, 2009
The Fort Worth Cats salvaged a game in this three game series with the Pelicans, topping Pensacola 10-3. The Cats used a three run second inning to drive Pensacola’s starter Ulysses Roque from the game in his first start of the year.
John Allen led off the top of the second with a double, scoring when Kelley Gulledge singled. Both Gulledge and Matt Combs scored as well when Brian Fryer hit a double and the Cats jumped out to an early 3-0 lead.
The Cats added another run in the third when Allen again led off with a double. He moved to third when Michael Bell flied out to right, and scored when Gulledge hit a sacrifice fly.
Another run came in for the Cats in the fifth inning, when John Allen walked, stole second, moved to third on Bell’s single, and scored when Gulledge hit into a double play.
The Pelicans tagged the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth on Adam Deleo’s first professional home run. The Pelicans wouldn’t score again until the ninth inning, watching as the Cats put up five runs in the eighth.
After Ulysses Roque pitched the first two innings, Bubba Nelson handled the Cats until the end of the fifth. Although Joey Wedner retired the Cats in order through innings six and seven, Fort Worth started hitting again in the eighth. Gulledge scored after reaching via walk. Garcia doubled, Combs did too, and Spenser Davis earned a base on balls. Fryer followed with a two RBI base hit, and Cameron Blair hit a RBI double. John Allen hit a RBI single, and after eight innings, the Cats led the Pelicans 10-1.
Pensacola rallied, but too late, in the bottom of the ninth. Against Cats’ closer Scott Vander Weg, the Pelicans put Antoin Gray on first with a single, and he moved to second when Marcos Rodriguez reached on an error by the shortstop. Chase Burch brought Gray in with a base knock, and Rodriguez scored when Dallas Christison doubled. The three Pelicans’ runs were no match for the Cats’ ten, and Joel Kirsten picked up his ninth win while Ulysses Roque was hit for the loss.
Roque lasted two innings allowing three runs on four hits, walking two batters and striking out one. Nelson pitched for nine outs, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks. Joey Wedner finished the game, yielding five runs (four earned) on six hits, walking one, and striking our four batters.
Dallas Christison went 2-4 with a RBI double, and Burch went 2-2 as well with a RBI. Adam Deleo went deep for the first time this year.
The Pelicans remain at home and will host the Grand Prairie Air Hogs for a three game set beginning Monday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Pelicans Win Four In A Row
August 9, 2009
The Pensacola Pelicans extended their winning streak to four games with a 7-5 victory over the Fort Worth Cats Saturday night. Luis Guance hitting his first home run of the year and Lou Palmisano going deep solo proved the difference in the game.
The Cats started Nat Harris against Pensacola, who gave up four Pelicans’ runs in the bottom of the third. Kevin Reynolds led off with a walk and stole second and third. Francisco Leandro was hit by a pitch, and Antoin Gray followed with a double to score Reynolds. Marcos Rodriguez picked up an RBI with a base knock that plated Leandro, and Gray came home on a Chase Burch RBI single. Adam Darby reached on a fielder’s choice, but Rodriguez came home on the play and the Pelicans led 4-0 after three innings.
Fort Worth came back with a run in the top of the fourth, scoring Ryan Patterson after he doubled to start the frame. However, Pensacola got the run right back in the bottom of the inning, when Luis Guance went deep for the first time this year. The solo shot put the Pelicans back up by four.
The Cats rallied for four runs in the top of the sixth and tied the game at five apiece. Ryan Patterson singled; John Allen did as well, but was out at second when Michael Bell reached on a fielder’s choice. Kelley Gulledge hit a single that plated Patterson, Isa Garcia singled to bring Bell home, and Brian Fryer hit a double that brought two more runs in.
The Pelicans took the lead for good when Lou Palmisano hit his second dinger of the year, a mono-blast with one out. The Pelicans added another run in the bottom of the seventh when Leandro, who walked, made it to third on two groundouts and scored on an error by the third baseman that would have ended the inning.
Aaron Jackson started the game for Pensacola and went 5.1 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks. Tyler Wilson provided steady relief, allowing just two hits over eight outs, and striking out two while earning the win. Hunter Davis came on in the ninth and stung the Cats to pick up his nineteenth save, yielding only a walk.
