Blue Wahoos, Barons Rained Out In Birmingham
June 16, 2024
Saturday’s game between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Birmingham Barons at Regions Field was postponed due to rain.
The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Sunday, June 16. The first pitch of game one will begin at 2:00 p.m. CT, with another game to follow approximately 30 minutes after the first game ends. Both contests will be seven innings.
The Blue Wahoos return home Tuesday for a six-game series against the Chattanooga Lookouts, Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.
Blue Wahoos Fall 6-3 To Barons
June 15, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos slipped out of first place on Friday night, dropping game four of their series 6-3 to the Birmingham Barons.
After a 14-3 Montgomery Biscuits win over the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Blue Wahoos trail the Biscuits by 0.5 games in the first half South Division race with eight games to play.
M.D. Johnson (L, 2-4) allowed a season-high six runs over 5.0 innings, starting with a two-run homer to slugger Edgar Quero in the first inning. The Barons added four more in the third, highlighted by a two-run double from Tim Elko, to take an early 6-0 lead.
Birmingham starter Mason Adams (W, 5-3) stayed out of trouble until the fifth, when Cody Morissette hit a two-run homer and Paul McIntosh added an RBI single to cut the deficit to 6-3.
The Blue Wahoos loaded the bases in the sixth, but reliever Jake Palisch retired Harrison Spohn on a groundout as the potential go-ahead run to end the threat. Eric Adler (S, 3) served up loud contact in the ninth, but locked down the save to even up the six-game series at two games apiece.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Saturday. First pitch from Regions Field is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
McIntosh, Berry Lead Wahoos Into First Place With 7-1 Win
June 14, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Birmingham Barons 7-1 on Thursday night, moving into first place in the South Division of the Southern League with nine games to play in the first half.
Paul McIntosh broke a scoreless tie with a sixth-inning home run, his second in as many games, against former teammate Jake Eder (L, 2-3). Jacob Berry provided insurance with a three-run double in the eighth to support a four-man pitching effort that limited the Barons to just one run on three hits.
After a 6-1 win for the Chattanooga Lookouts over the Montgomery Biscuits, the Blue Wahoos lead the Biscuits by 0.5 games in the first half South Division race.
Making his first professional start since 2021, Pensacola’s Adam Laskey was outstanding with 4.2 innings of scoreless, two-hit ball. Eder matched him zero for zero, setting a new season high with 10 strikeouts until McIntosh put the Blue Wahoos ahead 1-0 with a line drive homer in the top of the sixth.
Reliever Chandler Jozwiak (W, 2-3) snuffed out a Birmingham rally in the sixth, and the Blue Wahoos added on in the eighth with an RBI single from Joe Mack and a three-run double from Berry. Jakob Marsee notched an RBI double of his own in the ninth, providing more cushion for Pensacola relievers Raffi Vizcaíno and Dale Stanavich to complete the three-hitter.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Friday. First pitch from Regions Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Late Rally Not Enough As Wahoos Fall 4-3 To Barons
June 13, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos saw their five-game winning streak come to an end on Wednesday afternoon, falling 4-3 to the Birmingham Barons.
The Blue Wahoos didn’t manage a baserunner from the third inning until the ninth, as Barons starter Tyler Schweitzer (W, 1-0) was dominant in his Double-A debut. Paul McIntosh drew Pensacola to within a run with a ninth-inning two-run homer, but Jacob Berry’s double was left aboard as the late rally came up short.
Pending the results of Wednesday night’s game between the Montgomery Biscuits and Chattanooga Lookouts, the Blue Wahoos are tied with the Biscuits in the first half South Division race with 10 games to play.
The Blue Wahoos strung together singles from Berry and Nathan Martorella in the second inning to mount a rally. Though they didn’t cash in with a run-scoring hit, Berry crossed the plate on a wild pitch to take a 1-0 lead.
Evan Fitterer worked in and out of trouble in his start for the Blue Wahoos, tying a career high with nine strikeouts over 5.0 solid innings. The Barons left six men in scoring position against Fitterer, who allowed an RBI double to Jacob Gonzalez in the fifth and departed in a 1-1 tie game.
Zach McCambley (L, 0-1) worked a perfect sixth inning of relief, but ran into trouble in the seventh. Two leadoff walks started the inning, and a McIntosh passed ball allowed Alsander Womack to score the go-ahead run. RBI singles from Gonzalez and Brooks Baldwin gave Birmingham a 4-1 lead.
McIntosh homered in the ninth to mark Pensacola’s first hit since the second inning. Berry followed with a one-out double, but Eric Adler (S, 2) retired both Martorella and Cody Morissette with the tying run at second to finish off Birmingham’s 4-3 victory.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Thursday. First pitch from Regions Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Tate Lady Aggies Present $25K From Strike Out Cancer Game, Surpassing $200,000 For The Fight Against Cancer
June 12, 2024
The Tate Lady Aggies softball team presented a check for over $25,000 to the American Cancer Society on Tuesday.
The Lady Aggies, along with the West Florida Lady Jaguars, raised the $25,185.28 during the 2024 Strike Out Cancer Game hosted by Tate last spring.
For a Strike Out Cancer photo gallery fro April 2024, click here.
The first year, they raised $2,550 and didn’t know if they would ever beat that mark.
Now 14 years later, the game has now raised over $200,000 for cancer awareness and research.
Also Tuesday, the Lady Aggies took on Navarre in summer softball action. Click here for more.
Submitted and NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Splits Summer Baseball Double Header With Pace
June 12, 2024
The Tate Aggies B team split a summer baseball double header with the Pace Patriots Tuesday afternoon at Tate.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pace 9, Tate 3
In game one, Pace topped Tate 9-3.
Mason Williams started for the Aggies. He surrendered two hits and two runs while striking out two and walking one.
Beau Bryant, Kannon Ham, Cade McNair, and Elijah Willbanks each had one hit for Tate. Bryant, McNair and Willbanks each had one run for the Aggies.
Tate 4, Pace 1
In game two, the Aggies claimed the win 4-1 over the Patriots.
Cade Mcnair stated on the mound for the Aggies, giving up no hits and no runs in two innings, striking out one and walking one. In relief, Ethan Priest, Eliah Willbanks and Bryson Addams each tossed shutout innings for the Aggies.
Kannon Ham went 1-2 at the plate for the Aggies, and Cooper Halfacre added a hit.
Up next, te Tate Aggies A and B summer teams will host West Florida on Wednesday.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photos: Tate Takes On Navarre In Summer Softball
June 12, 2024
The Tate Lady Aggies took on Navarre Tuesday afternoon in summer softball action.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Lady Aggies presented over $25,000 to the American Cancer Society from their spring Strike Out Cancer Game. Click here for details and photos.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Mack Homers Again As Wahoos Beat Barons in Fifth Straight Win
June 12, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
Joe Mack stayed hot, hitting his seventh homer in his past 12 days, and the Pensacola Blue Wahoos opened an important road series against the Birmingham Barons with a 3-1 win on Tuesday night.
Mack hit a two-run blast in the first inning against Jairo Iriarte (L, 2-4), setting the tone for a night in which the Blue Wahoos kept the high-powered Birmingham offense at bay. Luis Palacios (W, 3-4) led a strong Pensacola pitching effort with 6.0 innings, allowing just an unearned run.
Pending the results of a late game between the Biscuits and Lookouts in Chattanooga, the Blue Wahoos are tied with the Biscuits in the first half South Division race with 11 games to play.
Mack, who homered in four straight games last Wednesday through Saturday, handed the Blue Wahoos a lead they would carry the rest of the night with his ninth long ball of the season. After two Pensacola errors gave the Barons a run in the sixth, the Blue Wahoos got insurance in the seventh with a bases-loaded walk to take a 3-1 lead.
Patrick Murphy contributed 2.0 hitless innings of relief before Raffi Vizcaíno (S, 5) worked a perfect ninth for the save.
The five-game winning streak matches Pensacola’s longest of the season, and puts them at 32-25 to match their season-high at seven games above .500.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons with a matinee on Wednesday. First pitch from Regions Field is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
Tate Aggies To Host Three-Day Baseball Camp
June 10, 2024
The Tate High Aggies will host a Baseball Summer Camp June 26-28.
The camp for ages 7-14 will take place each day from 8 a.m. until noon at the Tate Baseball Complex.
The camp will cover all of the fundamentals of baseball including throwing, hitting, fielding and base running. Team fundamentals will also be covered, including bunt defenses, pop up priority, cuts and relays.
Incoming ninth graders do not qualify.
The cost is $100 per child by cash or check payable to the Tate Baseball Booster Club. The Sign up form (click here) and payments are due the morning of June 26.
Blue Wahoos Produce Walkoff Magic To Win Series Against M-Braves, Close Gap In Division Race
June 10, 2024
written by Bill Vilona
The Blue Wahoos’ last walk-off win happened on May 9.
Sunday, of course, was June 9. A little numerology worked perfectly in their favor.
After having a 3-run lead evaporate in the eighth inning, then trailing 7-6 in the 10th, the Blue Wahoos got a pair of run-scoring singles, highlighted by Cody Morissette’s two-out, liner through the right side gap to produce a crowd-roaring 8-7 win against the Mississippi Braves, thus taking the series on four consecutive victories.
This one, however, was the biggest. It delighted a crowd of 4,444 on Military Family Sunday that featured a festive scene afterward with players and their families on the field, joined by children from the stands running the bases as part of the day’s promotion.
With the Montgomery Biscuits losing Sunday to the Biloxi Shuckers, the Blue Wahoos are now a half-game back in the first half Southern League divisional race with two weeks remaining. The Blue Wahoos will begin a road trip Tuesday against the Birmingham Barons.
“We just got to keep battling,” said Morissette, following the win and the ice bath dousing by teammates during an infield celebration. “We’re excited to try and win this first half, that’s the biggest part.”
In addition to his game-deciding hit heroics, Morissette also played a big role in the Blue Wahoos’ five-run rally in the sixth inning that changed the game.
The M-Braves led 3-1 after their starting pitcher, David Fletcher, a reinvented knuckleball thrower from his former Major League Baseball career as an infielder, kept frustrating the Blue Wahoos with his array of darting knucklers.
But after Bennett Hostetler led off that inning with a home run off a Fletcher floater, Zach Zubia followed one out later with a blast of his own to make it a tie game. Jake Thompson then doubled and Fletcher was lifted for a reliever.
With one out, Morissette’s hustle beat out a double-play that would have ended the inning. That effort was huge.
Harrison Spohn then followed with a two-run triple. Tanner Allen padded the lead with a RBI single.
Leading 6-3 with two outs in the top of the eighth, the Blue Wahoos appeared set to close out a win, just as they have in 25 of 26 previous games when leading in the eighth.
The M-Braves tied the game with a pair of home runs, the latter a two-run shot by Javier Valdes, their No. 9 hitter.
Blue Wahoos closer Austin Roberts was summoned to begin the ninth and he struck out the side. In the 10th, placement runner Keyshawn Ogans moved from second to third on a ground out. He scored on a sacrifice fly to give the M-Braves the lead.
With fans tossing a “Rally Fish” in the stands, the mojo worked on this day.
Joe Mack scored Hostetler, the placement runner, from second base with his single. Zubia walked. M-Braves reliever Rolddy Muñoz then struck out the next two batters.
But on a 2-0 pitch, Morissette made perfect contact to win the game.
“I was trying to put the ball in play,” said Morissette, in the post-game interview with Blue Wahoos broadcaster Carter Bainbridge. “Muñoz is a good pitcher. We battled all day. I was just trying to put the ball in play. It found a hole and we ended up scoring.”
Roberts (3-1) earned the win for his relief role and had a save earlier in the series. The Blue Wahoos used five pitchers, beginning with Chandler Jozwiak, who pitched two hitless innings. Jake Thompson went 3-for-5 as part of the Blue Wahoos’ 12-hit attack.
GAME NOTABLES
— After dropping the first two games of the series, the Blue Wahoos followed with four straight wins, three of those by one run, the other a 3-1 win Friday.
— The Blue Wahoos will end the first half of their schedule at home against the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Cincinnati Reds affiliate, in a series June 18-23.
— There were five different youth baseball teams from across the Northwest Florida and Baldwin County, Alabama, participating in on-field recognition and having the players run out with Blue Wahoos players during pregame introductions.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Blue Wahoos vs. Birmingham Barons
WHERE: Regions Field, Birmingham. Alabama.