Northview Girls Weightlifting Team Presents Season Awards
May 15, 2017
The Northview High School girls weightlifting team celebrated their season and presented the following honors:
Wahoos Top Jackson
May 15, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly told his hitters that they needed to take advantage of opportunities when they had them.
That’s exactly what they did with two big, two-out clutch hits by left fielder Gabriel Guerrero in the fifth inning with runners on first and second and by right fielder Aristides Aquino in the seventh inning with the bases loaded to overcome the Jackson Generals, 5-2, Sunday at The Ballpark at Jackson.
Meanwhile, Austin Ross gave up just two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to Jackson. The 28-year-old starter worked 6.2 innings, scattered six hits and a walk and struck out five. He earned the win to improve to 4-0 and owns the best ERA in the Southern League at 1.13.
Pensacola scored first in the fifth inning when center fielder Brian O’Grady reached home on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Josh VanMeter his 15th RBI of the season. With runners on first and second with two outs, Guerrero then slapped a single to center field to score second baseman Alex Blandino. Guerrero was 2-5 Sunday and now has 16 multi-hit games in the 35 games he has played and is hitting .295 to lead the team.
In the seventh inning, Aquino stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Aquino smacked a double to center field that scored both Blandino and VanMeter, which gave the Blue Wahoos a 4-0 lead. Aquino went 2-4 with a walk and two RBIs and leads Pensacola with 16 RBIs.
Pensacola tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning when O’Grady pulled his fourth homer of the season with a solo shot to right field for put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 5-2.
Jackson did score two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull within, 4-2. Pinch-hitter Rudy Flores hit his 11th double of the season that drove in third baseman Dawel Lugo but center field Evan Marzilli was thrown out at home when Pensacola’s Guerrero threw to shortstop Black Trahan, who threw a strike to catcher Adrian Nieto. Generals catcher Michael Perez then singled to right field to drive in Flores.
Pensacola reliever Jimmy Herget nailed down his ninth save, which is second in the Southern League, with one walk and two strikeouts in the ninth inning. He now has 30 strike outs in 17 innings.
Pensacola improved to 20-17 and are in a first-place tie with the Mississippi Braves in the South Division. Jackson fell to 21-15 and lead the North Division and Southern League with the best record.
Jackson Blanks Wahoos 3-0
May 14, 2017
The Jackson Generals hit three home runs to defeat the Pensacola Blue s in the first game of the five-game series Saturday at The Ballpark at Jackson.
Jackson went ahead, 1-0, in the second inning when left fielder Rudy Flores led off with a homer to center field. In the eighth inning, both Dawel Lugo and Kevin Cron hit home runs in the eighth inning and the Generals went on to win, 3-0, Saturday over Pensacola.
Pensacola dropped to 19-17 on the season but remain tied with the Biloxi Shuckers atop the Southern League South Division. Jackson improved to 21-14 to remain in first in the North Division with the best record in the Southern League.
It was the third time this season that the Blue Wahoos have been shut out in a game. Pensacola was blanked despite having eight hits to Jackson’s seven. The Blue Wahoos left 14 runners on base and hit 0-9 with runners in scoring position.
Pensacola ace Tyler Mahle lost his first game of the season to drop to 5-1, despite allowing only one run in seven innings and giving up five hits and two walks and striking out six.
Reliever Geoff Broussard (2-0, 2.08 ERA) gave up the other two solo home runs in relief in the eighth inning.
Meanwhile, Jackson starter Brad Keller improved to 3-1 with a 2.76 ERA. Keller worked six scoreless innings, scattering five hits and five walks, and striking out three.
Daniel Gibson, Joey Krehbiel and Gabriel Moya, who earned his sixth save, combined for three innings of scoreless relief and struck out three.
Leading Pensacola at the plate were third baseman Josh VanMeter who was 2-4 with a walk and catcher Joe Hudson who got on base all four at bats going 2-2 and walking twice.
Wahoos Top Birmingham, 6-0 To Close Series
May 13, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos right fielder Aristides Aquino smacked only three hits against the Birmingham Barons. Two left the ballpark and the other bounced into the right field corner for a triple.
The 22-year-old playing in his first year in Double-A crushed a three-run homer to left field in the fourth inning Friday to lead Pensacola to a, 6-0, victory over the Birmingham Barons in front of 4,567 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Pensacola snapped a three-series losing streak, defeating Birmingham, 4-1.
Despite struggling in the Southern League at the plate, hitting just .164, the No. 6 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds farm system leads the Blue Wahoos with four home runs and is tied for first in RBIs with 14. Aquino hit a two-run blast on Thursday for homers in back-to-back games.
