AI-assisted summary The Pensacola Blue Wahoos hit four home runs in one inning, setting a new franchise record. The team leads the Double-A South Division with a 15-6 record and boasts the best record across all Double-A leagues. The Blue Wahoos are on a two-week road trip, starting with a series against the Birmingham Barons. […]
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos hit four home runs in one inning, setting a new franchise record.
The team leads the Double-A South Division with a 15-6 record and boasts the best record across all Double-A leagues.
The Blue Wahoos are on a two-week road trip, starting with a series against the Birmingham Barons.
Pensacola’s strong pitching has been key to their success, allowing three or fewer runs in most games.
The Blue Wahoos set a pair of franchise home run records in one inning during their past homestand.
How appropriate that it happened on a fireworks night.
Three consecutive Blue Wahoos batters – Jake Thompson, Kemp Alderman and Nathan Martorella – blasted consecutive solo homers in the first back-to-back-to-back trifecta in club history during April 26’s 6-3 win against the Knoxville Smokies. Second baseman Johnny Olmstead followed with a two-run homer that became the first time Pensacola clouted four homers in the same inning.
“As they say, hitting is contagious, and when you watch the guys go up there and do it in front of you, it makes you feel a little easier and you want to follow suit,” Omstead said. “So, I had to go up there and see a good pitch, and it went out.”
After that power display, the Blue Wahoos (15-6) had their customary Saturday launch of post-game fireworks that completed the night for a sellout crowd of 5,038 fans. The team has generated capacity crowds in six of their 15 home games so far this season.
“We got the best fan base in minor league baseball, so let’s keep it rolling,” Olmstead said.
The Blue Wahoos now hit the road for two weeks hoping to do that.
The Blue Wahoos entered this week with the best record across all three Double-A leagues (30 teams) and have a three-game lead over Montgomery in the Southern League South Division.
In their 21 games so far in April, the Blue Wahoos have not had a blowout loss. The Blue Wahoos gave up seven runs in the third inning of April 27’s series finale against the Smokies, the Chicago Cubs affiliate, but cut the deficit to 7-4 and had the potential tying run at the plate in the three of the last four innings.
The team’s success has been directly tied to quality pitching. The Blue Wahoos have allowed three or less runs in 15 of their 21 games.
LOOK BACK
The Blue Wahoos won four consecutive games after dropping the series opener last week against the Smokies to keep a string of series wins. They have won all four series in April.
Last week’s recap:
TUESDAY, APRIL 22: Knoxville 2, Blue Wahoos 1 – The Smokies broke a tie game without a hit in the eighth inning and held on for the win. It became a frustrating night for the Blue Wahoos. They had runners in scoring position in five of the final six innings, but could not get a clutch hit. They were 1-for-9 in the game in that scenario.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23: Blue Wahoos, 4, Smokies 3 – Josh Zamora’s bases-loaded hit gave their Blue Wahoos their first walk-off win. The Blue Wahoos led 3-0 with two outs in the ninth when Knoxville’s Pablo Aliendo blasted a game-tying home run. But the Blue Wahoos got a terrific relief performance in the 10th inning from Dale Stanavich, who stranded runners in scoring position with one out.
THURSDAY, APRIL 24: Blue Wahoos 3, Smokies 0 – Evan Fitterer set the narrative by going six innings, allowing just three hits and striking out six batters in shutout win. In his first start this season, catcher Spencer Bramwell homered and threw out two base-stealers.
FRIDAY, APRIL 25: Blue Wahoos 4, Smokies 2 – Adam Laskey earned his first win after working five strong innings before a capacity crowd of 5,038 fans. Laskey’s outing lowered his earned run average to 0.55 in four starts. Johnny Olmstead hit a two-run homer and Jake Thompson reached base all four times.
SATURDAY, APRIL 26: Blue Wahoos 6, Smokies 3 – In addition to the homer barrage in the third inning, Dale Stanovich delivered clutch relief to preserve the win. After an injury forced him into the game, his second appearance in three days, he struck a batter with two on-base and two outs in the sixth inning. He faced another jam in the seventh with two on, one out and struck out two batters.
SUNDAY, APRIL 27: Smokies 7, Blue Wahoos 4 – A rough outing for Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Luis Palacios, who was rocked in the third inning for the seven runs. Blue Wahoos relievers, however, did not allow another hit until the ninth, giving the team chances at the plate.
THIS WEEK
The Barons were touted by Baseball America before the season as the No. 6 most talented team across all levels of Minor League baseball.
