Wahoos Win 4-1 Over Biloxi
May 2, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos right-hander Austin Ross threw seven scoreless innings and right fielder Aristides Aquino flashed why his nickname is “Punisher” when he crushed a solo homer out of Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The stars of Monday’s game helped Pensacola snap a four-game losing streak to the Biloxi Shuckers and pull out a, 3-1, victory in front of 3,459 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly also monkeyed with his batting order for the second night in a row, putting left fielder Leon Landry in the leadoff spot.
Kelly said winning the final game of the five-game series was important. They improved to 15-10 on the year and lead the Southern League South Division by four games over the other four teams in their division.
“There was a time when being 14-10 in the month we would be really excited,” Kelly said. “Now we’re kind of disappointed. You hate to get swept in a five-game series.”
Pensacola got on the scoreboard first when Aquino sent the ball speeding out of the ballpark over the right center fence in the second inning. The 22-year-old’s second home run of the season put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 1-0.
Pensacola centerfielder Gabriel Guerrero hit a fly ball deep to center field in the sixth inning that allowed Blue Wahoos shortstop Blake Trahan to tag up from third, giving Pensacola a 2-0 lead.
The Blue Wahoos scored for the third time in the eighth inning when second baseman Josh VanMeter hit a towering fly ball to center that allowed right fielder Leon Landry, who had a leadoff double, to score from third.
Kelly said he watched some video on the Internet of Landry playing in 2015 for the Tacoma Rainiers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners.
“He has really come on,” Kelly said of Landry, who is hitting .318 in his last six games after starting the season 0-18. “I’ve tried to find a place for him. I saw this really skinny guy running the bases and hitting home runs and thought, ‘he can do that for us.’”
Meanwhile, Pensacola starter Austin Ross cruised through seven scoreless innings, tying his career-high with nine strikeouts. The 28-year-old allowed a leadoff double to Biloxi second baseman Mauricio Dubon to start the game but then retired 12 of the next 13 benefited from two double plays that came in the second and sixth innings.
Ross, who played his previous seven seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, allowed just three hits and two walks to improve his record to 3-0 and lowered his ERA to 0.79. That is the second highest ERA on the Pensacola pitching staff that features five hurlers with sub-1.00 earned-run averages.
“I’m sure he liked to get a little revenge” against his former team, Kelly said.
Ross said the pitching staff is constantly trying to top each other.
“People say hitting is contagious. Throwing the ball well is contagious,” said Ross, who spent the past two seasons in the Milwaukee organization as a reliever. “You want to go out there and throw six or seven scoreless innings. There’s a little bit of I want to have a good outing, too.”
Biloxi pitcher Angel Ventura also turned in a good start, working six innings, allowing two runs on three hits, walking two and striking out three. He retired 11 in a row from the second through sixth innings.
Shuckers Beat The Wahoos
May 1, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly shook up his lineup Sunday to try to squeeze more hits and runs out of it.
It seemed like it would work with Pensacola ahead of the Biloxi Shuckers, 3-2, heading into the ninth inning in front of 4,301 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
But Blue Wahoos’ save leader Jimmy Herget blew his second chance to close out the game this season giving up a two-run double to Biloxi right fielder Clint Coulter to give the Shuckers their fourth straight win over Pensacola, 4-3.
Pensacola has now lost seven of its last eight games but still leads the South Division in the Southern League with a 14-10 record.
“We got nine hits and took the lead into the ninth,” Kelly said about his changed batting order. “We had a couple opportunities where we could have added on. “
Kelly put second baseman Josh VanMeter in the leadoff spot followed by right fielder Aristides Aquino. Shortstop Blake Trahan moved down in the order from first to sixth and third baseman Taylor Sparks batted cleanup.
The Blue Wahoos did score two runs in the first three innings to go ahead, 2-0.
In the first inning, VanMeter lead off with a double and came around to score on a double by Gabriel Guerrero whose hit landed just inside the left field foul line. VanMeter scored a second time in the third inning when he earned a leadoff walk. With the bases loaded and two outs Biloxi reliever Forrest Snow walked Trahan to force in VanMeter.
For the game, VanMeter was 2-4 with a double, walk and two runs scored and is now 8-18 or .444 in this series against Biloxi. In the two series against the Shuckers, he is 12-34 or .352.
“He’s a good hitter,” Kelly said. “In spring training, we liked the way he swung the bat. He keeps going up there and swinging the bat well.”
Biloxi rallied in the sixth inning to tie the game, 2-2, when Shuckers left fielder Dustin DeMuth doubled in third baseman Blake Allemand. Biloxi first baseman Art Charles then pulled a single to right field to score DeMuth with the tying run.
Biloxi had runners on second and third with one out in the third inning but Pensacola starter Deck McGuire, a former first-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010, struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning unscathed. He ended up retiring the next eight batters in a row, striking out five.
McGuire ended up pitching six innings, allowing two runs on six hits, walking one and striking out seven. He is 1-1 with a 3.54 ERA this season.
“He battled out there,” Kelly said. “His command was off a little bit but was aggressive and stayed after guys. He kind of ran out of gas there.”
Pensacola left fielder Angelo Gumbs had knocked in catcher Adrian Nieto in the seventh inning with the go ahead run, 3-2, when he drilled a grounder into left field.
But Biloxi came back with two runs in the ninth off Herget, who picked up his first loss and is 0-1 with eight saves. He did have two strikeouts and now has 23 in 13 innings or 15.9 Ks per nine innings.
NEP’s Show Stoppers Win 16U Tournament
April 30, 2017
The Northeast Pensacola’s 16u Show Stoppers won the recent Gulf Coast Girls Softball Association Mid-Season 16u “A” Division Tournament held in Pace.
The Show Stoppers went 4-0, winning two games Saturday and two games on Sunday to bring the title back to NEP ball park. The girls played great defense and ran the bases aggressively in beating teams from Pace, Navarre, Perdido, and Gulf Breeze. The Annual GCGSA tournament has teams from 16 area ballparks, with over 70 teams participating in this year’s tournament. Next up for the association is three more weeks of friendship games and ending with the GCGSA All Star Tournament from June 2-4 at the Molino ballpark.
Pictured: (front, L-R) Savannah Marshall, Courtney Adams, Hannah Halfacre, Abbie Burks, Taylor Greene, (back row) Asst. Coach Greg Holland, Madison Holland, Brianna Folmar, Natasha Halfacre, Payten Showalter, Michayla Kent and Head Coach Eric Showalter. Not pictured: Asst. Coach Phillip Folmar and Mattie Cochran. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Falll To Biloxi In 15 Innings
April 30, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos loaded the bases in the 11th and 12th innings and had two runners in scoring position in the 14th inning but failed to get the winning run across the plate to break a 3-3 tie Saturday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Meanwhile, the Biloxi Shuckers loaded the bases in the top of the 15th inning and scored twice to pull off a, 5-3, victory in 5 hours and 11 minutes in front of the Blue Wahoos sixth sellout of 5,038 this season. Biloxi has won the first three games to clinch the five-game series against Pensacola.
The 15-inning game tied the Pensacola franchise record for the longest extra inning game at home in team history. It was also the longest game of the season, surpassing the 4 hour, 46 minute 17-inning loss to Mobile last week.
Biloxi scored its winning runs when reliever Domingo Tapia loaded the bases on three walks. The big righty then gave up a two-out walk to Biloxi catcher Dustin Houle, which scored center fielder Michael Reed and gave the Shuckers a 4-3 lead. Pitcher Bubba Derby then slapped a line drive single to left field to drive in right fielder Clint Coulter to go ahead, 5-3.
Up until the 15th inning, Pensacola’s relief corps retired 15 of 16 Biloxi hitters, only giving up a bunt single to Shuckers pinch hitter Johnny Davis in the 11th inning.
Not only did Derby, knock in a run to help his cause he worked the last five innings and struck out five of the last six batters he faced. Derby picked up his first win (1-0) and has a 1.59 ERA.
But the Biloxi reliever looked shaky at first. He worked out of bases loaded jams in the 11th and 12th innings and prevented Pensacola from scoring a run in the 14th with men on second and third.
In the 12th inning, Pensacola loaded the bases with left fielder Leon Landry smashing a one-out triple to the right center gap but didn’t score. And in the 11th inning with one out and the bases loaded Derby got first baseman Eric Jagielo to strike out and third baseman Taylor Sparks to pop out to short left field.
Pensacola second baseman Josh VanMeter hit a double into the right center gap with two outs that drove in both Sparks and shortstop Blake Trahan for a 3-2 Pensacola lead in the fifth inning. Van Meter also lined a two-out single to right field in the third inning that scored catcher Joe Hudson from third base to tie the game, 1-1.
