Fitterer Fantastic as Blue Wahoos Pitch Shutout against Smokies

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SL Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Fitterer Fantastic as Blue Wahoos Pitch Shutout against Smokies

April 24, 2025 - Southern League (SL)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release


Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Evan Fitterer
Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Evan Fitterer
(Pensacola Blue Wahoos)

Pensacola, Fla. - The Blue Wahoos broke out one-time uniforms Thursday night and a specialty theme.

What didn't change was the outstanding pitching and defense which has been the hallmark of this team's fast start.

With Evan Fitterer continuing superlative ways, some new players in pressure roles also shined as the Blue Wahoos blanked the Knoxville Smokies 3-0 on Pensacola Navy Days Night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

The game took only 2 hours and 11 minutes to complete, delighting a crowd of 4,023 on a Thursday normally reserved for the alternate identity as Pensacola Mullets and complete with various adult beverage specials.

In this case, the Blue Wahoos (13-5) wore brown, bomber-jacket design jerseys indicative of U.S. Navy pilots with a Navy Days logo on one sleeve, and commemorative patch on the other. The actual Navy Days in Pensacola will be May 9-11 when the team is on an extended road trip.

In his fourth start, the 24-year-old Fitterer set the narrative by going six innings, allowing just three hits and striking out six. In 86 pitches, an array of array of fastballs, sinkers, sliders and changeup, he threw 55 pitches for strikes.

"It was great," said Blue Wahoos catcher Spencer Bramwell, who made his first start and produced in a big way. "(Fitterer) was around the (strike) zone, he was attacking the plan, he was executing everything. He's a fun guy to catch, so it was a good time."

Bramwell, a California native like Fitterer, had a good time in his first start of the season. In the second inning, he blasted an opposite-field homer into the right field grass area below the Coors Deck. First at-bat, home run, which also became the only run the team needed.

"It felt great," he said, speaking to Blue Wahoos broadcaster Carter Bainbridge in the on-field interview. "I have been waiting for an opportunity to play, so I had to come out and show out. I got the pitch I was looking for and glad it worked out."

Beside that swing, Bramwell made a statement by throwing out two Smokies runners on back to back steal attempts in the second inning. The Smokies (9-8) didn't attempt another steal in the few other times they had a baserunner.

Fitterer faced just 21 batters - three above the minimum in his six innings of work. When he exited, relievers Nigel Belgrave and newcomer Jesse Bergin were equally impressive.

Belgrave pitched two flawless innings with two strikeouts and no hits. In the ninth, Bergin made his Double-A debut after joining the team Monday from the Beloit (Wisc.) Sky Carp, the Miami Marlins High-A affiliate.

Bergin topped 98 mph with his fastball, striking out two batters around a walk to end the game. He painted a fastball to cleanup hitter Haydn McGeary to end the game.

Josh Zamora, the Blue Wahoos star in Wednesday's walk-off win, drove in the second run Thursday with his one-out single that scored Kemp Alderman, who led off with a double.

Alderman followed in the seventh inning with a sacrifice fly to score Jared Serna, who walked, stole second, then stole third to continue the Blue Wahoos baserunning prowess. They lead the Southern League with 44 stolen bases.

The win was Pensacola's fourth in the last five games and provided a 2-1 series lead as the weekend trio of games await. Adam Laskey, who has an 0.79 earned run average, takes the mound Friday for the Blue Wahoos.

"We are close knit group," Bramwell said. "We're having fun, so as long as we keep having fun and doing the small things right, we're going to be successful."

GAME NOTABLES

--- The Blue Wahoos had a live auction Thursday for the game-worn jerseys. Team president Jonathan Griffith was the auctioneer.

--- A color guard from Naval Air Station-Pensacola presented the flags for the National Anthem. The singer was Sierra Brown, the chief air traffic controller on the base.

--- The Navy Days weekend (May 9-11) will take place outside Blue Wahoos Stadium at the Community Maritime Park and will be an open public festival to help honor the community's vast military connections will all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

--- Among the groups in attendance as a turnout of near 200 guests from the Escambia County Utilities Authority (ECUA), along with the Holley-Navarre Water Systems (68), the Pensacola Senior Softball Association, Farm Credit of Northwest Florida, and Charles Schwab local branch.

WANT TO GO?

WHO: Knoxville Smokies vs. Blue Wahoos

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium

WHEN: Friday Thru Sunday.

GAME TIMES: Friday and Saturday games all start at 6:05 p.m. The game on Sunday starts at 1:05 p.m.

PROMOTIONS: Friday is Giveaway Friday. This week, the giveaway item is a Blue Wahoos "Fanny Pack" to the first 1,000 fans sponsored by CPC Office Technologies. The Blue Wahoos will also be wearing their Pensacola Pok-Ta-Pok uniforms on this night.

Saturday is Fireworks Saturday, sponsored this time by Navy Federal and featuring a post-game display.

Sunday is Family Sunday with children ages 12-under able to run the bases following the game and families permitted to catch soft baseballs in the outfield for 30 minutes in promotion sponsored by WKRG-News 5. In addition, the first 100 retired or active military can receive a free standing room only ticket when visiting the stadium box office.

TV: The games on Friday and Saturday will be broadcast on BLAB-TV. Sunday's game will be available on YurView (Cox Communications subscribers only).

LIVESTREAM AUDIO: Listen to Blue Wahoos broadcast through www.bluewahoos.com/radio or the MILB App.

TICKETS: Available at www.bluewahoos.com or at the stadium box office which opens Friday at 10 a.m.

Check out the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Statistics




Images from this story

Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Evan Fitterer
Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitcher Evan Fitterer
   

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