Blue Wahoos Rally Late For 5-4 Win Over Lookouts
September 1, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos clinched a winning August with a comeback 5-4 win over the Chattanooga Lookouts on Wednesday night.
Trailing 3-2 in the eighth, the Blue Wahoos strung together three hits and a pivotal error to claim a two-run lead. With the win, the Blue Wahoos ended August with a 13-12 record, their fourth winning month in a row.
For the second straight night, the Blue Wahoos jumped ahead in the first inning. Paul McIntosh doubled to the left field corner and Norel González singled him home to put Pensacola up 1-0.
Starter Cody Mincey worked effectively through three innings, but allowed a game-tying RBI single to Christian Encarnacion-Strand in the fourth and solo homers to Garrett Wolforth and Michael Siani in the fifth to put the Lookouts in front 3-1.
Griffin Conine hit his team-leading 21st home run off the left field foul pole in the sixth, trimming the deficit to 3-2 and putting him just two homers away from tying Pensacola’s single-season franchise record of 23 set by Peyton Burdick in 2021.
Tyler Eckberg (W, 1-0) twirled 2.0 scoreless innings of relief in his Double-A debut to take the game to the eighth, where McIntosh doubled and González singled once again to tie the game 3-3. Cobie Fletcher-Vance hit a sharp grounder that was misplayed by Wolforth at first to score the go-ahead run, and Davis Bradshaw capped the rally with an RBI single to bring the score to 5-3.
An opportunity for a sixth Pensacola run was foiled on a rare “fourth out” play, as Fletcher-Vance was ruled to have left early from third on a tag play that resulted in the end of the inning. Though the third out had already been recorded as Bradshaw was thrown out attempting to advance to second, the Lookouts successfully appealed and Fletcher-Vance’s run was negated.
The Lookouts got a run back in the eighth on a Tyler Mitzel wild pitch, and looked poised to tie the game in the ninth when Allan Cerda hit a leadoff double against Robinson Martínez (S, 1). The reliever coaxed a strikeout and deep flyout before fanning pinch hitter James Free to end the game with the tying run on third base.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Lookouts on Thursday in Chattanooga.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Blue Wahoos Hold On For 9-8 Win Over Chattanooga
August 31, 2022
Nine early runs were just barely enough for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Tuesday night, as a late Chattanooga Lookouts charge came up short in a 9-8 Wahoos win.
Leading 9-0 after 5.0 scoreless innings from starter Zach King (W, 2-4), the Pensacola bullpen allowed eight unanswered runs before Jefry Yan (S, 3) got the final out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth.
Pensacola jumped out to an immediate 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a Griffin Conine sacrifice fly and Will Banfield RBI single. They added to the lead in the fourth against Lookouts starter Andrew Abbott (L, 5-7) with an RBI single from Nasim Nuñez and an RBI double from Norel González, stretching the lead to 5-0.
The Blue Wahoos added three more in the fifth and one in the sixth against reliever Myles Gayman, as Demetrius Sims hit an RBI double, J.D. Orr hit a two-run single and Conine drove in his team-leading 65th run with a fielder’s choice.
King allowed only two singles to Christian Encarnacion-Strand over 5.0 scoreless innings, but the Lookouts jumped on Blue Wahoos reliever Andrew McInvale as soon as the game turned to the bullpen. Encarnacion-Strand hit a three-run homer in the sixth and Mike Siani hit an RBI double in the seventh to cut the Pensacola lead to 9-4.
In the ninth, Sean Reynolds had a shaky outing as the Lookouts rallied to bring the game within reach. Elly De La Cruz and Encarnacion-Strand each hit RBI doubles before Yan came on and allowed a hit batsman and bases-loaded walk to bring the score to 9-8. With the tying run at third and the winning run at second, Brian Rey’s bid for a game-winning hit was foiled on a diving play by third baseman Cobie Fletcher-Vance and a scoop at first from Marcus Chiu to end the game.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Lookouts on Wednesday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
‘Safety Concerns’ Move Tate Vs. PHS Football Game To Saturday Morning At Tate
August 30, 2022
Friday night’s schedule Tate Aggies at Pensacola High School football game has been moved to 9 a.m. Saturday at Tate High School.
According to an email from Escambia School Superintendent Tim Smith, the game was moved to Tate High School due to safety concerns shared by local law enforcement.
Escambia County Public Schools spokesperson Cody Strother said there were some “neighborhood issues” that spilled over into the stands last week at the PHS at Washington game. “We are just trying to be proactive and do what’s best.”