VanMeter was 3-3 at bat with two outs and 2-2 Saturday with runners in scoring position and two outs. On the season, the 25-year-old is hitting 7-14 or .500 in that situation and has driven in nine of his 12 RBIs. It’s by far the best average with the team collectively hitting .200 with RISP and two outs.
However, Biloxi came back in the top of the sixth inning to knot the game, 3-3. Shuckers pinch hitter Art Charles launched a deep fly ball to center field that easily scored Biloxi left fielder Victor Roache from third base.
With the scored tied, 3-3, with two outs and a Biloxi runner on second base, Kelly called for righty Ariel Hernandez. Hernandez’s last outing was Monday when he made his Major League debut for the Cincinnati Reds where he pitched two scoreless innings and struck out five. He joined two other Reds’ relievers who struck out five in their big league debuts from the bullpen.
His combination of a fastball that touches 100 mph and a curveball considered the best among Reds’ farmhands pitched two innings of scoreless relief allowing one hit, two walks and struck out two.
Biloxi scored first, going up 1-0, when catcher Dustin Houle singled to left field in the third inning and then scored when first baseman Dustin DeMuth walked with the bases loaded. A bank of lights right of home plate went out during Biloxi’s at bat in the inning and delayed the game 15 minutes.
Pensacola starter Keury Mella worked five innings, allowed five hits, gave up two runs, one earned, walked three and struck out three. He had pitched seven scoreless innings in his last outing against Mobile. In his first start against Biloxi, the righty lasted just 1.2 innings giving up five runs on six hits.
The Blue Wahoos have now lost six of its last seven games and three in a row to the Shuckers but remain in first place in the Southern League South Division with a 14-9 record.
Biloxi Beats The Wahoos
April 29, 2017
For a change, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, who have the best ERA in the Southern League, lost the pitching duel against the Biloxi Shuckers Friday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos has lost five of its last six games and two in a row to the Shuckers, falling 1-0 to Biloxi in front of 4,465 fans.
Pensacola starter Luis Castillo worked six innings and gave up only one run in the first inning but picked up the loss to even his record, 1-1, even though, his ERA dropped to 2.08 on the season. He gave up seven hits and one walk and struck out four.
In his first five starts this season in Double-A, Castillo has lasted at least 5.0 innings and has allowed two runs or less in each game.
However, Biloxi right-hander Jorge Lopez was even better, throwing six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and one walk, and striking out 10 Blue Wahoos batters. He struck out five in a row and Lopez separately also retired 12 in a row.
On the night, Pensacola got just four hits and struck out 14 times as they got shutout for the second time this season.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said his hitters have to remain upbeat at the plate despite their struggles at the plate with a .210 team batting average, which is ninth in the Southern League.
“They got to stay positive because it’s a long season,” Kelly said. “This is a tough league. Some of the managers think the pitching is better this than last year. This is a tough league to hit in.”
Kelly pointed out the Pensacola offense has scored 66 runs in its 22 games this season but still has the second-best record in the Southern League at 14-8 and is in first place in the Southern Division.
He complimented 24-year-old Biloxi pitcher Lopez, who was named the Southern League Pitcher of the Year in 2015 when he went 12-5 with a 2.26 ERA. That year, Lopez even started two games for the parent club, Milwaukee Brewers. Last year, though, he was 3-11 between Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox and Biloxi.
Pensacola did have a chance to score in the seventh inning. Gabriel Guerrero, who was 2-4, got thrown out at third by Biloxi catcher Jacob Nottingham. Kelly argued the call because he thought the throw pulled Shuckers third baseman Blake Allemand off the bag on the close play. If Guerrero reached third safely, Pensacola would have had the bases loaded with no outs.
But Biloxi reliever Josh Uhen bore down and struck out the next two Pensacola batters to get out of the jam.
Biloxi scored first in the top of the first inning to go ahead, 1-0, when Allemand scored from third on a passed ball by Adrien Nieto. The Shuckers then loaded the bases with two outs on two singles and a walk but Castillo go out of the jam on a fly ball to right field.
Tate Beats Escambia For District Title
April 28, 2017
The Tate High School Lady Aggies won their fourth straight district title Thursday night with a 3-0 defeat of Escambia’s Lady Gators.
Shelby McClean went 3-3 for the Lady Aggies with a run and two RBI’s. Syndni Solliday was 1-3.
