Amid Blue Wahoos Extended Slide, Sellout Crowd Showcases Fan Experience On Last Fireworks Night 

The night’s loudest cheer Saturday from a sellout crowd happened when the fireworks show ended.

It’s why the Blue Wahoos have made their fan experience the priority during their 10-year history, far above the game outcome.

Despite the team’s fifth consecutive home loss against the Biloxi Shuckers -- a 4-1 setback where the Blue Wahoos had a bases-loaded, two-out situation in the ninth inning – it became a win as soon as the first set of rockets opened displays in the sky.

“When you are in a little bit of a slump like we are now, you can’t worry about that,” said team president Jonathan Griffin. “It has to be about the experience, the cockroach run, the fireworks, the groups, the fun things we do.”

The Blue Wahoos attracted capacity crowds (5,038) on Friday with Gallery Night happening downtown, area high school football going on, and Florida State football playing on national television. Saturday with college football going all day, the Blue Wahoos had group outings filling the outfield party decks and hundreds of kids participating in the sixth inning “Roach Run.”

This is the first time in the team’s 10 seasons that home games have happened in mid-September. This week has featured some of the best weather with clear skies and lower humidity in Pensacola since early May.

The teams close out the six-game, regular-season finale Sunday at Blue Wahoos Stadium with a 4:05 p.m. game. The Blue Wahoos will then have Monday off, before Game 1 of their Southern League divisional series against the Montgomery Biscuits.

“I think it just shows when we have pre-scheduled games and time to let people know about it, we can get a crowd,” Griffith said. “This is a great time of year to play baseball. Look at the weather.

“We have April and May which are great dates and now we have September which are great dates. Look how many groups we had out. It was like busting out the seams with a group outings. This is a great time to do it.”

With this schedule of September games now the future norm, Griffith said he’s learned some ideas to take into the homestand weeks that happened after area schools resume classes.

“I think it will end up breaking well for us,” he said. “I think with these school-night, weekday games we look at some fund raising partnerships,” he said. “We have almost the same schedule next year. Now, we have a full year to plan for it.”

On the field, it’s been a tough week.

The Shuckers won their ninth straight game Saturday by hitting three solo home runs of Blue Wahoos starter Cody Mincey, who was otherwise solid in his six-inning outing. Mincey walked only two batters, struck out six and allowed six hits. 6

But like the previous four games against Biloxi, the Blue Wahoos couldn’t light energy with their bats. They had just three hits Saturday, along with 16 strikeouts.

Marcus Chiu’s home run over the left field fence in the third inning was the Blue Wahoos’ lone run. But they had the bases loaded in the ninth when Demetrius Sims was called out on strikes to end the game. .

GAME NOTABLES

--- The final fireworks Saturday of the season was sponsored by the Highpointe Hotel Corporation, which has several properties in Pensacola. Highpointe had a 100-member group on the Pepsi Pirate Deck beyond the centerfield wall.

--- Among 15-plus groups was Sierra Nevada Corporation, which has a location in Fort Walton Beach, and had a 225-member contingent on the Winn-Dixie party deck.

--- Stephanie Leavens performed the National Anthem as well as God Bless America during the seventh-inning stretch.

--- Two youth baseball teams, Campfire Gulf Wind and Scott Hamond Baseball Memo Hustle, were recognized on the field before the game and ran out with Blue Wahoos starters during player introductions.

BLUE WAHOOS HOMESTAND FINALE

WHO: Biloxi Shuckers vs. Blue Wahoos

WHEN: Sunday, 4:05 p.m.

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium

TICKETS: Available online at www.bluewahoos.com. Or by visiting Blue Wahoos main box office at stadium, beginning Sunday at noon.

RADIO: ESPN-Pensacola (99.1 FM and 1330 AM and WYCT 98.7 HD4).

TV: MILB.tv (streaming) through www.milb.com/live-stream-games with subscription discount using BLUE WAHOOS.

PROMOTIONS: Family Sunday.. There will be special presentations in honor of the 10-year history of the franchise, along with children able to run the bases following the game and family toss in the outfield for 30 minutes after the game ends.