Pensacola Rallies For 11th Inning Win Over Huntsville
June 22, 2014
Not only do the Pensacola Blue Wahoos boast three newly bald headed players who shaved their heads in front of the dugout before the game to raise money for children with cancer, they might have started a new hairstyle trend.
The bald Wahoos were instrumental in Pensacola’s rally, with bald Brodie Greene starting a ninth inning rally that tied the game, 3-3, and the bald Travis Mattair slamming a walkoff, ground rule double on one-hop over the centerfield fence to give the team a, 4-3, victory over the Huntsville Stars in the 11th inning. The win tied the series 2-2.
Mattair was mobbed at second base by his teammates as Jesse Winker crossed the plate with the winning run.
Mattair had helped push for the Blue Wahoos to support 4-year-old Carolyn Hendrix who had a rare cancer. She was declared cancer free at the end of May. And Sunday, Mattair, Greene and Josh Fellhauer, along with season ticket holder JRoAnne Bergman shaved their head in front of fans and the Hendrix family to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s organization.
“This is a great cause and the Hendrix family is just awesome,” said Mattair, who got to meet and hug Carolyn in the dugout before the game. “She has been through a lot and she put life in perspective for me.”
In the past five games, Mattair had only two hits in 16 at bats. The previous game he struck out three times in four plate appearances.
“It was a great feeling to get a game winner like that,” said Mattair, who signed about 50 autographs after the game. “I just have to keep putting my work in. I’ve been in this situation before and crawled out of it and I’ll do it again.”
Pensacola manager Delino DeShields said it made him happy to see Mattair come through with the RBI double to win the game.
“We need his offense,” DeShields said. “Hopefully, he can keep it going.”
Pensacola was down two runs heading into their last at bat in the ninth inning, when Greene started the rally with a leadoff walk. The Wahoos managed to load the bases with one out when Mattair took a fastball in the back from Huntsville reliever Tanner Poppe. That scored Greene and pulled Pensacola within one run, 3-2.
Then the Blue Wahoos tied it, 3-3, on a high inside pitch to Ryan Wright that got past Huntsville catcher Joey Paciorek and allowed Jesse Winker to score from third.
Pensacola starting pitcher Robert Stephenson entered the game having given up 12 runs, 10 earned in his previous three starts. But Stephenson held Huntsville to three runs over seven innings with two of those coming on solo home run blasts by Joey Paciorek and Greg Hopkins in the second inning. Stephenson, who was the 27th pick in the first round in 2011, struck out seven and now has 80 on the year in 77 innings.
As far as more Blue Wahoos show up bald?
DeShields who has no hair said after the game: “We may have to talk about that.”
Mattair also weighed in on sporting a bald head for the first time as an adult. “I was a lot cooler out there. I enjoyed it and I will recommend it to people.”
by Tommy Thrall
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Huntsville Stars 4-3 Sunday in Pensacola. Photos by Michael Spooneybarger, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Posse Earns Tourney Wins
June 22, 2014
Over recent weeks, the Pensacola Posse team won a tournament at Donalsonville, GA, were champions at a Gulfport, MS tournament, and placed second in a Daphne, AL, tournament. Members of the team include Meagan Jones, Mallory Miller, Kristen Quina, Morgan Bolan and Hadley Staratt from Tate High School; Bryce Miller, Ashley Kummer, Samantha Kummer, Kallie Okahashi and Tristan Pearson from Pace High School; and Savanna Ullrich from Escambia High School. Coaches are John Quina, Randy Miller, Peter Kummer and Sean Staratt. Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Huntsville Downs Wahoos
June 22, 2014
Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Michael Lorenzen took the mound Saturday after one of his best nights ever.
His roomie, relief pitcher Carlos Contreras, got called up to play for the Cincinnati Reds.
While Contreras made his debut pitching in the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays, Lorenzen recorded a career high seven strikeouts in five innings. However, it was not enough for Pensacola, which dropped the game, 5-4, to the Huntsville Stars in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Lorenzen said he’s taken a Contreras frame of mind when he gets two strikes on a batter.
“I want to put guys away now,” said Lorenzen, who has 54 strikeouts on the season in a rotation of flame throwers. “Instead of trying to make them make contact, I’m thinking, ‘I’m going to put you away with my best pitch.’”
The righty, who entered the game with 10 straight scoreless innings, allowed three in the first inning to Huntsville on four singles and a double. Lorenzen didn’t give up another run or hit through the next four innings.
Fresh in his mind and recorded on his cell phone was Contreras getting the call from Wahoos manager Delino DeShields that he was getting called up to the big leagues. DeShields talked Spanish to try to fake him out before telling him he was going to the bigs.
Contreras asked him twice in disbelief, “Who me?” And then said excitedly, “I’m going to call my mom!”
“It was one of the greatest moments in my life,” Lorenzen said after Saturday’s game. “His reaction was one of the best things ever. He didn’t sleep a minute. I was worried because they (Cincinatti) had a 3 p.m. game.”
When Lorenzen left the game after the fifth inning, the Wahoos had a 4-3 lead. Lorenzen, who is 4-4, has not earned a decision in six starts this year.
Huntsville, the first half champion of the Southern League North Division, has now won two of the first three games in the five-game series. The Stars regained the lead, 5-4, with two runs in the seventh inning when Kentrell Davis lead off with the team’s first hit since the first inning.
Davis scored on a wild pitch and throwing error by Wahoos catcher Ross Perez trying to catch him going to third. With the infield in, Huntsville’s Jason Rogers then hit the ball sharply past the shortstop that scored Shea Vucinich.
by Tommy Thrall
NWE Youth League Now The ‘NWE Chiefs’, Home Field Now Northview High
June 21, 2014
The Northwest Escambia Youth Football and Cheerleading league has rebranded itself as the NWE Chiefs, and they announced Friday that they will be playing all of their home games this season at Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium on the campus of Northview High School, home of the Northview Chiefs.
NWE’s teams were previously the Eagles, and they previously played home games at Ernest Ward Middle School.
Northwest Escambia Youth Football will hold registration for the 2014 season at Travis Nelson Park in Bratt and at Don Sutton Ball Park in Molino from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on the following Saturdays: June 28; and July 12, 26. The deadline to sign up for cheerleading was June 21.
Registration fee for football is $85, with NWE providing equipment and game uniforms. Payment plans are available.
Proof of residency or proof in enrollment in Bratt Elementary, Byrneville Elementary, Molino Park Elementary or Ernest Ward Middle School is required. A copy of the child’s birth certificate is also required.
For more information call (850) 449-3185 for football or (850) 377-3102 for cheer.
Pictured top: A sneak peak at a drawing of the new NWE Chiefs helmets. Courtesy image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Huntsville Beats Pensacola
June 21, 2014
The Huntsville Stars showed why they compiled the best record in the first half of the Southern League on Friday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Led by first baseman Nick Ramirez, who clobbered two home runs including a grand slam in the eighth inning and drove in a career-high six RBI, the Stars evened the five-game series with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos at one game apiece with an 11-1 victory.
Ramirez is among the league leaders with 51 RBI and 13 homers on the season. His grand slam came during a six-run eighth inning that broke the game wide open for the Stars, who took an 11-1 lead.
“It was nice to get back playing like we usually play,” Ramirez said.
While Huntsville racked up the runs, Pensacola had 15 batters reach base and left 11 men on, including leaving the bases loaded in the second inning.
“We definitely didn’t get a big hit tonight,” said Blue Wahoos manager Delino DeShields. “But we have a lot of new guys playing at a different level and they’re going to go through their growing pains.”
Pensacola centerfielder Yorman Rodriguez kept the Blue Wahoos from being blanked with a leadoff solo home run in the seventh inning that cut Huntsville’s lead to 5-1. Rodriguez, who has moved to the leadoff spot for Pensacola, last had a home run on April 21 against Jacksonville. He now has a three game hitting streak.
“Tonight was his best night in quite some time,” DeShields said. “I just hope he continues. We need his production.”
Starting pitcher Jon Moscot has struggled in his last two outings, losing them both and giving up a season-high four earned runs both times. Moscot, who dropped to a 4-6 record, gave up three runs in first inning on a walk, single, double and triple. In the first two innings alone, he threw 50 pitches.
Meanwhile, Huntsville’s Jed Bradley, who was drafted 15th overall in the first round by the Brewers, got the win. Bradley, who is the eighth pitcher to start for Huntsville, was making just his fourth start at the Double-A level.
by Tommy Thrall
Tri-County Team Takes Second In Gospel Projects World Series
June 20, 2014
Tri-County Tee Ball’s six-year old team placed second at the Gospel Projects Tee Ball World Series. Team members are: Carson Baxley, Nicholas Baxley, Rowdy Fretwell, Brady Godwin, Luke Godwin, Landon Golden, Jax Lowery, Judson Marcantel, Mason Mathis, Blake Roberts, and Jayden White. Coaches are Stewart Baxley, Brandon Godwin and Sonia Marcantel. Team manager is Jeremy Lowery. Photo by Brandy White for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Open Second Half Of Season With 7-2 Win
June 20, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos started the second half of the Southern League season with four new faces in the starting lineup.
In fact, those four – second baseman Ryan Wright, left fielder Jesse Winker, third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean, and right fielder Kyle Waldrop – all made their Double-A debuts Thursday night in Pensacola’s 7-2 victory in front of the team’s 21st sellout in 36 home games.
Delino DeShields was cautiously optimistic how they would handle the jump from High-A Bakersfield Blaze where they hit like a Murderers’ Row.
“As far as expectations, I have none,” DeShields said before the game. “They all played well in Bakersfield. But I know how difficult this league is. We will find out who can really play.”
In the first inning, the newcomers got off to a blazing start. Wright, Winker and Mejias-Brean loaded the bases and all scored on catcher Ross Perez’s double that rolled to the fence in right center field, giving Pensacola a 3-0 lead. Perez, who added a solo homer in the eighth inning, has hit in 11 of his last 12 games at a .444 clip and leads the team in hitting with men on base at .368.
Then Waldrop, who led Bakersfield and the California League with a .359 average, singled to right field to knock in Perez, putting Pensacola ahead, 4-0. Waldrop has a hit in his last 14 games and is hitting .466. The Wahoos led 5-0 after the first inning.
Their excitement was contagious with most of the players standing and leaning on the rail in the dugout to watch the game. The Wahoos called up seven players total from Bakersfield, which won its division in the first half. Pensacola finished last in its division with a 31-39 record in the first half.
“Who really cares what happened in the first half,” Perez said. “It’s really exciting to have all these new guys in here and they’re really excited to move up. The team’s looking different and I think we’ll have a real good second half.”
Winker admitted he was “very pumped up” about his debut, especially with his family traveling from Orlando for the series. Winker, the Cincinnati Reds 2012 first round pick and No. 3 prospect, walked twice and scored a run. With his addition, Pensacola now boasts four of the top five and six of the top 10 Cincinnati prospects on their roster.
“I’m just going to come out and play hard and hopefully help the Wahoos make the playoffs,” Winker said. “I want to work hard, play hard every day and just win.”
Wahoos reliever Carlos Contreras, who hasn’t given up a run in five appearances after pitching a scoreless ninth inning, said he likes the lineup changes.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “We have all these prospects on one team playing together. I hope we’re all playing together in the big leagues very soon. I think now we’re going to do very good in the second half. I think we’re the best team in the Southern League.”
Reliever Carlos Gonzalez also appeared in his first Double-A game, pitching the eighth inning. Gonzalez, who earned 15 saves and had a 0.57 ERA for Bakersfield, allowed one hit and struck out one.
by Tommy Thrall
BayBears Over Wahoos 4-2
June 16, 2014
The Mobile BayBears broke a two-two tie with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on their way to a 4-2 win over the Blue Wahoos in the series finale at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile.
Pensacola took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning on an RBI double by Yorman Rodriguez and a Devin Lohman sacrifice fly. The lead was short lived when Mobile answered with a run in the bottom of the inning. In the fifth inning, an error by Juan Silverio at third base opened the door for a pair of runs by Mobile which proved to be the difference in the game.
Fabian Williamson (L, 0-5) was on the mound when the BayBears scored the two go-ahead runs, thus saddling him with the loss. Both runs, however, were unearned. BayBear starter Charles Brewer (W, 3-1) picked up the win. He gave up 2 R/0 ER over 6.0 innings on four hits. He struck out eight against just two walks in his second consecutive win. Kaleb Fleck (S, 4) worked a perfect ninth inning to record his fourth save of the season.
Rodriguez led the way for the Wahoos offensively snapping an 0-for-15 slump with a 2-for-4 afternoon including a run scored and an RBI. Steve Selsky (2-for-3) also had a multi-hit game for Pensacola. Rey Navarro extended his on-base streak to a team-high 23 games with a walk in the third.
Pensacola will enjoy a three day break for the Southern League All-Star game. The Blue Wahoos will return to the field on Thursday, June 19 against the Huntsville Stars to open a five-game series.
by Tommy Thrall
Wahoos Even BayBear Series 8-5 With 11th Inning Win
June 15, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos got another huge night offensively from Ross Perez and a three-hit game from Devin Lohman to beat the Mobile BayBears 8-5 at Hank Aaron Stadium on Saturday night.
It was the second night that hundreds of Blue Wahoos fans traveled across the bay courtesy of the Blue Wahoos organization to see the team on the road. In all, more than 800 Blue Wahoos fans made the trip to Mobile to watch the Blue Wahoos over the last two nights, many of them opting to take advantage of the provided round-trip bus transportation.
Pensacola had to play catch up, coming back from two-run and three-run deficits late in the game. Lohman tied the game in the ninth inning with a two-run home run to force extra innings. In the 11th inning, Lohman led off with a single and scored later on an RBI double from Steve Selsky. Perez put the game out of reach with a two-run home run to make it 8-5.
Both Lohman and Perez had identical 3-for-6 games with two runs scored and two RBI. Rey Navarro went 1-for-5 to extend his on-base streak to 22 games, the longest streak by a Wahoo this season.
On the mound, Mikey O’Brien started and went 6.0 innings allowing 2 R/ER with a walk and five strikeouts. Carlos Contreras (W, 2-1) pitched well late in the game for Pensacola. He earned the win with three shutout innings and five strikeouts. James Walczak (S, 4) got the save by holding the BayBears scoreless in the bottom of the 11th. BayBears backup catcher Steve Rodriguez (L, 0-1) took the loss. Making his first professional appearance on the mound, Rodriguez allowed all three Wahoos runs in the 11th inning.
Pensacola can win the series with a win Sunday to close out the first half. RHP Michael Lorenzen (4-4, 2.41) will get the start for the Wahoos against BayBears RHP Charles Brewer (2-1, 2.32). First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m. from Hank Aaron Stadium.
by Tommy Thrall
Four Run Fourth Powers Mobile Over The Pensacola Blue Wahoos
June 13, 2014
The Mobile BayBears scored four runs in the fourth inning to put the Wahoos away on their way to a 6-3 win in the second game of the five-game set between the cross-bay rivals.
Wahoos starter Jon Moscot (L, 4-5) ran into some tough luck as the BayBears took advantage of an error, an infield single, a broken bat single and even a double from the pitcher to plate four runs and overcome a 3-2 Wahoo advantage. Mobile went in front 6-3, and both teams were held scoreless the rest of the way.
Moscot made it through five innings and was charged with 6 R/4 ER with a walk and four strikeouts and ended up as the tough-luck loser for the Wahoos.
Wahoos catcher Ross Perez hand another strong outing against his former team going 1-for-3 with a run scored and throwing out two Mobile base stealers. Three Blue Wahoos relievers, James Walczak, Lee Hyde and Justin Freeman combined to work three scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Rey Navarro got the offense started with a solo home run in the first inning, his ninth of the year.
BayBears starter, Mike Lee (W, 4-3), logged 6.0 innings and allowed 3 R/1 ER with four walks and four strikeouts on his way to his fourth win of the year. Jake Barrett (S, 12) worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second straight save against Pensacola.
After a shakeup in the rotation, the Wahoos turn to RHP Robert Stephenson (3-5, 3.49) to get back in the win column as they play first half spoiler against Mobile. The BayBears have a three-game lead on the Southern League South Division with only three games remaining. The BayBears will start RHP Bradin Hagens (5-2, 3.25). First pitch is set for 7:05 from Hank Aaron Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos open play on the second half of the season at home against the Huntsville Stars on Thursday, June 19.
by Tommy Thrall