He also tripled into the right field corner in the eighth inning to drive in first baseman Eric Jagielo that put Pensacola ahead, 5-0.
“I’ve been working hard,” Aquino said. “I didn’t lose my confidence.”
The stats don’t matter to Aquino, he said.
“I don’t think about it,” the Dominican Republic prospect said. “I do what I can to help the team win.”
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said new hitters often struggle when facing Southern League pitching, which he considers among the best in the minors. He enjoyed seeing the right-handed hitting Aquino triple to the opposite field in right field.
“Hitting the other way is a great sign,” Kelly said.
Aquino’s homer capped a four-run inning. The other run in the fourth scored when Jagielo ripped a line drive to right field that drove in third baseman Josh VanMeter with the first run of the game.
Jagielo, who went 1-3 with a walk, scored twice and drove in one run Friday, was 6-15 (.400) in the series against Birmingham and raised his average 38 points from .186 to .224.
The other hot bat against the Barons’ was left fielder Tyler Goeddel, who was 9-21 (.429) with a homer and three RBIs.
Meanwhile, Deck McGuire, the No. 11 pick in the first round by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010, threw six scoreless innings. The 6-foot-6 righty allowed three hits, walked three and struck out seven to pick up his first win since April 20 against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
McGuire, who has bounced around between five teams in six minor league seasons, improved to 2-2 with a 3.40 ERA.
Kelly pointed out that all three of McGuire’s walks in the game came with two outs.
“He pitched well but he was a little tentative with two outs,” Kelly said. “He had a tough game in Chattanooga. It’s nice to get a win in the next start.”
The Pensacola bullpen also blanked Birmingham. Reliever Ariel Hernandez threw two scoreless innings, giving up three hits, and Brennan Bernardino finished off the ninth inning, allowing just one hit, one walk and striking out two.
It was the Pensacola pitching staff’s fifth shutout of the season and dropped its Southern League-leading ERA to 2.62.
Pensacola improved to 19-16 and remain tied with the Biloxi Shuckers for first place in the South Division.
Wahoos Beat The Barons
May 12, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos catcher Adrian Nieto continued to come through on offense for his team.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, he smacked a hard liner to left field to score second baseman Alex Blandino, who had doubled with two outs, to give the Blue Wahoos a, 5-4, victory over the Birmingham Barons Thursday in front of 4,016 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Pensacola leads the five-game series, 3-1, and clinched its first series after losing two in a row.
Nieto now has four RBIs in six at bats with two outs and runners in scoring position. Plus, the 27-year-old is batting .353 in his last six games with one home run, that he hit Tuesday, and two RBIs.
Nieto agreed with Pensacola manager Pat Kelly that his offense is improving with more regular at bats. Both he and Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson were limited in playing time as Cincinnati Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco did his rehabilitation with the Blue Wahoos for the first 20 games before returning to the big leagues.
Nieto, who played 48 games with the Chicago White Sox in 2014, also has been watching video from his 2013 season when he had his best year at the plate, hitting .285 for the High-A Potomac Nationals.
“It helps to get your at-bats and get into a rhythm,” Nieto said. “I’ve made a few adjustments here and there watching old film from 2013. The Reds told me, ‘Get back to where you were.’ To have that freedom feels great.”
Plus, he smiled and admitted he has some extra incentive at the plate, having played for Birmingham in 2015 and being selected for the All-Star game.
“That was a win that I really wanted,” Nieto said. “Hopefully, we’ll get our fourth one (Friday).”
Blue Wahoos right fielder Aristides Aquino earned his fourth hit in 38 at-bats by sending a high, deep fly ball over the left field wall that also brought in first baseman Eric Jagielo to put Pensacola on top, 4-1. Two of those four hits are homers.
It was Aquino’s first homer in 21 at bats after knocking one out May 1 against Biloxi. His two-run blast came after having struck out five times in a row against Barons pitchers.
The lead held up until the seventh inning when Pensacola reliever Ismael Guillon gave up two runs on three hits to the Barons. DH Nick Basto, who hit a solo shot in the first inning, knocked in second baseman Eddy Alvarez with a single, pulling Birmingham within, 4-3. Barons third baseman Jake Peters scored the tying run, 4-4, when right fielder Mason Robbins lined a single to center.
The two runs scored on Guillon denied starter Keury Mella his first Double-A victory. He remains the only Pensacola starter without a win this season.
“It’s a shame but the win will come (for Mella),” said Kelly.
Mella threw 5.2 innings, allowed two runs on six hits, walked two and struck out four. He is 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA.
Jimmy Herget relieved Guillon in the eighth with the game tied, 4-4, and got the last five outs, including striking out the side in the top of the ninth to pick up the win and even his record at 1-1. Herget has a 2.25 ERA.
