Mobile Comes From Behind To Upend Pensacola 5-2
April 14, 2013
The Mobile BayBears scored five runs over their final three at-bats and knocked off the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 5-2 on Saturday night at Hank Aaron Stadium. With the win, Mobile clinched the series victory by winning three of the first four games in the five-game set.
Trailing 1-0 in the last of the sixth, the BayBears finally got to Pensacola starter Chad Rogers. Rossmel Perez led off the inning with a walk and stole second base to move into scoring position with two outs. Mike Freeman then drove him home with a solid single to left, knotting the game at one.
An inning later, Mobile took the lead for good with a two-run frame against reliever Loek Van Mil (0-1). Jon Griffin led off with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and then scampered home on Van Mil’s second wild toss of the frame. David Nick then provided a solo shot for a 3-1 Mobile lead after seven. Van Mil pitched just one inning and gave up two runs on three hits for his first loss of the year.
The BayBears would add an extra two tallies in the eighth inning off reliever Chris Manno. Batting with the bases loaded, Griffin slammed his second double of the game, this time bringing home two runs to increase the Mobile advantage to 5-1.
Pensacola’s two runs came on two towering home runs. Travis Mattair led off the second inning with his second round-tripper of the year, which was the Wahoos’ only tally until Donald Lutz led off the ninth inning with a solo dinger to right to close to gap to 5-2. However, that was as close as Pensacola would get as Dan Cortes retired three of the next four hitters to give the BayBears the win.
Brett Lorin (2-0) picked up the win by pitching a scoreless seventh in relief of starter Anthony Meo, who made just the one mistake to Mattair over six solid innings in his second start at the Double-A level.
Rogers picked up a no-decision despite one-hitting Mobile through five frames. The right-hander ended up allowing a run on two hits over six innings and was saddled with a no-decision.
The Wahoos and BayBears wrap up their five-game series on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. Ryan Dennick (1-0, 3.60) will get the start for Pensacola against Mobile’s Bradin Hagens (1-0, 1.29).
Story By Kevin Burke
NHS Beats Baker, Earns No. 2 Seed In District Tourney
April 13, 2013
The Northview Chiefs shut out Baker 6-0 Friday night.
With the win, the Chiefs, at 8-2 in the district, secured the No. 2 seed at the district tournament beginning April 22 at Baker.
For the Chiefs, Kevin Vaughan threw seven innings, allow four hits, with striking out 18 with no walks. He was 2-4 at the plat with an RBI. Chad Smith was 2-4, with two runs; Chasen Freeman went 3-4 with a run and a double; Brannon Freeman was 1 -4, with a run and triple; Winston Riley went 1-3, with a run and one RBI; Daulton Tullis was 1-3 with a run; and David Burkett went 1- with two RBI and a double.
The Chiefs will round out their regular season with a couple of non-district games next week, hosting Escambia Academy on Monday and Flomaton on Tuesday. First pitch is 6 p.m. for both games.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
The ARGOS Take First In Destin Tournament
April 12, 2013
The 11-year old travel ball team “The ARGOS” took home first place in the recent USSSA tournament held in Destin. The team went undefeated in the two-day tournament. Team members are (top row, L-R) Trevor Norton, Cameron Bailey, TJ McCants, Chase Barcus, Sam Shackle, (bottom row) Cole Mullins, John Pinette, Jacob Bryant, Christian Munoz and Nathan Brewton. Coaches are Mike Norton, Levy Bryant and Matt Faust. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
BayBears Beat The Wahoos
April 11, 2013
The Mobile BayBears scored in four of their first five at-bats en route to a dominating 10-2 victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Wednesday night at Hank Aaron Stadium.
Mobile roughed up Pensacola starter Josh Smith (0-2) for six runs in two innings. Five of the first six batters reached for the BayBears in the first inning with RBI’s coming from Jon Griffin and Brent Clevlen and another run scoring on an error. It was a similar script an inning later as, again, five of the first six reached and Mobile scored three more runs. Griffin and Clevlen provided RBI’s in the frame and ended up driving in a pair apiece.
The BayBears added a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to salt the game away. Eight of the nine starters for Mobile recorded at least one base knock in the 16-hit onslaught.
Pensacola’s two runs came on a fourth-inning two-run homer from Brodie Greene, his first of the season. Greene extended his hitting streak to nine games dating back to last season in the process.
The Wahoos had great chances to get back into the game in the third and fourth frames. In the third, Pensacola loaded the bases with two outs, but Travis Mattair grounded into a fielder’s choice. In the next inning, the Wahoos had the bags packed for Donald Lutz, but he struck out swinging to end the threat.
Alexis Lara (1-0) picked up the victory in relief of starter David Holmberg for Mobile. Lara entered in the fifth inning and retired all nine batters he faced. Holmberg was limited to four innings due to a high pitch count and gave up two runs on six hits, walking three and striking out a trio of Wahoos.
The series continues on Thursday with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch from Hank Aaron Stadium. Tim Crabbe (0-0, 1.80 ERA) will get the start for Pensacola against Mobile’s Zeke Spruill (0-1, 3.00).
Story by Kevin Burke
Pictured top: Brodie Greene extended his hitting streak to nine games with a fourth-inning home run. Christopher Nelson photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northviews Earns Softball, Baseball Wins; Honors Senior Girls
April 10, 2013
Northview’s baseball and softball program picked up wins Tuesday.
In softball action, the Northview Lady Chiefs beat visiting Escambia Academy from Canoe, Ala., 9-4. The Lady Chiefs also honored their senior players on senior night (see below).
For a game action photo gallery, click here.
For a senior night photo gallery, click here.