“There were several incidents and fights following the PHS and Washington game last week,” Pensacola Police Department spokesman Officer Greg Gordon told us. “We support (the school district’s) safety concerns, and this will let things cool off.”
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Commander Andrew Hobbs said there will be extra deputies at Saturday morning’s game.
“Now that it has been moved into the county, we will have a presence there and ensure everyone’s safety,” he said.
The scheduled Friday, September 9 Pensacola at Pine Forest game has moved to 9 a.m. Saturday, September 10 at Pine Forest.
Pictured: Game action at last Friday night’s Tate at Pine Forest game. NorthEscambia.com photo by Jennifer Repine, click to enlarge.
Bonus Photo Gallery: Northview And Flomaton Band, Cheerleaders, Fans And More
August 29, 2022
The Northview Chiefs defeated the Flomaton Hurricanes 48-33 Friday night in Bratt.
For a photo gallery with the cheerleaders, bands, fans and more, click here.
For a game action story and photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ladwig’s Strong Start Spoiled In 11-4 Wahoos Loss
August 29, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell 11-4 in their series finale against the Montgomery Biscuits on Sunday afternoon despite another quality start from A.J. Ladwig.
Ladwig (L, 7-4) allowed an unearned run in the first and a solo homer to Niko Hulsizer in the fourth, but completed 6.0 innings of four-hit ball. Pensacola couldn’t solve Montgomery starter Michael Mercado or reliever Chris Gau (W, 5-0), collecting only an infield hit over the first seven innings.
Montgomery broke the game open in the top of the eighth, scoring four runs against Jefry Yan thanks to a pair of walks and RBI singles from Kyle Manzardo and Jordan Qsar. The Blue Wahoos returned the favor with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, getting two-out RBI hits from Nasim Nuñez, Paul McIntosh and J.D. Osborne to draw the deficit to 6-4.
Biscuits reliever Trevor Brigden fanned Griffin Conine as the potential go-ahead run to end the eighth-inning threat, and the Montgomery offense got back to work in the ninth with five more runs against Zack Leban and Robinson Martinez. A Manzardo three-run homer was the decisive blow as the Biscuits earned a split in the six-game series.
After an off day Monday, the Blue Wahoos begin a six-game road series against the Chattanooga Lookouts on Tuesday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
FWC: If You Find A Fawn, Leave It Alone
August 28, 2022
White-tailed deer fawning is in full swing in the Florida Panhandle. Sometimes people assume a fawn they find by itself has been abandoned, and they try to “rescue” it, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
But instead of trying to rescue it, FWC says just leave it alone.
During the first few weeks of a fawn’s life, a doe will hide her offspring then move to a safe distance to prevent her scent from attracting predators to the young animal’s hiding spot, FWC said. She’ll return often to nurse and care for the fawn. While hidden, the baby deer might lie motionless as a survival mechanism to deter predators. But sometimes people mistakenly think a fawn’s lack of movement means it’s sick or injured, prompting them to remove the animal to get it help.
“If you find a fawn that you think is abandoned, do not touch it, pick it up or remove it from its natural environment. Instead, leave it alone and quietly move away from the area,” FWC said.
Conine’s 20th Homer Helps Blue Wahoos Win Third In A Row
August 28, 2022
Griffin Conine became just the third player in team history to hit 20 home runs in a season as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos defeated the Montgomery Biscuits 7-4 on Saturday night.
Conine snapped an 0-for-20 hitless skid with a go-ahead home run in the sixth, joining Aristedes Aquino (20, 2018) and Peyton Burdick (23, 2021) in Pensacola’s 20-homer club.
Marlins #9 prospect Dax Fulton overcame a wobbly introduction in his Double-A debut to deliver 5.0 innings, though two of his four runs were unearned due to his own throwing errors. The 20-year-old lefty allowed two walks and a throwing error in the first to put Montgomery ahead 2-0 before a bases-loaded sacrifice fly from Will Banfield in the bottom of the inning cut Pensacola’s deficit to 2-1.
In the third, the Blue Wahoos took a brief 3-2 lead thanks to a two-out, two-run double from Banfield. Another Fulton throwing error in the fourth preceded a two-run homer from Evan Edwards to put the Biscuits in front 4-3.
Nasim Nuñez tied the game 4-4 with an RBI double against Biscuits starter John Doxakis (L, 2-6) in the bottom of the fourth, and the score would hold until Conine led off the sixth with his solo blast to right-center. J.D. Orr doubled, Nuñez singled him home, and scored from first on a stolen base followed by a pair of throwing errors to bring the Pensacola lead to 7-4.