Hannah Brown pitched a complete game for the Aggies, allowing one hit, no runs, no errors and striking out eight.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NWE 12U Team Captures Division Title In Pace Tournament
April 27, 2017
The Northwest Escambia 12U softball team won the 12U “B” Division this past weekened in the Gulf Coast Girls Softball Association (GCGSA) Tournament in Pace.
Photo for NorthEscambia.co, click to enlarge.
Wahoos End Three Game Skid With Win Over Baybears
April 27, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos’ bats went missing for part of the five-game series against its arch-rival Mobile BayBears.
But in the final game Wednesday against Mobile, Pensacola’s bats came to life as they pulled off a, 5-3, victory over the BayBears at Hank Aaron Stadium. As a team, the Blue Wahoos lineup went a combined 11-35 for a .314 average.
In the first four games, Pensacola scored a total of four runs on 24 hits for a .183 team batting average.
Pensacola snapped its three-game skid with its offensive outburst. Leading the way at the plate for Pensacola was shortstop Blake Trahan, who went 2-5 and drove in two runs. Left fielder Leon Landry went 1-4 with a triple and had two RBIs. Designated Hitter Eric Jagielo was 4-5 and scored twice. Third baseman Taylor Sparks had a 1-4 day and scored a run.
Pensacola is batting .214 on the season for eighth best in the Southern League ahead of Mobile (.212) and Biloxi (.200).
Blue Wahoos starter Austin Ross kept Pensacola in the game. Ross didn’t allow a run in his past two starts. But his scoreless inning streak came to an end at 19.1 innings when Mobile scored in the second inning. He ended up pitching 6.1 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits, walked two and struck out three. He picked up the victory to improve to 2-0 with a 0.99 ERA.
Jimmy Herget, Pensacola’s saves leader with eight saves, came in to pitch the ninth and allowed three singles to the first three batters he faced. Mobile scored a run when shortstop Alberto Triunfel singled to left field to drive in right fielder Forrest Allday, pulling the BayBears within, 5-3. With runners on first and second, Herget calmed down to strike out two of the next three batters to end the game.
Mobile scored first when catcher Wade Wass crossed the plate on first baseman’s Luis Tejada’s ground out to go ahead, 1-0, in the second inning.
In the fifth inning, Pensacola tied the score, 1-1, when center fielder Brian O’Grady scored on pinch hitter Leon Landry’s ground out to the pitcher.
Pensacola’s Trahan added two more runs in the sixth when his line drive single to left field scored Jagielo and Sparks for a 3-1 Blue Wahoos’ lead.
The BayBears pulled back within one run, 3-2, in the seventh inning when center fielder Michael Hermosillo hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score shortstop Angel Rosa.
Pensacola went back up, 4-2, in the eighth inning when Jagielo scored when Mobile right fielder Zach Welz made an error on O’Grady’s hit to him.
The Blue Wahoos added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning when left fielder Landry tripled in second baseman Josh VanMeter, who had walked, to go up, 5-2.
Pensacola now returns to Blue Wahoos Stadium Thursday for a five-game home stand against the Biloxi.
The Blue Wahoos lead the Southern League South Division with a 14-6 record and is ahead of Mobile (10-10) by four games.
Northview Gets 25-3 Senior Night Win (With Photo Gallery)
April 26, 2017
The Northview Chiefs celebrated Senior Night with a huge 25-3 win in four innings over Pensacola Christian Tuesday night in Bratt.
The PCA Warrior took a 1-0 lead into the top of the first, but the Chiefs responded with 14 points in the bottom of the first. The Chiefs added five runs in the second and six in the third, while PCA managed just one run in each of the third and fourth innings.
With the Chiefs 22 points ahead, the game was called after the top of the fourth due to the 10-run rule.
The Chiefs honored a dozen graduating seniors Tuesday night: Jared Aliff, Adrian King, Chandler Lowery, Daniel Mascaro, Josh Neese, Zach Payne, Blake Reid, Quentin Sampson, Josh Smith, Devin Stabler, Alston Wiggins and Bailey Wilson.
For a photo gallery from Senior Night activities and game action, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Celebrate Senior Night (With Gallery)
April 26, 2017
The Tate Aggies lost a tough Senior Night game to Milton 9-0 Tuesday.
The Aggies honored seniors Josh Barnes, Hunter NeSmith, Ian Ruiz, Tanner Helton, Corey Young, Logan Blackmon and Logan McGuffey before the game.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
