Jumbo Shrimp Take First Home Series with 8-4 Victory over Norfolk

 JACKSONVILLE – Tristan Gray and Marty Costes each blasted a home run as the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp notched an 8-4 win over the Norfolk Tides for their first home series win of the season Sunday afternoon at 121 Financial Ballpark.

With the game tied at four, the Jacksonville (12-9) took control in the sixth. With one out, Troy Johnston doubled and Jonah Bride reached on a fielding error charged to Norfolk (9-12) first baseman Coby Mayo. With runners on first and second, Dane Myers singled home the go-ahead run to make it 5-4. A Griffin Conine walk loaded the bases. Costes then doubled home two runs, pushing the lead to 7-4.

 

The Jumbo Shrimp plated their final run in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, Costes (2) blasted a solo home run to give Jacksonville a four-run cushion, 8-4.

 

Norfolk took the first lead of the game in the top of the second. With one out, Peyton Burdick walked and two batters later Ryan McKenna (2) walloped a two-run homer off Patrick Monteverde (W, 3-0) to put the Tides ahead 2-0.

 

Jacksonville answered back in the bottom of the second. Myers and Conine drew walks. A Costes single coupled with a Norfolk error scored Myers from second to cut the deficit to 2-1. Conine scored two batters later on a base hit from Victor Mesa Jr., evening the score at two. With a runner at second and two outs, Johnston knocked his second hit of the day, scoring Costes to give Jacksonville a 3-2 lead.

 

The Jumbo Shrimp added to their total in the bottom of the third. Gray (8) led off the inning with a solo blast for a 4-2 advantage.

 

Norfolk evened the game in the top of the fifth. Connor Norby led off with a walk and went to third on a single from Mayo. Kyle Stowers grounded out but Norby scored from third, cutting Jacksonville’s lead to 4-3. Mayo advanced to second on the groundball and scored on a double from Burdick, tying the game at four.

 

Following an off day on Monday, Jacksonville heads to Memphis to start a six-game series on Tuesday with first pitch set for 7:45 p.m. ET. RHP Darren McCaughan (0-2, 6.88 ERA) gets the ball for Jacksonville and Memphis will counter with RHP Michael McGreevy (1-2, 5.14 ERA).

ECHL:Wedman Scores in OT as Florida Everblades Even Series Against Jacksonville Icemen

Photo by Nancy Delander Beecher/Florida Sports Wire

 JACKSONVILLE (Florida Sports Wire) - The second game of the ECHL Southern Division semi-finals between the Jacksonville Icemen and Florida Everblades went into overtime. 

Matt Wedman scored at the 11:06 mark of overtime to give Florida a 2-1 win and tie the series. Josh Ho-Sang and Will Reilly assisted on gthe game winner. 

After a scoreless first period, Derek Lodermeier's power play goal gave the Icemen an early lead in the second. Christopher Brown and Brandon Fortunato picked up assists on Lodermeiers's second goal of the playoffs. 

The Everblades' Sean Josling tied the game. Ho-Sang recorded his second assist of the contest.

Cam Johnson made 26 saves for the Everblades. Matt Vernon stopped 26 shots.

With no goals in the final period, the teams headed into overtime before 7,643 at Veterans Memorial Arena.

Miami Marlins Send Chargois to Jacksonville on Rehab Assignment

 JACKSONVILLE - Miami Marlins’ right-handed pitcher JT Chargois will begin an injury rehabilitation assignment for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in Sunday’s 3:05 p.m. contest against the Norfolk Tides from 121 Financial Ballpark.

Chargois appeared in 46 games in 2023 for Miami. The righty was slated to be a part of the Marlins 2024 Opening Day roster before a neck injury placed him on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to March 25). 

A native of Sulphur, La., the Marlins acquired Chargois and Xavier Edwards on November 15, 2022 in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Marcus Johnson and Santiago Suarez. Chargois appeared in 46 games with Miami last season, going 1-0 with a 3.61 ERA in 42.1 innings. He also made three rehab appearances with Jacksonville in 2023, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings.

 

Chargois was originally selected in the second round of the 2012 draft by the Minnesota Twins. He made his debut in June of 2016 with Minnesota and pitched in 25 games that season.

 

Chargois played in the Twins’ system for six years before being claimed on waivers on February 23, 2018 by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He split time between Los Angeles and Triple-A Oklahoma City during his time in the organization.

 

Following two seasons with the Dodgers, Chargois took his talents overseas in 2020 and pitched with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball. He made his return stateside in 2021 by signing a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners. He spent the 2021 season with both Seattle and Tampa Bay and had a career year, tossing a career-high 53.1 innings with a 3.00 ERA and a WHIP of 0.94. He remained with the Rays in 2022 and appeared in an additional 46 games with the club.

 

Over his eight-year big league career, Chargois has appeared in 208 games, accumulating 13 wins and an ERA of 3.55. He has appeared in five postseason games and has a career opponents batting average of .231.

 

Chargois is the fourth Marlins player to embark on an injury rehabilitation assignment with Jacksonville (Edward Cabrera, March 31-April 15; Braxton Garrett, April 5-present; Christian Bethancourt, April 19-present).

 

Jacksonville Shrimp Alumnus Muñoz Debuts for Marlins

JACKSONVILLE – Former Jacksonville Jumbo Shirmp right-handed pitcher Roddery Muñoz made his MLB debut Saturday for the Miami Marlins against the Chicago Cubs in game two of the doubleheader. Muñoz is the 997th player to don both a Jacksonville uniform and play in the major leagues, including the 160th former Jumbo Shrimp. The history of minor league baseball in Jacksonville dates back to 1904. 

 

Muñoz started the finale of the doubleheader at Wrigley Field. The right hander hurled five innings of two-run ball, surrendering two hits and striking out seven Cubs hitters.

 

The Marlins received Muñoz on December 20, 2023 in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 24-year-old had began the season with Jacksonville, fanning seven hitters over 10.2 innings across three appearances.

 

Originally signed to a minor league contract by the Atlanta Braves on June 11, 2018 out of Santo Domingo, D.R., Muñoz spent time with the Dominican Summer League Braves in July of that same year. He was promoted to Gulf Coast League Braves in 2020. In 2021, the right-hander spent time with the Augusta GreenJackets for his first full season.

 

In 2022, Muñoz was assigned to High-A Rome Braves, where he made 19 starts while tallying 105 strikeouts with a 4.03 ERA. He earned a promotion late in the season to Double-A Mississippi. Last season, Muñoz pitched with Triple-A Gwinnett, where he made 16 relief appearances before being claimed off waivers by the Washington Nationals organization. In the Nationals’ system with Triple-A Rochester, Muñoz struck out 41 batters in 38.2 innings. On December 1, 2023 he was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates before being dealt to Miami in late December.

 

Muñoz is the second Jumbo Shrimp alumnus this season to make his major league debut (Jhonny Pereda, April 18). Throughout the 2023 season, there were seven former Jumbo Shrimp players that debuted in the show.

Jacksonville receives ECHL Hockey Operations Department of the Year Award

 SHREWSBURY, N.J. – The ECHL on Wednesday announced that the Jacksonville Icemen are the 2023-24 recipient of the League’s Hockey Operations Department of the Year Award.

The award is presented annually to the team judged to have the best hockey operations department in the league and is determined by a vote of ECHL coaches.
 
The Kansas City Mavericks finished second in the voting, followed by the Idaho Steelheads, Greenville Swamp Rabbits and Toledo Walleye.
 
Jacksonville finished the 2023-24 regular season with a record of 42-23-7 to finish in second place in the South Division. The Icemen earned their third consecutive berth in the Kelly Cup Playoffs while also reaching the 40-win plateau for the third straight season
 
ECHL Hockey Operations Department of the Year Award
2023-24           Jacksonville Icemen
2022-23           Idaho Steelheads
2021-22           Toledo Walleye
 

Greenville's Lord receives John Brophy Award as ECHL Coach of the Year

 SHREWSBURY, N.J. – The ECHL on Wednesday announced that Andrew Lord of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits is the 2023-24 recipient of the John Brophy Award as the league’s Coach of the Year.

The John Brophy Award is the trophy presented annually to the ECHL coach selected to have contributed the most to his team’s success as selected in a vote of ECHL coaches, broadcasters, media relations directors and media members. The trophy is named for John Brophy, who won a record three ECHL titles with Hampton Roads in 1991, 1992 and 1998, and was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2009.
 
Tad O’Had of Kansas City finished second in the voting, followed by Adirondack’s Peter MacArthur, Pat Mikesch of Toledo and Jacksonville’s Nick Luukko.
 
The winner of the Nick Vitucci Goaltender of the Year Award will be announced on Thursday.
 
Lord led Greenville to a 44-23-5 record in the regular season and the club’s first South Division title since the 2010-11 season. The Swamp Rabbits have advanced to the Kelly Cup Playoffs in each of Lord’s four seasons with the team, and this season, he served as one of the coaches for the 2024 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic in Savannah.

Prior to joining Greenville in advance of the 2020-21 season, Lord led the Cardiff Devils of the Elite Ice Hockey League to nine separate titles, including three Conference championships, two Challenge Cup championships, two League titles, and two Playoff championships. As the winningest coach in Devils history, he led the team to a 221-75-22 record across his six seasons as head coach. Prior to entering the coaching ranks, Lord enjoyed a lengthy professional hockey career out of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). He spent 10 seasons in the pro ranks, totaling 462 games. His best work as a pro was done in the EIHL, where he scored 173 points in 216 games, all with Cardiff.
 
John Brophy Award Winners (ECHL Coach of the Year)
2023-24           Andrew Lord, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
2022-23           Everett Sheen, Idaho Steelheads
2021-22           Jeff Pyle, Atlanta Gladiators
2020-21           Bruce Ramsay, Wichita Thunder
2019-20           Steve Bergin, South Carolina Stingrays
2018-19           Matt Thomas, Cincinnati Cyclones
2017-18           Brad Ralph, Florida Everblades
2016-17           Dan Watson, Toledo Walleye
2015-16           Richard Matvichuk, Missouri Mavericks
2014-15           Derek Lalonde, Toledo Walleye
2013-14           Spencer Carbery, South Carolina Stingrays
2012-13           Jarrod Skalde, Cincinnati Cyclones
2011-12           Rob Murray, Alaska Aces and John Wroblewski, Gwinnett Gladiators
2010-11           Brent Thompson, Alaska Aces
2009-10           Derek Laxdal, Idaho Steelheads
2008-09           Rick Kowalsky, Trenton Devils
2007-08           Chuck Weber, Cincinnati Cyclones
2006-07           Davis Payne, Alaska Aces
2005-06           Glen Gulutzan, Las Vegas Wranglers
2004-05           Nick Vitucci, Toledo Storm
2003-04           Pat Bingham, Wheeling Nailers
2002-03           Claude Noel, Toledo Storm
2001-02           Dave Farrish, Louisiana Ice Gators
2000-01           Troy Ward, Trenton Titans
1999-00           Bob Ferguson, Florida Everblades
1998-99           Bob Ferguson, Florida Everblades
1997-98           Chris Nilan, Chesapeake IceBreakers
1996-97           Brian McCutcheon, Columbus Chill
1995-96           Roy Sommer, Richmond Renegades
1994-95           Jim Playfair, Dayton Bombers
1993-94           Barry Smith, Knoxville Cherokees
1992-93           Kurt Kleinendorst, Raleigh IceCaps
1991-92           Doug Sauter, Winston-Salem Thunderbirds
1990-91           Don Jackson, Knoxville Cherokees
1989-90           Dave Allison, Virginia Lancers
1988-89           Ron Hansis, Erie Panthers

Toledo's Hawkins named 2023-24 Warrior Hockey ECHL Most Valuable Player

 SHREWSBURY, N.J. – The ECHL on Friday announced that Brandon Hawkins of the Toledo Walleye has been selected as the Warrior Hockey ECHL Most Valuable Player for 2023-24.

The Warrior Hockey Most Valuable Player award is presented annually to the player selected to be the most valuable to his team as determined in a vote of ECHL coaches, broadcasters, media relations directors and media members. 
 
Patrick Curry of Kansas City finished second, followed by Wheeling’s Taylor Gauthier, Erik Bradford of Kalamazoo and Maine’s Alex Kile. 
 
Named to the All-ECHL First Team for the second consecutive season, Hawkins led the ECHL during the 2023-24 season with 40 goals, 93 points, 34 power-play points and 346 shots on goal, while he was tied for the league lead with 15 power-play goals, was tied for sixth with 54 assists and tied for 10th with six game-winning goals.
 
Hawkins, who represented the Walleye at the 2024 Warrior Hockey/ECHL All-Star Classic, recorded at least one point in 54 of his 70 games this season. He had a pair of 14-game point streaks during the season (Dec. 8-Jan. 10 and Feb. 4-Mar. 10), and went more than two games without picking up at least a point on only two occasions during the season.
 
Warrior Hockey ECHL Most Valuable Player Award Winners
2023-24           Brandon Hawkins, Toledo Walleye
2022-23           Hank Crone, Allen Americans
2021-22           Will Graber, Fort Wayne Komets
2020-21           Anthony Beauregard, Wichita Thunder
2019-20           Josh Kestner, Toledo Walleye
2018-19           Jesse Schultz, Cincinnati Cyclones
2017-18           Shawn Szydlowski, Fort Wayne Komets
2016-17           Chad Costello, Allen Americans
2015-16           Chad Costello, Allen Americans
2014-15           Jeff Jakaitis, South Carolina Stingrays
2013-14           Mickey Lang, Orlando Solar Bears
2012-13           Ryan Zapolski, South Carolina Stingrays
2011-12           Chad Costello, Colorado Eagles
2010-11           Wes Goldie, Alaska Aces
2009-10           Tyler Donati, Elmira Jackals
2008-09           Kevin Baker, Florida Everblades
2007-08           David Desharnais, Cincinnati Cyclones
2006-07           Brad Schell, Gwinnett Gladiators
2005-06           Jeff Campbell, Gwinnett Gladiators
2004-05           Scott Gomez, Alaska Aces
2003-04           Scott Stirling, Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
2002-03           Buddy Smith, Arkansas RiverBlades
2001-02           Frederic Cloutier, Louisiana IceGators
2000-01           Scott King, Charlotte Checkers
1999-00           Andrew Williamson, Toledo Storm
1998-99           Chris Valicevic, Louisiana IceGators
1997-98           Jamey Hicks, Birmingham Bulls
1996-97           Mike Ross, South Carolina Stingrays
1995-96           Hugo Belanger, Nashville Knights
1994-95           Vadim Slivchenko, Wheeling Thunderbirds
1993-94           Joe Flanagan, Birmingham Bulls
1992-93           Trevor Jobe, Nashville Knights
1991-92           Phil Berger, Greensboro Monarchs
1990-91           Stan Drulia, Knoxville Cherokees
1989-90           Bill McDougall, Erie Panthers
1988-89           Daryl Harpe, Erie Panthers

Norfolk Ends 10-game Skid with 4-1 Win over Jumbo Shrimp

 JACKSONVILLE – Despite a seventh-inning homer from Griffin Conine, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp couldn’t overcome an early deficit in their 4-1 loss to the Norfolk Tides in front of 6,184 fans Friday night at 121 Financial Ballpark.

Norfolk (8-11) took the early lead in the top of the first against Jacksonville (11-8) hurler Matt Andriese (L, 0-1). Connor Norby led off with a single and went to third on a base hit from Heston Kjerstad. In the ensuing at-bat, Coby Mayo hit into a double play, but Norby scored from third to give the Tides the early lead.

 

The Tides kept their offense going in the fifth. With two outs, Kjerstad (10) blasted a solo shot to give Norfolk a two-run advantage.

 

Norfolk’s third unanswered run was plated in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs, Daniel Johnson walked and scored on a double from Maverick Handley, giving the Tides a three-run cushion.

 

Norfolk’s final tally came in the top of the seventh. With one out, Kjerstad blasted his second homer of the day to give the Tides a four-run lead.

 

Jacksonville’s only run came in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Conine (1) walloped his first homer of the season, cutting the deficit to 4-1. However, the Jumbo Shrimp couldn’t muster anymore offense.

 

Jacksonville continues their series with Norfolk in Saturday’s 6:35 p.m. contest. RHP Max Meyer (0-0, 0.00 ERA) starts for the Jumbo Shrimp and the Tides will counter with RHP Justin Armbruester (0-2, 10.03 ERA). 

Brady's Bunch: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp versus Norfolk Tides

 Photos Gallery by Jim Brady/Florida Sports Wire