Pensacola took the lead, 2-1, in the third inning when third baseman Josh VanMeter hit a two-out single to score DH Leon Landry from second base with the go-ahead run. VanMeter is hitting 8-18 with 10 RBIs in that situation. The first run scored in the inning when catcher Adrian Nieto crossed the plate from third on a sharp ground out to third by left fielder Tyler Goeddel.
Peter smashed a double into the left field corner that scored Alvarez from first to cut the Blue Wahoos lead in the fifth inning to, 4-2.
Pensacola upped its record to 18-16 and are in a tie with the Biloxi Shuckers for first place in the South Division.
West Florida’s Zabelle Signs With Coastal Alabama
May 11, 2017
West Florida High School senior Nicholas Zabelle signed a baseball scholarship Wednesday with Coastal Alabama Community College, Brewton Campus. Zabelle started out playing t-ball and little league baseball at both the Molino and Cantonment ballparks. He has lived in Molino with his parents since he was 5-years old.
Pictured: (L-R, front) Dawn Zabelle, Nicholas Zabelle, John Zabelle (back) WFHS Head Coach and Athletic Director Marc Conti, Principal Shenna Payne and Coastal Alabama Head Baseball coah Darrell Blevins. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NWE Spring Clinic Saturday For Football, Cheerleading
May 11, 2017
The 2017 Northwest Escambia Spring Clinic Kick Off will be this Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon at the First Baptist Church of Bratt.
NWE is kicking off 2017 registration with a cheer clinic and a punt, pass and kick competition.
The punt, pass and kick competition will be for boys and girls, $5 to participate. The greatest total yards from each age group will win a trophy. In Cheerleading ($15), cheerleaders will learn a new cheer, jumps and different stunts.
Registration will be held for both football players and cheerleaders for the upcoming 2017 season.
The First Baptist Church of Bratt is located at 4570 Highway 4, just west of Northview High School. For more information, call Greg Gibson at (251) 234-4716 or Tonya Lloyd at (251) 363-1885.
Blandino Walk-Off Homer Win In Wahoos Win
May 11, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Luis Castillo earned a career-high 10 strikeouts and Alex Blandino hit a walk-off home run to lead their team to a, 2-1, victory over the Birmingham Barons.
For both Blandino and Castillo, their performances Wednesday were sweet redemption. Castillo was chased after 1.2 innings in his last start and Blandino has been mired in a season-long slump, hitting .195.
But Castillo gave the Blue Wahoos seven strong innings, allowing one run on five hits and walking none. Blandino blasted a solo homer, his first of the season, over the fence in left center.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said it was the type of game both players needed.
“(Castillo) had a super slider,” Kelly said. “The best I’ve seen all year.”
He said he thought that Blandino was due for a breakout game. Although, the Pensacola second baseman is now hitting .200 on the season he does have 18 walks this season for an on-base percentage of .419.
“He started slow,” Kelly said. “But last four or five days he has been swinging much better and getting his walks. He just hasn’t gotten his base hits.”
For the Blue Wahoos it was their second walk-off this season, after setting a record 12 last season. Blandino said he is staying positive at the plate with just 81 at bats so far in 26 games.
“The Wahoo Way lives on,” said an excited Blandino after the game. “I’m being aggressive early in the counts and staying with my approach. That’s the key to success over the long haul.”
Pensacola left fielder Tyler Goeddel crushed a lead-off home run to left field to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 1-0, in the first inning.
In the second inning, Goeddel showed off his arm as well fielding a hit by Birmingham left fielder Courtney Hawkins and gunning down right fielder Mason Robbins at home plate.
But the Blue Wahoos would be shutout by Birmingham starter Jordan Guerrero over the next four innings and by relievers Robinson Leyer and Aaron Bummer over the next three innings. Guerrero was trying to earn his first victory of the season but left with a 1-1 tie after working five innings, allowing five hits, walking three and striking out seven.
“Guerrero has a really good change up and mixes up his delivery,” Kelly said. “He had us off balance.”
Meanwhile, Castillo overcame his last start against the Chattanooga Lookouts when he gave up five runs and lasted 1.2 innings. He threw 38 pitches in the second inning in the cold, dreary weather.
But in Pensacola, the 24-year-old Dominican pitched like the 17th best prospect in the Cincinnati Reds’ organization. Although he has not won a game since April 13, he is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA.
Pensacola now leads the five-game series against the Barons, 2-1, and improved to 17-16 to tie Mississippi Braves for first place in the South Division.
“It was good to pull out a close game, we ‘ve had a lot of close losses,” Blandino said. “Hopefully, we’ll win the series and keep moving forward.”
Tate Softball Out, Tate Baseball Advances In Regionals
May 10, 2017
SOFTBALL
The Tate Lady Aggies fell to Niceville 4-3 in the 1-7A region semifinals Tuesday night in Niceville.
Hannah Brown took the loss for Tate Aggies. p three runs, five hits, and striking out eight. Hannah Brown took the loss for Tate Aggies Varsity. She pitched six and a third innings, allowing four runs, five hits, and striking out four.
Belle Woldfenden was 2-3 with 3 RBI; Hannah Brown 1-3, R; Hayden Lindsay 1-3, 2R; Shelby McClean 1-3.
The Lady Aggies finished the season at 20-8.
BASEBALL
Tate 5, Niceville 3
The Tate High School Aggies beat Niceville 5-3 in the 1-7A region quarterfinals Tuesday night.
Castro pitched a complete game for the Aggies, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out five.
For Tate — Land 2-3, 2B, 3B, 2R; NeSmith 1-3, 2 RBI; Helton 1-1, 2 RBI.
The Aggies (23-4) will be at Milton on Tuesday in the regional semifinals. Milton (15-12) is coming off a 8-1 win Monday over Pine Forest.
Barons Even Series With Win Over Blue Wahoos
May 10, 2017
The night after the Pensacola Blue Wahoos lineup broke out of its season-long hitting woes with six runs and 11 hits, they faced Birmingham Barons ace Michael Kopech.
Pensacola managed two hits off Kopech in six innings Tuesday and lost, 4-1, in front of 3,302 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The five-game series is now tied, 1-1.
Blue Wahoos reliever Domingo Tapia made his first start Tapia since 2014 with the St. Lucie Mets. He was being groomed as a starter but then had Tommy John surgery in 2015.
He kept pace with Barons’ right-hander Kopech, considered the No. 32-ranked prospect in all of minor league baseball. Tapia allowed just one run through the first four innings, giving up a solo blast to Birmingham center fielder Hunter Jones in the third inning.
Tapia was relieved in the fifth inning after giving up a lead-off solo shot to Birmingham third baseman Trey Michalczewski, his second homer of the season, and then walking Barons left fielder Courtney Hawkins.
“I thought he looked good,” Kelly said. “We tried to stretch him one more inning. He’s shown he’s capable of doing it. That’s what he did before hurting his arm, so he probably likes it.”
Tapia, who signed with Cincinnati Reds as a minor league free agent in November, ended up working four innings, allowing three hits, giving up three runs, walking one and striking out five. He is now 1-2 on the season with a 3.79 ERA.
Pensacola reliever Alex Powers came in for Tapia and gave up a double to Barons shortstop Eddy Alvarez that scored Hawkins. Jones then crossed the plate on second baseman Jake Peter’s high-arcing sacrifice fly to center field to put the Barons ahead, 4-0.
Kopech pitched masterfully for the Barons. The former first rounder had a one-hitter through five innings, retiring 14 of the first 16 batters he faced. Pensacola right fielder Gabriel Guerrero broke up the no-hitter in the fourth inning with a line drive single to center field.
Pensacola catcher Adrian Nieto launched a deep homer to right field to lead off the sixth inning against Kopech and put the Blue Wahoos on the board, 4-1.
But the 21-year-old Kopech, ranked the fifth top prospect in the Chicago White Sox organization, then walked Pensacola center fielder Brian O’Grady. But he got Blue Wahoos left fielder Tyler Goeddel to ground into a double play, and then retired Pensacola shortstop Blake Trahan on a swinging bunt fielded by the catcher.
Nieto’s first homer of the season was preceded Monday by catcher Joe Hudson leading the Blue Wahoos at the plate with two clutch two-out singles that drove in three runs.
“They had a tough stretch with(Devin) Mesoraco here,” said Kelly about the Cincinnati Reds catcher who spent the first 20 games in Pensacola doing his rehab for hip and shoulder injuries. “They were not getting a lot of playing time. Now, they are starting to swing their bats.”
Kelly said Kopech kept the Blue Wahoos lineup off balance with his two-seam fastball.
“That’s a power arm,” Kelly said. “He threw a two-seam fastball with some movement that we hadn’t seen in the past. It was very effective. We just ran into a good pitcher.”
This season, the 21-year-old righty has held opponents to a .155 batting average and held Pensacola to 2-18 or .111. Kopech’s only flaw has been his control. He allowed only two Tuesday, but has the second most walks in the Southern League with 18 total. Kopech improved to 2-2 with a 2.70 ERA this season.
Pensacola dropped to 16-16 and fell out of first place in the South Division for the first time this season. The Mississippi Braves won and now lead the division with a 17-15 record.