It is led by left-hander Noah Schultz, the top prospect in the organization and ranked No. 15 overall across Minor League Baseball by MLB Pipeline. Schultz was the White Sox No. 1 pick in 2022 out of high school in Oswego, Illinois. He’s made four starts this season, giving up seven earned runs in 17 innings.
The No. 3 prospect is left-hander Hagen Smith, who will be on the mound on April 29 to face the Blue Wahoos. Smith is a former collegiate standout with the Arkansas Razorbacks. The 6-foot-3 Smith was the White Sox No. 1 draft pick in 2024 and so far he’s exceeded expectations.
Smith has made four starts this season with a 2.63 ERA in 13 2/3 innings. The big stat, however, is that he’s struck out 25 batters. He’s rated as the No. 2 left-handed pitching prospect by MLB Pipeline, the White Sox No. 3 overall prospect and No. 8 pitching prospect across all levels of Minor League Baseball.
Three more pitchers are rated among the White Sox Top 30 prospects with Grant Taylor (No. 18), Wikelman Gonzalez (No.20) and Peyton Pullette (No. 22).
Infielder William Bergolla Jr., the No. 30 rated prospect in the organization, has 11 stolen bases. Infielder-outfielder Rikuu Nishida is 10-for-10 on steal attempts.
NOTEWORTHY
–Pensacola’s extensive history with organized, professional baseball goes all the way back to the late 1800s. That legacy inspired the “Hometown Heritage Collection” an idea formulated by team owner Quint Studer. The throwback uniform jerseys from many of Pensacola’s previous minor league are available for purchase in the Go-Teez Bait and Tackle Team Store, located at the stadium. The store is open week-days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on non-game weeks.
“It’s very nostalgic and for me, it’s also been nice to learn the names of these teams and the history of baseball in this area,” said Hannah Gardner, the Blue Wahoos merchandise manager, who arranged for the design and production of the apparel.
–The Blue Wahoos’ Kazoo Reading Program had its third pregame parade Sunday of approximately 250 elementary school children and parents on the field. The children completed a reading program at their respective schools and received a free ticket and on-field parade.
WANT TO FOLLOW?
WHO: Blue Wahoos vs. Birmingham Barons
WHERE: Regions Field, Birmingham, Ala.
WHEN: Tuesday (April 29) through Sunday (May 4).
GAMETIMES: Tuesday’s gamestarts at 6 p.m., Wednesday’s game is a special 11 a.m. start; Thursday and Friday games start at 7 p.m.. Saturday’s game is at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday’s game starts at 4 p.m.
LIVESTREAM AUDIO: You can listen to the Blue Wahoos broadcast with Erik Bremer’s call of the game through www.bluewahoos.com/radio or the MILB App.
LIVESTREAM VIDEO: Available on MiLB.TV (subscription required).
LOOK AHEAD: The Blue Wahoos follow this road trip with another on May 6-11 against Biloxi Shuckers.
NEXT HOMESTAND: Begins on May 13 vs. Rocket City Trash Pandas.
TICKETS: Available at www.bluewahoos.com or at the stadium box office which opens Sunday at 10 a.m.
Bill Vilona is a retired Pensacola News Journal sports columnist and now senior writer for Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He can be reached at bvilona@bluewahoos.com
AUSTIN, Texas – Shelby Frank was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America team Tuesday afternoon, the organization announced. Frank was named to the Third Team. The full list of honorees can be found HERE. Frank won the hammer and discus at the Big 12 outdoor meet and went on to set new […]
AUSTIN, Texas – Shelby Frank was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America team Tuesday afternoon, the organization announced. Frank was named to the Third Team.
The full list of honorees can be found HERE.
Frank won the hammer and discus at the Big 12 outdoor meet and went on to set new personal bests in the hammer and discus at the NCAA Championships. Frank placed second in the hammer and third in the discus. Overall, the North Dakota native scored 14 of Tech’s 22 points at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Frank completed the semester boasting a 4.0 GPA towards her graduate certificate in Health and Human Sciences in Education and Training.
Quartet from Baseball selected on second day of MLB Draft
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AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Longhorns Jared Spencer, Jalin Flores, Rylan Galvan and Grayson Saunier were taken on the second and final day of the 2025 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Monday. They joined Competitive Balance Round B selection Max Belyeu (Rockies), as the Longhorns have had at least […]
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Longhorns Jared Spencer, Jalin Flores, Rylan Galvan and Grayson Saunier were taken on the second and final day of the 2025 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Monday.
They joined Competitive Balance Round B selection Max Belyeu (Rockies), as the Longhorns have had at least five players picked in four of the last five years.
Spencer and Flores both heard their names called in the 11th round. Spencer was chosen 322nd overall by the Toronto Blue Jays and Flores was drafted 330th overall by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Meanwhile, Galvan was nabbed in the 13th round (No. 376 overall) by the Chicago White Sox and Saunier was selected in the 17th round (No. 516) by the Houston Astros.
A hard-throwing left-hander, Spencer made his presence felt in his lone year as a Longhorn.
Following three seasons at Indiana State, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound hurler totaled a 4-1 mark and a 3.27 ERA across 10 starts in burnt orange. Spencer tallied 66 strikeouts over 52 1/3 innings, holding opposing batters to a .215 average.
The Centreville, Mich., native missed the final six weeks of the season after suffering a shoulder injury.
One of the greatest power hitters to step foot on the Forty Acres, Flores mounted a .270 average with 35 home runs and 133 RBI in three years at Texas.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound infielder slugged the fifth-most homers in program history, including a co-team-best 18 blasts as part of an All-American caliber campaign in 2024.
As a sophomore, Flores paced the Longhorns in doubles (22), RBI (56) and hit by pitches (10), while also tying for the club lead in total bases (158) and multi-hit games (26).
A 6-foot, 215-pound catcher, Galvan flexed his prowess at the plate to cap off his collegiate career.
During a banner season, the Third Team All-American posted a .296/.452/.613 slash line and led Texas in seven offensive categories, highlighted by his 1.065 OPS.
Galvan — who also garnered All-SEC First Team accolades — smacked a team-best 15 home runs, which marked the most by a Texas backstop since Chris Abbe in 1992.
Over his 143-game career, Galvan batted .279 with 27 home runs and 103 RBI.
After two years at Ole Miss, Saunier emerged as a go-to reliever in his first campaign in Austin.
The 6-foot-4, 222-pound right-hander notched a 2-0 record with a 3.86 ERA and one save across 12 appearances.
In SEC play, Saunier registered a 0.99 WHIP and held opposing hitters to a .188 average.
FloSports and Northwest Conference enter exclusive media rights agreement
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FloSports and the Northwest Conference have entered into an exclusive five-year media rights agreement that will begin in the fall of 2025, bringing all nine colleges and universities to the FloCollege platform. Through the agreement, FloSports will provide a global platform to live stream over 800 regular-season and postseason events annually. The partnership further reinforces FloSports commitment to Division III […]
FloSports and the Northwest Conference have entered into an exclusive five-year media rights agreement that will begin in the fall of 2025, bringing all nine colleges and universities to the FloCollege platform.
Through the agreement, FloSports will provide a global platform to live stream over 800 regular-season and postseason events annually. The partnership further reinforces FloSports commitment to Division III athletics – adding a ninth conference to the portfolio, bringing the total to 18 conferences across all NCAA levels in the fall.
“Partnering with FloSports marks an exciting step forward for the Northwest Conference as we expand our reach and elevate the visibility of our student-athletes,” said NWC Commissioner Shana Levine. “This collaboration allows us to share compelling stories that reflect our core values of academic centrality, unity, and competitive excellence – while ensuring the NWC is well-prepared for the ever-evolving landscape of college athletics.”
FloCollege will deliver live and on-demand coverage for the NWC full sports calendar across 12 different sports. Beyond live competition, FloSports will also invest in original content and storytelling initiatives online and across social media aimed at elevating the profile of NWC student-athletes and institutions. The NWC joins several of its regular non-conference opponents in partnering with FloSports, the industry leader and primary media rights partner for Division III conferences.
Michael Levy, FloSports SVP of Global Rights & Acquisition, added, “The NWC represents a diverse grouping of institutions in the Pacific Northwest that will benefit from exposure on a national platform like FloCollege. We’re excited to elevate exposure for these schools and their athletes, while investing in their ability to produce high-quality events.”
FloSports’ investment in college sports goes to support rights fees, production, content, product technology, and marketing. The direct investment helps member institutions elevate the student-athlete experience, program visibility, and viewer experience across all sports.
FloCollege is available via web, mobile apps (iOS and Android), and streaming platforms including Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. The FloSports app will be pre-installed on most top-selling Smart TVs in the U.S. this year, making it easier than ever for fans to watch. Subscription options include both monthly and annual plans, with special pricing available to users with a .edu email address. For more information, visit www.FloCollege.com.
About FloSports
Founded in 2006, FloSports is a global sports media company delivering live and on-demand event coverage, award winning original content, always-on social experiences, and comprehensive sports data solutions to passionate and underserved sports fans. Its portfolio covers more than 25 different sports categories and includes the top destinations for avid fans seeking unmatched coverage for the sports they love: motorsports (FloRacing), hockey (FloHockey), wrestling (FloWrestling), Jiu-Jitsu (FloGrappling), Track & Field (FloTrack and MileSplit), cheer (FloCheer and Varsity), a variety of NCAA sports (FloCollege), and more. Strategic partnerships with NASCAR, USA Wrestling, High Limit Racing, Varsity Spirit, the American Hockey League (AHL), Wanda Diamond League, Tour de France, 18 NCAA Conferences, and others, fuel more than 40,000 live events streamed annually across the globe and accessed via monthly or annual subscriptions. For more information, please visit: flosports.tv.
Benefits of FloSports
● It is increasingly critical for NCAA programs to provide their athletes and fans professional media support to remain competitive, and FloSports enables these programs to achieve that goal.
● FloSports provides multi-platform coverage of partner athletic programs through live and on-demand games as well as original content online and across social media platforms, elevating their profiles and increasing their reach across the globe.
● Funding challenges for DIII athletic departments often mean limited resources are available for sports broadcasts. By partnering with FloSports, institutions receive annual investments, enabling institutions to build their broadcast capabilities and make other investments in the student-athlete experience.
● Flosports will bring consistency to Northwest Conference (NWC) viewers, allowing them to use the same platform to watch home, most away games, and conference tournaments.
FAQ
Q. What is FloSports?
A. FloSports is a global sports media company delivering over 40,000 live events, award-winning original content, social experiences, and comprehensive sports data solutions to passionate and underserved sports communities interested in more than 25 different sports including motorsports, wrestling, grappling, hockey, cheer, track & field, NCAA athletics, and more.
Q. Why are we partnering with FloSports?
A. FloSports provides a comprehensive media solution to the NWC with livestreaming, social and editorial content, along with marketing and promotional support. The NWC will join 15 other national conferences across DI, DII, DIII on the FloCollege platform. This partnership will build the profile of our programs and athletes. Their commitment to quality, storytelling, and innovation aligns with our goals and those of the NWC. They are making a long-term investment in our programs, elevating visibility and production.
Q. Why is now the right time to partner with FloSports?
A. In the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics, this partnership will build on the strengths of the NWC, increase visibility of its programs, and ensure that the conference and its member institutions are well-positioned to deliver the best possible experience to our student-athletes and spectators for years to come.
Q. How much does a FloSports subscription cost?
A. There are two ways to subscribe to FloSports – monthly or annually. A monthly subscription costs $19.99/month, while an annual subscription costs $107.88 for the year – which breaks down to $8.99/month. Individuals with a NWC member institution’s .edu email address can sign up for a discounted subscription price of $9.99/month or an annual subscription of $71.88 per year – which breaks down to $5.99/month. The subscription also provides access to the entire FloSports library of 40,000 events across 25 different sports.
Q. Will games and highlights be available for non-subscribers?
A. There will be highlights and original content available for free across the FloCollege social media channels. Full games will be available 24-Hours after airing.
Q. What changes can I expect to see as a result of the partnership with FloSports?
A. The agreement enables improved broadcast as standards improve over the term of the agreement. Ultimately, this agreement will enable NWC schools to invest in campus-specific needs to enhance the student-athlete experience.
Three Tigers Named PVCA All-State Volleyball Players
Three Tigers Named PVCA All-State Volleyball Players Posted on: July 15th, 2025 by Jonathan Spina By: Jared Barton North Allegheny boys’ volleyball had three players named to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association All-State Team on Monday. Junior Will Robertson earned first-team laurels, while senior Matthew LaMay was named to the second team and junior Peter Bratich […]
Three Tigers Named PVCA All-State Volleyball Players
By: Jared Barton
North Allegheny boys’ volleyball had three players named to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association All-State Team on Monday. Junior Will Robertson earned first-team laurels, while senior Matthew LaMay was named to the second team and junior Peter Bratich garnered a spot on the honorable mention team.
This is the second all-state accolade for Robertson, who is fresh off being named Post-Gazette Player of the Year last month. He had a team-leading 260 kills in the 2025 campaign. He also notched 44 blocks, 263 digs, and 23 aces. He carries a career statline of 762 kills, 111 blocks, 584 digs and 68 aces. Robertson was a first-team all-section and WPIAL all-star for the second time in his career as well.
LaMay led the Tigers with 49 aces while registering 152 kills and 178 digs in 2025. Bratich accumulated 158 kills, 14 aces, 41 assists, 11 blocks and 55 block assists. Both players were also named to the All-WPIAL and All-Section teams earlier this season.
The full PVCA All-State Rosters can be found here.
