Late Comeback Seals Road Series Win For Wahoos
April 21, 2025
written by Carter Bainbridge
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (11-4) clinched their third consecutive series win to open the 2025 season with a 5-3 victory over the Columbus Clingstones (6-8) on Sunday.
The Wahoos jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning. A one-out Joe Mack single and a groundout placed a runner in scoring position for first baseman Nathan Martorella, who drove home Mack with a two-out hit to put Pensacola ahead 1-0.
The Clingstones answered back in each of their next two innings. Facing Wahoo starter Luis Palacios (ND), Columbus tied the game in the second inning when third baseman Keshawn Ogans drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk. Palacios escaped the jam without further trouble, but yielded another run in the third inning when Columbus right fielder Ethan Workinger singled home shortstop Cal Conley. After three innings of play, the Clingstones led 2-1.
Pensacola failed to answer in the middle innings against Columbus starter Blake Burkhalter (ND), who did not allow a baserunner over his final three innings. The Clingstones’ bullpen continued to keep the Wahoos in check into the seventh inning, when catcher Sam Praytor’s two-out walk snapped a streak of 17 consecutive batters retired by the Columbus pitching staff.
Trailing 2-1 in the eighth inning, the Blue Wahoo bats finally came to life. Facing righthander Jorge Juan (L, 0-1), center fielder Mark Coley II and Joe Mack each drew walks to put two aboard with nobody out. Second baseman Jared Serna then hit a 3-0 pitch into right field, scoring Coley from second before Ethan Workinger’s error allowed Mack to score from first. After a pitching change, Pensacola tacked on another run when Serna’s steal attempt of second provoked an errant throw by Columbus catcher Adam Zebrowski. The second Clingstones’ error of the inning allowed Serna to score and give the Wahoos a 4-2 lead heading to the bottom of the eighth.
In the bottom of the eighth, Columbus pulled closer when first baseman Drew Compton doubled home Cal Conley against Pensacola righthander Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (W, 1-0). The Wahoos responded with an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Mark Coley’s RBI single scored left fielder Dalvy Rosario from second. Righthander Josh Ekness (SV, 2) entered for the bottom of the ninth and closed out a 5-3 Pensacola victory.
The series win marks the first-ever series victory for Pensacola over Columbus and the first road series win for the Blue Wahoos in 2025.
The Blue Wahoos return to Pensacola on Tuesday, April 22 to begin a six-game series with the Knoxville Smokies. First pitch from Blue Wahoos Stadium is schedule for 6:05 p.m.
Diamond Kings 6U Take First Place In Molino Spring Classic Baseball Tournament
April 20, 2025
The Diamond Kings 6U went undefeated the entire tournament to win first place in the Molino Spring Classic Baseball Tournament.
Caleb Moore slammed eight home runs over the weekend, the most of any player in the tournament. Hayes Fetsko earned the MVP for the Diamond Kings for his outstanding defense.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mack Homers, Pitching Dominates In 2-1 Wahoos Win
April 20, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos got back in the win column on Saturday night, beating the Columbus Clingstones in a game that featured only five total hits between the two teams.
Joe Mack gave the Blue Wahoos (10-4) an early lead with a solo homer in the first inning, his third of the year to tie for the Southern League lead, and Jared Serna delivered an RBI single with two outs in the second inning.
Pensacola was held hitless for the rest of the night, but four Blue Wahoos pitchers combined for a two-hitter to keep the Clingstones (6-7) from erasing the early deficit.
Both starting pitchers were shaky early, as Clingstones righty Jhancarlos Lara (L, 0-2) allowed five of the first eight men he faced to reach base. Blue Wahoos lefty Dax Fulton issued three walks and a hit batsman in his first trip through the order, but settled down and didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning in his best start since coming back from Tommy John surgery.
Fulton was lifted after 4.2 innings with two runners on base, and Josh White (W, 3-0) escaped the jam to preserve the 2-0 advantage. In the sixth, White stranded two more runners in scoring position with a pair of clutch strikeouts.
Columbus scratched a run across against Nigel Belgrave in the seventh with a Cal Conley RBI fielder’s choice, but Belgrave returned for a quiet eighth before Dale Stanavich (S, 2) picked up the ninth to earn the save.
Cody Milligan had both hits for the Clingstones, who have only five run-scoring hits through the first five games of the series.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Clingstones on Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Synovus Park is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET/12:05 p.m. CT.