Anthony Maldonado (W, 3-3) struck out six batters over 3.0 scoreless innings of relief, and Sean Reynolds (S, 4) worked around trouble in the ninth to earn the save.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Biscuits on Sunday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Northview Gets 48-33 Win Over Flomaton (With Photo Gallery)
August 27, 2022
With a strong second half, the Northview Chiefs beat the Flomaton Hurricanes 48-33 Friday night in Bratt.
The game was tied 27-27 at the half, and Northview coach Wes Summerford worked to fire up his Chiefs during halftime.
“I thought in the second half we did special teams a lot better. Special teams killed us in the first half,” he said. “I knew some of those lumps were gonna happen; we were gonna face the adversity. But I told the guys, second half, I said, we’re gonna find out what you’re about, and we got to take care of the little things first. And we did that in the second half and that was the outcome.”
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
For a photo gallery with the cheerleaders, bands, fans and more, click here.
A newly upgraded Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium was nearly packed Friday night as the Chiefs opened the scoring with a 63-yard touchdown run — his first of four TDs on a muggy but comfortable night in Bratt. With a good kick, the Chiefs were on top 7-0.
The Hurricanes answered with a 42-yard pass from quarterback Will Smith to Jaxson Filmore. Jefferson added a 5-yard rushing touchdown for the Chiefs in the first quarter. Northview fell short on a 2-point attempt, as the Chiefs were on top 13-6. Flomaton’s James Spizzirro took a block punt 42-yards to make it 13-12 before the first quarter ended.
In the second, Deontay Averette scored with a 42-yard rushing touchdown.
For the Chiefs, Jefferson added a 32-yard touchdown run in the third and TD #4 in the fourth on a 25-yard run. Quarterback Kaden Odom had a 14-yard keeper and a 7-yarder, and Luke Bridges had a 55-yard sprint for a touchdown.
Summerford was quick to give credit to the Flomaton Hurricanes for a stellar performance.
“It’s such a joy to watch all those guys. Flomaton’s got some great players, he said. “You hear about those guys, and I’m sure they hear about our guys, but they battle. And what a great atmosphere. You can’t get better than this in Bratt, Florida.”
The Northview Chiefs (1-0) will travel to Pensacola next Friday night to face Lighthouse Private Christian Academy, and Flomaton ( 1-1) will head up I-65 to take on Hillcrest (1-1) in Evergreen.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
For a photo gallery with the cheerleaders, bands, fans and more, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
High School Football Scoreboard
August 27, 2022
Here are Friday night high school scores from across the North Escambia area.
FLORIDA
- Northview 48, Flomaton 33 [Game story, photos...]
- West Florida 14, Escambia 11
- W.S. Neal 25, Jay 0
- Washington 51, Pensacola 43
- Pensacola Catholic 41, Pryor 0
- Fairhope 38, Gulf Breeze 31
- Andalusia 42, Milton 31
- Navarre 47, Fort Walton Beach 7
- South Walton 38, Baker 0
Thursday Scores:
- Pine Forest 34, Tate 0 [Game summary, photos...]
- Pace 31, Choctaw 30
ALABAMA
- Northview 48, Flomaton 33 [Game story, photos...]
- Escambia County (Atmore) — idle
- UMS Wright 34, T.R. Miller 14
- W.S. Neal 25, Jay 0
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs beat the Flomaton Hurricanes Friday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Monteverde Dominates In 6-1 Blue Wahoos Win
August 27, 2022
Patrick Monteverde earned his first Double-A win as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos defeated the Montgomery Biscuits 6-1 in front of a raucous crowd on Friday night.
Monteverde (W, 1-0) allowed only one run on two hits over 6.0 innings, helping the Blue Wahoos even up their series agianst the Biscuits two games apiece.
Evan Edwards gave Montgomery an early 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the third inning, but Norel González evened the score 1-1 with a solo homer of his own in the fourth.
In the fifth, Nasim Nuñez gave Pensacola their first lead of the game against starter Evan McKendry (L, 0-5) with an RBI single to score Demetrius Sims. One batter later, Paul McIntosh blasted a two-run homer against the batter’s eye in center field to extend the Pensacola lead to 4-1.
The Blue Wahoos added some insurance in the eighth, as González hit his second homer of the game and Marcus Chiu extended the lead to 6-1 with an RBI double. Dylan Bice (S, 3) got the final four outs to earn the save.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Biscuits on Saturday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos