Fulton Fantastic, But Bats Kept Quiet in Wahoos' Fifth Straight Loss
Published on May 24, 2025 under Southern League (SL)
Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release
Pensacola Blue Wahoos' Dax Fulton
(Pensacola Blue Wahoos)
Pensacola, Fla.- The showcase pitching matchup between touted prospects exceeded expectations.
But game itself continued the Blue Wahoos struggling week-long narrative.
Unable to seize a first-inning opportunity, then held to just two hits, the Blue Wahoos fell 2-0 against the Birmingham Barons for a fifth consecutive loss, before a customary sellout crowd of 5,038 Saturday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
It was the first Saturday night home loss this season on Fireworks Saturday.
But the night contained a wide variety of crowd-buzzing entertainment elements, beginning with Star Wars Night featuring 17 authentic costumed Star Wars characters who posed for pictures and visited with fans along the second-level concourse. The Blue Wahoos wore Star Wars jerseys auctioned during the game.
The other activities included a pregame parade of youth scouts from the Northwest Florida Chapter of Scouting America, a mid-game salute to an area nurse, then a post-game marriage proposal from a U.S. Marine Corps member moments before the two launched the post-game fireworks show sponsored by Pepsi.
The massive crowd witnessed two of baseball's former acclaimed high school pitchers, lefthanders Dax Fulton for the Blue Wahoos and 6-foot-10 Noah Schultz for the Barons - now a few years into pro careers - produce a duel of zeroes.
The Barons (24-18), leaders in the Southern League North Division, manufactured an unearned, first-inning run, which proved all they would need.
Schultz, the Chicago White Sox No. 1 prospect, rated the No. 15 overall prospect in Minor League Baseball by MLB Pipeline, had his best start this season. He was Chicago's top draft pick in 2022 out of high school in Oswego, Illinois.
On this night, he went five innings, allowed just one hit, struck out four and walked three batters.
Two of those walks were back-to-back to begin the Blue Wahoos' first inning. But Schultz then got Nathan Martorella to hit into a double play and got cleanup hitter Kemp Alderman out on a grounder to first.
Fulton, meanwhile, followed his last quality start with another. After giving up consecutive singles to start the game, he never faced another threat, and went six innings for the first time this season.
He finished allowing eight hits, all singles, no walks, struck out seven and left trailing 1-0. It further supported his strong comeback after missing all of last season from elbow surgery and most of the 2023 season when arm issues developed.
The Blue Wahoos (23-21), who have lost 12 of their past 16 games, had another chance against Schultz in the fourth inning when Alderman singled with one out and Zamora walked. That hit was the only one Schultz allowed.
But Schultz struck out Mark Coley II and got Johnny Olmstead to ground out to end the inning.
The Barons used three relievers behind Schultz. They combined to give up just one hit, no walks and struck out eight batters. The Blue Wahoos had only one baserunner in the last four innings.
In the ninth inning, Birmingham reliever Peyton Pallette ended the game on nine pitches, including striking out the final two batters he faced.
The Barons got the second run on a homer by Jacob Gonzalez in the eighth inning off Dale Stanavich, who worked the final two innings.
The Blue Wahoos will try to avoid being swept in a six-game homestand for the first time since this format started in 2021 in Sunday's series finale against Birmingham.
GAME NOTABLES
--- A special moment occurred before the game. The Blue Wahoos' Kemp Alderman caught a first pitch from his dad, Kelly, who is battling brain cancer. The cancer was diagnosed in 2002 prior to Kemp being born. The original diagnosis was five years to live, and now 23 years has passed.
A large contingent of family and friends from Alderman's hometown of Decatur, Mississippi were at Friday and Saturday's game.
--- There were special Star Wars game night T-shirts made available at the Blue Wahoos GoTeez Bait and Tackle team store featuring Kazoo and a dark blue background that was well-designed.
--- Following the game, there were approximately 30-40 tents (without spike pegs) set up in the outfield for sleepover of Scouts from the Northwest Florida chapter of Scouting American and their parents. A Star Wars movie was shown on the video board above right field and the kids were able to run and play in the outfield until the lights went off at 11 p.m.
--- The marriage proposal was a choregraphed effort between the Blue Wahoos and the U.S. Marine Corp member who tricked his fiancé into believing they were chosen to start the fireworks launched. Before the countdown began, he then dropped to one knee and proposed. She said yes, as the two hugged and she was stunned with emotion as the crowd cheered. Then the fireworks began.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Homestand Finale
WHO: Birmingham Barons vs. Blue Wahoos
WHEN: Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium.
GAMETIME: 4:05 p.m. start.
PROMOTION: Family and Military Sunday - The first 100 active or retired military members can receive a free standing room ticket when visiting the stadium box office with military ID. Children 12-under can run the bases aftert the game and families, can toss soft bases for 30 minutes after the game in joint promotion with Great Clips and WKRG-News5.
TV: Sunday's game will be on YurView (Cox Communications subscribers).
LIVESTREAM AUDIO: You can listen to the Blue Wahoos broadcast with announcers Erik Bremer and Carter Bainbridge call of the game through www.bluewahoos.com/radio or the MILB App.
LIVESTREAM VIDEO: Available on MiLB.TV (subscription required). TICKETS: Available at www.bluewahoos.com or at the stadium box office during normal weekday hours through Friday.
Images from this story
 Pensacola Blue Wahoos' Dax Fulton |
Southern League Stories from May 24, 2025
- Six-Run Sixth Earns Late-Night Win in Chattanooga on Saturday - Rocket City Trash Pandas
- Lara's Career-Day Leads Shuckers To Series Win Over Smokies - Biloxi Shuckers
- Fulton Fantastic, But Bats Kept Quiet in Wahoos' Fifth Straight Loss - Pensacola Blue Wahoos
- Columbus Drops Pitcher's Duel in 1-0 Shutout Loss - Columbus Clingstones
- Barons Shut out Blue Wahoos Behind Five Strong Innings by Noah Schutlz - Birmingham Barons
- Johnson Leads Way to Shutout Win, Biscuits Snap Five-Game Skid - Montgomery Biscuits
- Shuckers Reinstate RHP Tyler Woessner from the 7-Day Injured List - Biloxi Shuckers
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