Tate Aggies Receive At-Large Bid To Regional Quarterfinals
April 19, 2025
The Tate Aggies on Friday received an at-large bid in the FHSAA 6A Baseball State Championship regional quarterfinals next week.
The regional quarter finals will be a best-of-three series this year. No. 4 Tate will host No. 5 Fletcher for the first two games beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 23. The third game, if necessary will move nearly 400 miles away to Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach. The winner will advance to the regional semifinals April 30 against either No. 1 Buckholz or No. 8 First Coast.
In other 6A Baseball State Championship regional quarterfinals in the area, No. 2 Pace will host No. 7 Oviedo.
Looking ahead, the regional finals are May 7, the state semifinals on May 16 at the state championship on May 17.
Pictured top: Tate Aggies seniors were honored recently at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jay, Central To Meet In Rural Division Semifinal Series
April 19, 2025
For the second time since 2009, the Jay Royals won back-t0-back district championships and head into regional play.
In the regional rural division semifinals this week, No. 2 Jay will host No. 3 Central beginning at 7 p.m. on April 28. Regionals will be a best-of-three series this year. The first two games will be at Jay. If a third game is necessary, Central will host the third game.
The winner will face the winner between No. 1 Holmes County and No. 4 Chipley in the regional finals on May 5.
The Northview Chiefs, also in the rural division, were eliminated with a 2-1 loss to Jay on April 15.
Homer Heroics Not Enough As Wahoos Suffer Wild Walk-Off
April 19, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
Nathan Martorella broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning, but the Pensacola Blue Wahoos couldn’t hold the lead in a 2-1, 10-inning loss to the Columbus Clingstones on Friday night.
Martorella’s homer, the first in the history of Synovus Park, marked the only offense of the night for the Blue Wahoos (9-4), who went 0-for-10 with men in scoring position. The Clingstones (6-6) were little better, only getting one at-bat with men in scoring position the entire game, but took advantage of several late Pensacola miscues to tie the game in the ninth and win it in the 10th.
The game’s two starting pitchers, Pensacola’s Adam Laskey and Columbus’ Ian Mejia, traded zeroes in the early innings. Laskey worked 4.1 quiet frames, giving him an active scoreless streak of 10.1 innings dating back to his first appearance of the year. Mejia was just as good, completing 6.0 innings with only a pair of infield singles and a bloop double allowed.
Martorella’s homer in the ninth against Rolddy Muñoz gave the Blue Wahoos the long-awaited first run of the game, but the Clingstones tied it up just as quickly in the bottom of the inning. Lane Ramsey, on for his third inning of relief, got some help from his catcher as Joe Mack threw out Cody Milligan trying to take second on a pitch in the dirt. Mack’s third throw-out of the night wiped away the potential tying baserunner, but Adam Zebrowski reached second on a pair of errors from shortstop Jared Serna and scored on two Ramsey wild pitches to tie the game.
After the Blue Wahoos were unable to bring their automatic baserunner home from second in the top of the 10th against Hayden Harris (W, 1-0), the Clingstones wasted no time walking it off against Justin King (L, 0-1). Mack committed an ill-timed passed ball to advance Ethan Workinger from second to third, and a King wild pitch moments later allowed Workinger to score the winning run.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Clingstones on Saturday night. First pitch from Synovus Park is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. ET/5:05 p.m. CT.
Northview Gets Senior Night Shutout Over Baker; Tate Slips To Pace
April 18, 2025
Northview 12, Baker 0
The Northview Lady Chiefs celebrated Senior Night 12-0 shutout of the Baker Gators Thursday night in Bratt.
Before the game, the Chiefs honored Jamison Gilman, their only senior, and threw a ceremonial first pitch to her dad James Gilman.
Gilman went on to pitch a complete run-rule win, allowing just one hit and no runs while walking one and striking out eight.
Gilman and Avery Stuckey each had three hits for the Lady Chiefs, including a solo home run to left field for Stuckey in the fourth inning as she went 3-3. Kylee Langham and Daviona Randolph both had two RBIs, and Addysen Bolen had two hits for NHS.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Northview will host the Tate Aggies next Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the final game of the season for the Chiefs.
Pace 3, Tate 0
The Pace Patriots slipped past the Tate Lady Aggies 3-0 Thursday night in Cantonment.
Back-to-back in the lineup, Kara Wine and Kaylie Mitchell each had one hit for the Aggies.
