Wahoos Slip Late To Biloxi
August 21, 2018
Clint Coulter launched a go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Shuckers a 6-5 win Monday night at MGM Park.
With Pensacola leading 5-3, Blake Allemand doubled before Robison Leyer walked Trent Grisham with one out in the bottom of the eighth. That brought up Coulter, who delivered the game winning hit with a no-doubter to left field. It was the second consecutive night the Shuckers used a home run to sink the Wahoos chances at a win.
Unlike Sunday’s series opener, it was the Wahoos who struck first Monday night. Mitch Nay and Shed Long roped back-to-back singles off Zack Brown to put the Wahoos in prime position. After a flyout, Gavin LaValley singled home Nay to put the Wahoos up 1-0.
The Shuckers wasted no time re-taking the lead as they belted two homers off Vladimir Gutierrez in the bottom of the second. Allemand hit the first of the two and finished the night a triple shy of the cycle. Tyler Heineman supplied the other.
The Wahoos looked like they had done enough to win with a three-run rally in the sixth. The Wahoos sent nine men to the plate against Marcos Diplan, and with two men on Malik Collymore delivered an RBI pinch-hit double in his Double-A debut. With the game tied at two, TJ Friedl brought home Chris Okey with an RBI groundout before Collymore scored on a passed ball. When the sixth inning ended, the Wahoos led 5-2.
Rookie Davis—in his fourth outing as part of his MLB rehab stint—allowed one run in the seventh inning, which cut Biloxi’s deficit down to 5-3. Corey Ray’s RBI groundout brought home Coulter after he singled earlier in the inning.
Nate Griep earned his league-leading 31st save of the year after he struck out the side in the ninth. For the second consecutive game, the Wahoos outhit the Shuckers; however, Pensacola trails in the series 0-2.
The Wahoos and Shuckers have a quick turnaround, with Tuesday’s game scheduled for 10:35 a.m. RHP Tony Santillan (4-1, 3.98) will try and get back in the win column while Biloxi’s RHP Trey Supak (3-6, 3.67) aims to gives the Shuckers a 2-1 series lead.
Homer Powers Shuckers Over The Blue Wahoos
August 20, 2018
Trent Grisham’s hit a walk off home run off Rafael De Paula (L, 3-4) in the ninth inning to hand the Wahoos a 4-3 series opening defeat on Sunday.
Seth Varner turned in another excellent start for the Wahoos on an overcast day at MGM Park. After allowing a home run to Keston Hiura in the first inning, Varner settled into the game and at one point retired nine Shuckers in a row. That streak was snapped in the sixth when Clint Coulter belted a solo home run to put the Shuckers up 2-1.
Pensacola showed tremendous resolve throughout the game mounting three separate comebacks. With the Wahoos trailing 2-1 in the seventh, TJ Friedl barreled his second homer of the season to tie the game at 2-2. After the Shuckers took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh, Pensacola rallied once again. Shed Long tripled and Gavin LaValley delivered a two-out single, which tied the game at three.
After allowing the tying run in the eighth, Jon Olczak (W, 9-3) remained in the game and retired the Wahoos in order in the ninth. Biloxi finished the game with three of their four runs courtesy of solo home runs.
The road trip continues Monday night against the second-place Shuckers. RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (9-10, 4.24) will toe the rubber for the Wahoos. Meanwhile, Biloxi will send out RHP Zack Brown (9-0, 2.34) for the second game of the series.
Escambia Elementary Student Is National Track Champion
August 20, 2018
An Escambia County elementary school student is national track champion.
Camron Chandler, 8, only started running track back in April.
At the AAU Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa, early this month, the Longleaf Elementary student finished first in the finals with a time of 13:55. That just nine-hundreths of second shy of a national record.
Pictured: Track champion Camron Chandler at Carver Park in Cantonment, where the Gold Elite Running Club took part in a Back to School Bash recently. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
It’s Alligator Harvest Season In Florida; 79 Local Permits Issued
August 19, 2018
It’s alligator season in Florida.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued more than 7,500 permits, including an additional 1,313 county-wide permits, as a method to help manage the alligator population.