In baseball action, the Northview Chiefs beat Freeport on the road 12-1 in a game called in the fifth due to the mercy rule.
Pictured top: Ariel Holland slides safely into home Monday in Bratt. Pictured below: Shaquanna Jones relieved Misty Doran on the mound for the Lady Chiefs. Pictured below: Northview senior softball players (L-R) Ashton Gibbs, Ashley Mooney, Ariel Holland, Shaquanna Jones, Samantha Johnson, Morgan Payne, Shelley Mothershed and Misty Doran. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview’s Elliott, Kyles Qualify For State Weightlifting Meet
April 10, 2013
Northview’s Arkelle Elliott and LaMikal Kyles have qualified for the 1A State Weightlifting Meet in Kissimmee later this month.
Kyles finished second in the 183-pound class at the regional meet on recently at Arnold High School with a total of 535 pounds. Elliott finished fourth in the 199-pound class with a total of 565 pounds.
Also at the regional meet, Luke McDaniel and LaDerious Franklin finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 238-pound class.
Pictured: LaMikal Kyles at the recent regional state weightlifting meet. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Lady Chiefs Claim No. 1 Seed For District Tourney
April 9, 2013
The Northview Lady Chiefs claimed the No. 1 seed in the upcoming district tournament with a win over Bonifay Monday night.
The Lady Chiefs, now 10-1 in the district shut out Bonifay 11-0. Senior Morgan Payne had a home run for the Lady Chiefs.
The district tourney begins Monday in Chipley. The Chiefs will likely start with a bye and then play the winner of a Bonifay and Chipley game.
Pensacola Clips Tennessee 2-1 To Win Series
April 9, 2013
The Blue Wahoos used a strong start from Daniel Renken and timely hitting to defeat the Tennessee Smokies 2-1 on Monday night in front of 4,328 fans at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. The win gave Pensacola its first series victory of the season.
Renken (1-0) tossed a spectacular seven frames, yielding just a first-inning run on a sac fly from Justin Bour. The right-hander needed only 86 pitches to get through seven innings, retiring the final seven he faced and 13 of the final 15 overall. Logan Ondrusek and Lee Hyde allowed a single but nothing more in their two combined innings of relief. Hyde picked up his first save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Pensacola’s offense was silent through four innings but got on the board in the fifth against Tennessee starter Dae-Eun Rhee and reliever Brian Schlitter. Rhee loaded the bases with one out and was lifted for Schlitter who gave up an RBI single to Devin Lohman, the first batter he faced. Schlitter was able to avoid further damage by inducing a double play from Steve Selsky.
An inning later, Pensacola took the lead off Schlitter. Donald Lutz reached on an error by the second baseman and Travis Mattair drove him home with a double just inside the chalk down the right field line. Mattair’s hit snapped an 0-for-12 skid since a homer in his first at bat of the season on Thursday night.
Brodie Greene continued his hot start for the Wahoos, going 2-for-2 to extend his hitting streak to eight games dating back to the end of last season.
The Wahoos will take the day off on Tuesday before they travel to Mobile on Wednesday night for the first installment of the Bay-to-Bay series with the BayBears. Chad Rogers (1-0, 3.60) will toe the rubber for Pensacola against Mobile southpaw David Holmberg (0-0, 0.00). First pitch from Hank Aaron Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday.
Story by Kevin Burke
Photos by Gary McCraken, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Slip Past Smokies 5-4
April 8, 2013
After two days of struggling at the dish, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos used a balanced attack in a 5-4 win over the Tennessee Smokies on Sunday afternoon in front of the fourth straight sellout crowd to start the 2013 campaign at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. It wasn’t without stress, however, as Tennessee had the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the ninth before Curtis Partch got Jonathan Mota to ground out to end the game.
The Wahoos broke out of their semi-dry spell by pounding 10 hits, highlighted by a three-run home run in the last of the sixth from Donald Lutz that put Pensacola up 5-2. It was Lutz’s second dinger of the year.
Pensacola jumped on top early in the first with a two-out, two-run double from Steve Selsky, scoring Ray Chang and Bryson Smith. Selsky was one of six Wahoos with at least one base knock in the ball game. Chang and Smith accrued three hits and two runs apiece to lead the Wahoos offense.
Ryan Dennick (1-0) picked up the win in his first start of the season. The left-hander, acquired from the Royals organization in the offseason, went 5 innings and yielded two runs on four hits. The only two tallies he gave up were in the third. With two outs, Jae-Hoon Ha walked and scored on a double by Justin Bour, who was then promptly brought home on an RBI single by Mota.
Tennessee added single runs in the eighth and ninth, but weren’t able to scratch across the tying run. Partch picked up his first save of the season by pitching the final two frames.
Smokies starter Kyle Hendricks (0-1) was handed the loss after giving up five runs on eight hits in five frames, including the Lutz blast.
With the Wahoos scoring five runs, fans can take advantage of Papa John’s special offer. All fans can get 50% off online orders tomorrow by going to papajohns.com and entering promo code: WAHOOS to redeem their offer.
The five-game series concludes tomorrow as Pensacola right-hander Daniel Renken battles with Tennessee righty Dae-Eun Rhee in the rubber game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. It is FSU day at the park with former Seminole kicker Graham Gano on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Story By Kevin Burke
File photo by Gary McCraken, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flag Football Tourney Benefits NWE Football, Cheerleading Programs
April 7, 2013
The Second Annual NWE Adult Flag Football Tournament was held Saturday at Ernest Ward Middle School. Proceeds from the event will benefit Northwest Escambia football and cheerleading this fall.
Pictured: Action Saturday morning at Ernest Ward Middle School during the Second Annual NWE Adult Flag Football Tournament. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.