Skylar Bratcher of Westwood baseball

A 3 run triple in the bottom of the 7th inning by the Forrest Rockets capped a come from behind win for the home team as Westwood saw their run of back luck continue on Monday night. Westwood built a 4 to 2 lead going into the 7th inning behind a strong pitching performance from Skylar Bratcher. Austin Burch and Nick Smith each had doubles for Westwood who had 4 hits on the night. In the 7th, Forrest loaded the bases on a single and a pair of walks before the 1 out triple ended the game. Westwood will be off until Monday, April 4th for Spring Break when they travel to Lynchburg for a 4 PM game with Moore County.

Brandon Jernigan

The Coffee County Middle School baseball team saw the South Franklin Gators rally back from a 2 run first inning deficit to drop the Red Raiders 11 to 9 on Monday night in middle school baseball. The Raiders had 8 hits on the night and earned 7 walks on the night. Trey Rogers led the Raiders in hitting with 3 hits while Hayden Skipper and Brandon Jernigan each scored 3 runs apiece as Skipper walked twice and was hit by a pitch. Jernigan had a single and 2 walks for Coffee County. The Raiders will attempt to get revenge in game #2 of the series on Tuesday when South visits CCMS.

Southern Illinois University pitcher Brianna Jones (Photo courtesy of Saluki Media Services)

Southern Illinois pitcher, and former Coffee County Lady Raider, Brianna Jones was named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week, the league announced Monday. Jones won three games and saved a fourth in SIU’s 4-0 week, and she had an 0.00 ERA in 16.2 innings.
Jones pitched two complete-game shutouts against Illinois State, raising her season total to an NCAA-best eight shutouts this season. She earned three wins and a save in Southern’s four games, all wins, and she allowed only nine hits, limiting opponents to a .161 average. She struck out 10 while walking only two and lowered her season ERA to an MVC-best 1.41. She also picked up wins Nos. 13, 14 and 15, which also leads the conference and ranks fifth nationally.
Jones earned the honor for the third time this year. She has also earned MVC Newcomer of the Week twice. This week, Drake’s Megan Sowa was named MVC Player of the Week and DU’s Kennedy Frank was named Newcomer of the Week. SIU (20-8, 5-0 MVC) and Drake (16-11, 6-0 MVC) are the only two teams undefeated in MVC play, and they square off in Des Moines, Iowa, for a three-game series this weekend.
UP NEXT: SIU travels to SIUE for a 4 p.m. game on Wednesday, March 30.

Pete Weber’s Postgame Report

It could have been a night for modest celebration for the Predators.

A regulation win against the reeling Avalanche would have sealed the their return to the playoffs and potentially buried their Central Division rival’s attempt to do the same.

Neither of those things happened Monday, with the Predators putting forth a lifeless start that ended in a 4-3 loss.

The Predators haven’t been perfect during the six-week turnaround that put them in a position to clinch a playoff spot Monday, but forgettable performances like what transpired at Bridgestone Arena have been rare, if not nonexistent.

After setting a franchise record Saturday by taking 27 shots in the first period, Nashville fell behind 3-0 within the first 12 minutes to a shorthanded Colorado team missing its two leading scorers, forwards Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon, because of knee injuries. In an attempt to grab his team’s attention, Predators coach Peter Laviolette pulled goaltender Pekka Rinne for the first time this season after he allowed those goals on 10 shots.

Predators forward Craig Smith scored a much-needed goal late in the first period to cut Nashville’s deficit to 3-1, but after a Predators goal was disallowed in the second period after the Avalanche successfully challenged that the play was offside, Avalanche forward Shawn Matthias scored with less than 10 minutes left in the third period to restore Colorado’s three-goal lead.

Two Predators goals in 24 seconds from forward Colton Sissons and defenseman Roman Josi gave Nashville a significant late-game momentum boost.

The Predators return to the ice on Tuesday night for a 7:30 PM game in Dallas.  Thunder Radio will bring you the broadcast of the game immediately following our broadcast of Coffee County Central High School baseball.

Riley Long, Motlow sophomore pitcher (File Photo by Jeff Reed Photography).

Sophomore Riley Long pitched a complete-game shutout and Aubrey Crowell and McKenzie Jo Anderson hit home runs as the Motlow Lady Bucks beat Roane State 10-0 Saturday afternoon to win three out of four games over the weekend against their Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) rival.

The Lady Bucks (14-14, 7-9) have won nine of their previous 10 games heading into this weekend’s home series against TCCAA opponent Volunteer State. The Lady Bucks and Lady Pioneers will begin their four-game series Friday at 1 p.m. and conclude it Saturday at noon. Admission is free to all Motlow athletic events.

Motlow beat Roane State 1-0 in Friday’s opening game before dropping the second game 9-6. The Lady Bucks came back strong on Saturday, winning the opener 4-3 before clinching the series with their final-game shutout.

Long combined with Cameron Pearson in the circle during Friday’s opener to allow only five hits while striking out eight Lady Raider batters. Motlow managed seven hits but could only plate one run when Ashton Watkins drove in Caroline Abernethy with a fifth inning triple.

Game two featured a pair of controversial calls, neither of which went Motlow’s way. The Lady Bucks led 6-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh before the home team scored twice and sent the game into extra innings. Long took the loss after relieving Pearson in the third inning. Summer Carter led Motlow’s offense with three hits, while Abernethy drove in a pair of runs.

The Lady Bucks had a two-run homer wiped off the scoreboard in the eighth after Lauren Hasty drove one over the fence. Umpires ruled the Lady Bucks celebrated illegally by stepping onto the field of play before Hasty crossed home plate.

Saturday’s first game was a tight battle that Motlow won 4-3. Pearson went the first five innings in the circle with Long pitching the final two. They combined to scatter eight hits and allow only two earned runs. Abernethy and Watkins each had two hits and Taylor Wolaver hit her second home run of the season.

The series finale went all Motlow’s way, led by Long who was spectacular in the circle by striking out two and not allowing a walk. Crowell and Anderson each had three RBI, with Crowell hitting her second homer of the season and Anderson her first.

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