AUSTIN, Texas — Central Michigan Cross Country and Track & Field’s Emily Paupore has been named Academic All-America Second Team by College Sports Communicators (CSC) Tuesday. Paupore earned an 11th-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2025 NCAA I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in June to claim her first All-America title in […]
AUSTIN, Texas — Central Michigan Cross Country and Track & Field’s Emily Paupore has been named Academic All-America Second Team by College Sports Communicators (CSC) Tuesday.
Paupore earned an 11th-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2025 NCAA I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in June to claim her first All-America title in competition as a second-teamer.
The national performance was preceded by three Mid-American Conference Championships between the outdoor (steeplechase, 5,000m) and indoor (5000m) seasons and an all-region performance in NCAA Cross Country during academic year 2024-25.
A fifth-year senior from Negaunee, Mich., Paupore graduated with a bachelor’s in education (Pre-K through 6th) with a 3.91 grade-point average. She is one of 45 NCAA I student-athletes to be named to one of CSC’s three Academic All-America teams, ranking in the top 20 of the group by GPA.
Paupore is the second in program history to earn Academic All-America status from CSC, Kary Tomaw’s 1997 third-team nod standing as the first. Last year, CMU Wrestling’s Alex Cramer ended a five-year drought for the Chippewas as a whole in the category—CMU Women’s Basketball’s Reyna Frost was the previous (2019).
The AHSAA’s most unbreakable volleyball records; Our picks, your votes
AL.com is continuing its series of highlighting some of the most unbreakable records in AHSAA history, highlighting some historic numbers in volleyball for this week’s poll. As always, fans will have the opportunity to make their voices heard. In last week’s boys basketball poll, fans chose former Crossville star Cale Black’s record-setting mark of 514 […]
AL.com is continuing its series of highlighting some of the most unbreakable records in AHSAA history, highlighting some historic numbers in volleyball for this week’s poll.
As always, fans will have the opportunity to make their voices heard.
In last week’s boys basketball poll, fans chose former Crossville star Cale Black’s record-setting mark of 514 3-point baskets in the 1989-90 season as the least likely to be broken.
Voting for this week will close Thursday night. Cast yours at the poll below.
Here are some of our picks for the most unbreakable records in AHSAA volleyball history:
Consecutive state championships
21: Bayside Academy, 2002-22
One of the most dominant runs of success in high school sports history, the Admirals’ streak of 21 straight titles hasn’t even been close to being touched; Addison (2013-18) and Huntsville (2002-07) have six straight titles, which tie for second in the rankings. The program also leads all others with 31 state championships in its history, with McGill-Toolen ranking second with 23 and St. Paul’s third with 16.
Career kills
4,019: Kryssi Daniels, Curry (2010-11) and Winston County (2006-09)
She is the only player in AHSAA history with over 4,000 career kills, achieving a career-high mark of 855 in the 2010 season. The 2010 Gatorade Alabama Volleyball Player of the Year holds four of the top 18 spots on the single-season kills leaderboard. Ranking second behind Daniels is former Hazel Green star Gracie Lynn Butler. The five-time all-state selection also ranks third in career service aces (710) and career digs (2,936) and went on to have a collegiate career at Alabama.
Blocks in a season
584: Whitney Sanders, Winston County, 2003
This record has remained untouched for over 20 years, with Sanders being the only player in the record book to log over 400 blocks in a single season. Ranking second is former Bayside Academy standout Caroline Gill, who had 259 in 2006. Sanders also ranks third in AHSAA history for most kills in a single match with 44 in the 2002 season.
Career service aces
914: Sadie Beam, Addison, 2008-10
The former Addison star and two-time state champion was a key part of her program’s dominant run of success during her time at the high school ranks. She is the only player with 900 career service aces in the record book, with fellow Addison standout Danna Stallings ranking second with 732 in the 1992-97 seasons. Beam went on to play at West Alabama, where she spent four seasons and logged 95 service aces.
Service aces in a set
19: Lily Moss, Horseshoe Bend (3) vs. LaFayette (0), 2023
This area tournament matchup also saw Moss notch the AHSAA record for most points served in a set, with the Horseshoe Bend standout serving all 25 points in a 25-0 first set. She finished with 23 service aces in the 3-0 victory, which ranks third in AHSAA history. Moss will be playing for the South softball team for AHSAA North-South all-star week.
Consecutive victories (All matches)
115: Addison, 2004-06
One of the most successful volleyball programs in Alabama, Addison’s mark that spans across three seasons has been left untouched for almost 20 years. Bayside Academy’s run of 61 straight wins ranks second, while Hoover ranks third with 55 straight wins from 2020-21.
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