There were 21 permits issued for county-wide harvests in Escambia County and 58 issued in Santa Rosa County.
Alligators are a conservation success story in Florida. They were included on the original federal endangered species list in 1967. Conservation efforts allowed the population to rebound, and they were removed from the list in 1987. Today, the state’s alligator population is estimated at 1.3 million alligators and has been stable for many years.
For over 30 years, the Statewide Alligator Harvest Program has been providing sustainable hunting opportunities throughout the state. The FWC establishes management units with appropriate harvest quotas based on research and proven science to ensure the long-term well-being of the alligator resource.
Recreational alligator hunting is just one part of the FWC’s overall approach to managing the species. The FWC’s Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) is another. People who believe a specific alligator poses a threat to people, pets or property should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). When someone concerned about an alligator calls the Nuisance Alligator Hotline, we will dispatch an FWC-contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Strahan Dazzles In 5-2 Wahoos Win
August 19, 2018
At a time when the Wahoos were playing at their worst, Wyatt Strahan (W, 7-10) took the hill on Saturday and gave the Wahoos his best. Strahan threw seven innings of one-hit ball as the Wahoos cruised to a 5-2 win in front of a sellout crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Prior to the game, the Blue Wahoos honored members of both teams from the South’s first interracial Little League game, which took place in 1955. Quint Studer, Bubba Watson, and city officials were on hand to celebrate the bravery of the players involved. Former players were welcomed with their families on the field and proclamations were issued as part of the stirring pregame ceremony.
As for the game, the Wahoos were in dire need of a good start from Strahan with the team coming off three straight losses. The Southern California graduate set the tone early by retiring the Jumbo Shrimp in order to begin the game. It looked like Jacksonville was going to strike in the second inning after Brian Schales singled and John Silviano walked, but Strahan induced Sharif Othman into a foul pop out to end the inning. The single to Schales was the only hit Strahan surrendered, and he finished the game having retired the final 11 Shrimp that came to the plate.
Pensacola’s offense returned to form after scoring a total of four runs in the previous three games of the series. It began with a two-run rally in the fourth. After Siri led off with a ground-rule double, Nay singled off Cody Poteet to setup runners at the corners with nobody out. Narciso Crook hit into a fielder’s choice, which allowed Siri to score and give the Wahoos a 1-0 lead. Crook later scored on a base hit from Shed Long to give the Wahoos a 2-0 advantage.
The Wahoos struck for three more runs in the third. With Chris Okey at second, TJ Friedl and Siri hit back-to-back singles put the Wahoos up by three. Friedl would eventually score on a passed ball by Othman and Siri came home on a sac fly from Nay.
Carlos Navas replaced Strahan in the eighth and finished the game’s final two innings. Despite allowing a pair of runs in the ninth, Navas struck out four on his way to ending the Wahoos three-game losing streak.
Pensacola heads to Biloxi for a pivotal five-game series against the second-place Shuckers. LHP Seth Varner (8-2, 3.07) will start the opening game for the Wahoos while Biloxi has yet to disclose their starting pitcher.
Vernon Tops Northview (With Photo Gallery)
August 18, 2018
The Northview Chiefs fell to Vernon Friday night in Bratt during their annual Kickoff Classic.
In a varsity second half, Vernon topped Northview 20-7.
“There were times we were competing really well, and there were times we were not…..I was a little disappointed in our energy toward the end of the game. We will definitely work on that,” Coach Derek Marshman said. “On defense, we’ve got to get batter at tackling. Offensively, I thought we executed well at times, but we’ve got to get better up front.”
In a junior varsity first half, Vernon beat Northview 20-6. The Yellow Jackets do not have a JV team, so they fielded some of their varsity players.
“The JV competed really hard,” Marshman said. “Our JV kids, battled, battled, battled. Eventually they ran out gas a little bit. We are not 100 percent game shape yet. They are going to win some football games this year, and they have a bright future ahead of them.”
The Northview Chiefs will kickoff their regular season next Friday night against Lighthouse Christian. Lighthouse does not have a football stadium; the game will be played at the Brent Athletic Park on North W Street at Beverly Parkway at 7:00 p.m.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
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Tate Aggies Beat Pensacola High
August 18, 2018
The Tate High School Aggies beat Pensacola High School all around Friday night in Cantonment.
