Florida Gators, Alabama Crimson Tide To Play Baseball In Pensacola
June 21, 2013
The Pensacola Sports Association will host two NCAA Division I baseball games next spring. The University of Florida Gators will play the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles on Tuesday, March 4 and the Alabama Crimson Tide will play the Troy Trojans on Tuesday, March 25.
Both games will be played at the waterfront stadium at the Community Maritime Park. Tickets will be available beginning in December.
“This will be a great event to showcase our great city and beautiful waterfront ballpark,” commented Ray Palmer, PSA Executive Director. “All four of these programs have great support and a large alumni base in Northwest Florida. We feel these games will not only benefit our local sports fans, but will also be a sports tourism event for the area.”
“We are excited about the opportunity to bring our team to Pensacola for a game at a great waterfront ball park. It should be a good game between two good baseball programs. We have a couple players from the Pensacola area, so it will be nice to give them an opportunity to play in front of their family and friends. Also, we have a large Alabama fan base in that region of Florida, so it will give them an opportunity to come to the local ball park and support the Crimson Tide,” said University of Alabama Head Coach Mitch Gaspard.
“We are looking forward to our program having an opportunity to compete next spring in Pensacola against a quality Southern Miss baseball program. “We are excited to travel and play in front of the Gator Fans in Northwest Florida’s Panhandle and compete in a beautiful stadium, it should be a tremendous environment,” said University of Florida Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan.
Pensacola Storm 10U Major Win 8th Tournament Title
June 21, 2013
The Pensacola Storm 10U Majors team won the North Florida Championship recently in Destin, their eighth first place tournament win out of 14 USSSA tournaments.
The Storm 10U team beat the West Florida Hammerheads 8-2 before defeating the Dirtbags of Montgomery 14-7. The wins gave the Storm the number one seed for the tournament.
On Sunday, the Storm beat the Dirtbags again in the semifinals 4-3 and then went on to win the North Florida Championship with a 9-4 victory over the Pace Mudcats. The tournament win gives the Pensacola Storm a USSSA 40-13 overall record.
Pictured top: (bottom, L-R) Aaron Noack, Josh Turner, Trenton Norton, Tanner Rouchon, (top, L-R) Jordan Jarman, Ian Ladieu, Jordan McCants, Damarius McGhee, Hunter Pierson, Coleman Dorsett and Jordan Peacock. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Districts Proposed For High School Baseball, Softball
June 20, 2013
New baseball and softball districts proposed last week by the Florida High School Athletic Association will mean some changes for several local schools.
The Tate Aggies and Navarre will move up to a new District 1-7A, along with Niceville, Crestview and Fort Walton Beach.
District 1-6A will drop to six teams without Tate and Navarre — Pine ForestEscambia, Milton, Pace, PHS and Washington.
The West Florida Jaguars and Catholic will be in District 1-4A along with Walton and Marianna.
The Northview Chiefs and Jay Royals will move into District 1-3A in Region 2 along with Baker, Chipley, Freeport and Holmes County.
Schools can appeal the new district alignments with the FHSAA until June 25.
NEP Blue Wins Gospel Projects Tee Ball World Series (With Complete Scores)
June 19, 2013
NEP Blue won the Gospel Projects 2013 Tee Ball World Series Tuesday night in Milton. NEP Blue downed Pace in a close one, 30-28 for the championship.
Pace beat NEP Gold 23-14 for the Loser’s Bracket championship, and back on Saturday Molino beat Milton 33-21 for the consolation championship.
Here are complete scores:
WINNERS BRACKET
Thursday
- Tri-County American 22, Perdido 21
- Brent 40, Cantonment 19
- GP World 37, Molino 16
- Pace 29, Bellview 18
- Tri-County Nationals 27, East Milton 15
- NEP Gold 30, Navarre 8
- NEP Blue 23, Milton 10
- Myrtle Grove 28, GP American 13
Friday
- Brent 27, Tri-County American 12
- Pace 23, GP World 3
- NEP Gold 39, Tri-County National 18
- NEP Blue 29, Myrtle Grove 6
Saturday, Round One
- Pace 33, Brent 22
- NEP Blue 24, NEP Gold 21
Saturday Round Two
- NEP Blue 29, Pace 27
Tuesday Championship
- NEP Blue 30, Pace 28
LOSERS BRACKET
Friday
(Friday numeric scores were unavailable)
- Perido over Cantonment
- Bellview over Molino
- Navarre over East Milton
- GP Ameircan over Milton
Saturday
- Myrtle Grove 24, Perido 13
- Bellview 26, Tri County National 20
- GP World 35, Navarre 24
- Tri-County American 32, GP American 30
- Bellview 28, Myrtle Grove 11
- GP World 30, Tri County America 9
- Brent 33, Belleview 24
- NEP Gold 33, GP World 17
Monday
- NEP Gold 32, Brent 31
- Pace 23, NEP Gold 14
CONSOLATION BRACKET
- Milton 30, East Milton 29
- Molino 32, Cantonment 13
- Molino 33, Milton 21
Pictured top: Tee Ball World Series Champions NEP Blue. Pictured below: The Molino All-Stars. Pictured bottom: The Tri-County Nationals. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Summer Ball: Northview Splits Games With Escambia
June 19, 2013
In summer baseball Tuesday, the Northview B team lost to Escambia High 3-1. The Northview Chiefs A team shut out the Escambia Gators 6-0 in a four-inning game called due to lightning. Photos by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Delays Vote On Importing Out Of State Deer
June 17, 2013
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has deferred action until September on a rule prohibiting the importation of live captive deer into Florida from out of state sources.
Meeting in Lakeland, Commissioners said they wanted more time to hear from staff and stakeholders about options designed to reduce the chances of chronic wasting disease (CWD) being introduced into the state.
CWD is not known to affect people but is a contagious neurological disease affecting deer, elk and moose. It is similar to mad cow disease, always fatal, and there is no known cure or vaccine. So far, the disease has been discovered in 22 states, two Canadian provinces and in South Korea.
Since the beginning of May, the FWC has received much public comment and answered many questions and concerns through its website from deer enthusiasts and those who have deer farms and hunting preserves. The Commission used this public input when considering this proposal, which was deferred until fall.
For more information on the draft rule that was deferred, visit MyFWC.com/Deer.
MLB Debut: Molino’s Gindl Thrilled To Get The Callup To The Brewers
June 16, 2013
Outfielder Caleb Gindl of Molino arrived from Triple-A Nashville on Saturday and became the sixth Milwaukee Brewer to make his Major League debut in a season yet to hit its halfway point.
Previous MLB debuts included Khris Davis (April 1), Josh Prince (April 6), Hiram Burgos (April 20), Donovan Hand (May 26) and Scooter Gennett (June 3).
“It’s the best feeling of my life,” Gindl said before the game.
The Brewers promoted Gindl after placing left fielder Ryan Braun on the 15-day disabled list. At 24, Gindl became the youngest of the Brewers’ six players to debut when he struck out against the Reds’ Homer Bailey in the seventh inning.
He is used to that label. Gindl was a Brewers’ fifth-round Draft pick in 2007 out of Pace High School in Florida, and he was 22 when he debuted in Triple-A in 2011. He had been waiting there patiently for a promotion.
“The last two weeks, he has really swung the bat well,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. “He hangs in there, gives you a nice at-bat. Especially right now, because he’s got a lot of at-bats under his belt [from Triple-A], I think he’ll be a good pinch-hitter for us for a while. Now, how long that lasts, that he’s good without me starting him, I don’t know. That’s always hard to predict. But he does all the things well that you want from a bench player.”
Gindl was batting .274 at Nashville with eight home runs and a team-best 38 RBIs. He hit .364 over his last 10 games and got the call over Davis, who was hitting .125 over his last 10 contests.
“We try to go by whoever is doing the job, and [Gindl] is swinging the bat the best down there, and we know he plays pretty good defense,” Roenicke said.
The Brewers won a shutout for the first time this year on Saturday, 6-0 over the Cincinnati Reds.
By Adam McCalvy
Courtesy Milwaukee Brewers, MLB
Jay’s Hope Miller To Perform At Disney On Thankgiving Day
June 16, 2013
Hope Miller from Jay High School is one of more than 500 cheerleaders and dancers from across the country that will perform in the 2013 UCA/UDA Thanksgiving Tour Walt Disney World in Orlando.
Miller will perform with the UCA/UDA All-Americans group in the pre-parade at the Magic Kingdom on Thanksgiving Day.
Pictured: Hope Miller with her All American Thanksgiving Tour packet which was presented to her during the UCA Cheer Camp Awards Ceremony held at Auburn University on Saturday. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Summer Ball: Northview Splits Games With Niceville, Crestview
June 16, 2013
Northview’s summer ball series continued on Saturday in Crestview. The Chiefs A team defeated Niceville 6-4, and the B team fell to Crestview 13-0. Photos by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino All Stars Take World Series Consolation Championship
June 16, 2013
The Molino All-Stars took the consolation championship Saturday in the 2013 Gospel Projects Tee Ball World Series. On Saturday, Molino defeated Cantonment 32-13, then took the championship 33-21 over Milton. Players are Rylan Minor, Aubree Jordan, Austin Batz, Liam Hatcher,Douglas Ragsdale,Makayla Golson,Hunter Williams, Grayden Sheffield,Chloe Ragsdale and Dylan Settle. Coaches are Joey Settle, Tommy Sheffield, Brandon Minor and Joe Settle Sr. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.