Antoin Gray and Chase Burch each went 2-4, with Gray hitting the double. Guance and Palmisano both went deep, and Leandro walked three times going 0-1. Kevin Reynolds stole two bases on the evening, bringing his season total to nine.
The Pelicans will look for the sweep tomorrow as Ulysses Roque makes his first start of the year for Pensacola. He will counter Joel Kirsten with tomorrow’s first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Pensacola Pelicans Win Third Straight
August 8, 2009
The Pensacola Pelicans extend their lead in first place to two games after defeating the Fort Worth Cats 8-3 on Friday night. Randy Beam earned his eighth win as the Pelicans led from the third inning on.
The Pelicans scored first in the incipient inning, bringing Kevin Reynolds home on a Marcos Rodriguez base hit. The Pels added another run in the inning when Antoin Gray came home on a fielder’s choice hit by Adam Darby.
Fort Worth tied it up in the top of the second. After John Allen walked, Michael Bell hit home run number 11 on the year to even the score at two.
The Cats actually went up by a run in the top of the third, bringing home Chuck Carter on a sacrifice fly.
The Pels added three more runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good. Marcos Rodriguez started the inning with a double, and moved to third when Chase Burch grounded out to second base. Adam Darby walked, and Dallas Christison picked up an RBI on a fielder’s choice, scoring Rodriguez from third. After Lou Palmisano walked to load the bases, catcher’s interference put Luis Guance on first. That forced Darby home, Palmisano to second, and Christison to third. Reynolds followed with a sacrifice fly to score Dallas, and the Pelicans led 5-3.
Pensacola cemented the outcome with a three run sixth. Leandro led off with a single and stole second, coming home on a base knock by Marcos Rodriguez, his second of the night. Rodriguez stole second, and after Burch walked and Christison did the same, Palmisano hit a single that scored both Rodriguez and Burch.
The Pelicans bullpen handled things the rest of the way. Ron Hill allowed one hit while striking out three in the seventh and eighth, and Joey Wedner pitched a 1-2-3 ninth with a strikeout. The Pelicans’ starter, Randy Beam, went six innings allowing three earned runs on four hits, yielding two walks and striking out three.
At the plate, Lou Palmisano walked three times, and his only official at-bat was the two RBI single. Francisco Leandro went 3-3 with two stolen bases, two walks, and a run. Marcos Rodriguez went 3-4 with a double, two RBI, a stolen base, and two runs scored.
The Pels and Cats play again on Saturday, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
NWE All-Stars Thank Community For Support (Updated)
August 7, 2009
Members of the 11-12 year old Northwest Escambia All-Stars and their manager thanked the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Thursday night for a donation that helped them travel to Coconut Creek near Fort Lauderdale for the 11-12 Year Old State Softball Tournament late last month.
Mallory Ryan (left), Manager Jerry Mason and Cheyanne Schoonover spoke to the Ruritan Club Thursday night, also offering their thanks to the many other businesses and community members that that supported the team.
The NWE All-Stars fell short of a state championship, dropping games to Mims from Cape Canaveral and South Tampa.
The following was submitted by the NWE All-Stars:
The NWE 11-12 year old girls’ softball team and coaches would like to thank the following for their support in sending our girls to the state playoffs in Coconut, Florida on July 24th:
Jeff Hester, Southern Plumbing, First Assembly of God, Buy-Rite, Jackie Helton, Atmore Animal Clinic, Midtown Auto Parts, Jerry’s Hardware, Buster’s, Millers Antiques, NAPA-Atmore Auto Parts, Gerry McGhee, Mayor Howard Shell, Escambia Lawn and Rental, Dale Ash, Modern Woodmen of America, Losson White, Ernie Hester, Escambia Grain, Walnut Hill Ruritan, State Line Pawn Shop, Creek Indians, Mike Stacey, Edward Jones, Linda Bailey, Brantley’s, R.J. Stuckey, Jr. Inc., Gilmore Services, Allen Walston, Petty Funeral Home, Pepsi, Winn Dixie, Piggly Wiggly, and Southern Family Markets.
From the 11-12 year old Northwest Escambia All-Star girls’ softball team, we say THANK YOU, without you this trip would not have been possible.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.