The varsity Aggies beat PHS 14-0. Quarterback Hunter Riggan found Patrick Palmer on an 81-yard touchdown pass. Riggan also threw a 60-yard TD pass to Spencer Ruiz.
The JV Aggies beat PHS 12-0; and the freshmen Aggies upended PHS 20-8.
The Tate Aggies will host Choctaw next Friday night in Pete Gindl Stadium at 7:00. Pensacola High will be at Pine Forest.
Wahoos Drop Third Straight Against Shrimp
August 18, 2018
The Wahoos were held to three hits as they lost 6-1 to the Jumbo Shrimp Friday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Double-A debutant Dustin Beggs (W,1-0) was excellent for the Shrimp. The 25-year old held the Wahoos to one run on one hit. He faced the minimum through the first three innings, with a Mitch Nay walk the only thing disrupting a perfect start to the game.
Pensacola’s only run came on a broken play in the sixth inning. With two on and one out, Narciso Crook hit a slow roller to Brian Schales at third. He tried to start a double play by stepping on third, but he sailed the throw to first, which allowed TJ Friedl to score. That made the score 5-1, and that was the closest the Wahoos would come to a rally.
Simply put, the Wahoos could not keep pace with the Jumbo Shrimp offense. Daniel Wright (L, 6-9) allowed five runs on eight hits over six innings of work. Jacksonville scored once in the first inning and then scored their next three runs on homers. Monte Harrison hit a solo shot in the second and John Silviano belted a two-run homer in the fourth, which made it 4-0.
After avoiding a series loss for 12 consecutive series, Pensacola has now dropped three straight. Over their last six games, the Wahoos have been outscored 51-17, and are 1-5 over that stretch.
The Wahoos will try to salvage the series against Jacksonville Saturday night. RHP Wyatt Strahan (6-10, 4.16) will take the hill for the Blue Wahoos against RHP Cody Poteet (2-10, 5.).
Fans Meet The Northview Chiefs; Kickoff Classic Is Tonight (With Photo Gallery)
August 17, 2018
Fans had a chance to meet the Northview Chiefs Thursday evening.
They were introduced to this year’s junior varsity football team and cheerleaders, varsity football team and cheerleaders, the Tribal Beat Band, the volleyball team, the Ernest Ward Middle School football team and local youth teams and cheerleaders.
The Chiefs will host Vernon at 7 p.m. in a preseason Kickoff Classic.
For a Meet the Chiefs photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ashton Brosnaham Park Selected As Youth Soccer Recreational Club Of The Year
August 17, 2018
Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park off 10 Mile Road and the Gulf Coast Texans youth soccer program have been awarded the 2018 Florida Youth Soccer Association Recreational Club of the Year, selected out of approximately 250 youth soccer associations in Florida.
The award was presented to the Gulf Coast Texans at the FYSA’s annual meeting Saturday, Aug. 11 in Orlando, Florida.
The Gulf Coast Texans use Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park through a partnership with Escambia County Parks and Recreation, offering youth soccer for children 3 years old all the way through high school. The goal of the Gulf Coast Texans is to provide exposure of soccer in the community to youth for the purpose of promoting good health, sportsmanship, teamwork, competition and developing a love for the game of soccer.
When applying for the FYSA award, Gulf Coast Texans Recreational Commissioner Alain Espinosa said what makes the program special is that it is 100 percent volunteer-run, and all volunteers share the same philosophy of making sure that each player has the best environment to enjoy the game of soccer. The Gulf Coast Texans program encourages play at all skill levels and focuses on the enjoyment and development of soccer players without the emphasis on high-level pressure to win.
The recreational program of the Gulf Coast Texans has grown by 10 percent each year since 2014, averaging about 450 players each season.
Pictured: Gulf Coast Texans Recreational Commissioner Alain Espinosa, left, and Gulf Coast Texans President Mark Carr receive the FYSA Recreational Club of the Year award in Orlando, Florida. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.