In the circle Jordan Smith went seven innings for Tate, surrendering three runs (one earned) on nine hits while walking one and striking out one.
Tate will host Milton at 6 p.m. Friday before traveling to Bratt next Tuesday to face the Northview Chiefs at 6 p.m. The Aggies will then host Escambia on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in their final regular season game.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Rally In Extras, Hold On For 4-3 Win Over Clingstones
April 18, 2025
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos played and won their first extra-inning game of the season on Thursday night in Columbus, beating the Clingstones 4-3 in a 10-inning thriller.
After blowing a 2-0 advantage, the Blue Wahoos barely held on in their second attempt to preserve a late lead. Josh Ekness (W, 1-0) surrendered a run in the top of the tenth, but struck out three consecutive batters with the potential tying run on third base to seal the win.
The Blue Wahoos (9-3) scored single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to take a 2-0 lead against Columbus starter Lucas Braun. In the fourth, Joe Mack hit the second of his two doubles on the night and scored from third when Kemp Alderman’s steal of second drew an errant throw from catcher Jason Delay. In the sixth, Mack singled and scored on a Jake Thompson RBI single.
Braun was excellent, pitching 6.2 innings and striking out seven, but Blue Wahoos starter Evan Fitterer was even better. The Pensacola righty allowed just two hits over 5.2 scoreless innings while striking out five, and left with a 2-0 lead.
Nigel Belgrave retired all four men he faced in relief of Fitterer, but the Clingstones rallied in the eighth against Tristan Stevens. Geraldo Quintero laced an RBI triple to right field to get Columbus on the board, and then scored on a Kobe Kato RBI groundout to tie the game.
Ekness worked a clean ninth to force extras, and the Blue Wahoos wasted no time reclaiming the lead in the 10th against Jake McSteen (L, 0-1). Johnny Olmstead scored pinch-runner Shane Sasaki with an RBI single, and scored from second on a Dalvy Rosario sacrifice bunt followed by a throwing error. The Blue Wahoos were poised to add more, leading 4-2 with the bases loaded and no outs, but Alderman flied out to right and Ethan Workinger threw out Sam Praytor at the plate to snuff out a bigger rally.
In the bottom of the 10th, Ekness made things difficult for himself by walking Drew Compton and allowing an RBI single to Workinger to put the tying run at third and the winning run at first. But he dug deep to fan the final three batters, locking down a 4-3 Blue Wahoos victory.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Clingstones on Friday night. First pitch from Synovus Park is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET/6:05 p.m. CT.
8u NEP Lady Rockies Win Mid-Season Tourney
April 17, 2025
The 8u NEP Lady Rockies went undefeated at the GCGSA mid-season tournament to win the 8u A Division Championship. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Selling Stellar In 4-1 Wahoos Win Over Columbus
April 17, 2025
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos evened up their first road series of the season at one game apiece on Wednesday night, beating the Columbus Clingstones 4-1 thanks to a dominant outing from Robby Snelling.
Snelling (W, 2-0) worked 6.0 scoreless innings of one-run ball, striking out six and walking only one, to earn his second win. He outdueled fellow ace Drue Hackenberg (L, 1-2), who pitched 5.2 effective innings for the Clingstones but struggled with his command at critical moments.
The Blue Wahoos (8-3) jumped ahead early in the second inning, as Nathan Martorella drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third base on a pickoff throwing error and wild pitch. Jake Thompson drove him in with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 Pensacola lead.
A similar progression followed in the fourth inning, as Joe Mack coaxed a leadoff walk from Hackenberg before scoring on a Josh Zamora sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. The Blue Wahoos lineup went only 1-for-10 with men in scoring position, but provided enough offense for Snelling to pitch comfortably.
The Clingstones (5-5) scratched across their lone run on an Adam Zebrowski RBI single in the fourth, but Snelling dug deep to retire Zebrowski with two men aboard in the sixth to end his night on a high note.
Thompson added an insurance run in the sixth inning with a two-out RBI double after Josh Zamora had reached on an unusual catcher’s interference call, and Dalvy Rosario forced in Pensacola’s fourth run in the ninth inning with a bases-loaded walk. The Blue Wahoos drew eight walks as a team on the evening, including three leadoff walks that all came in to score.
Josh White pitched a scoreless seventh before Dale Stanavich (S, 2) entered in the eighth and got the final six outs to earn the save.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Clingstones on Thursday night. First pitch from Synovus Park is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET/6:05 p.m. CT.