Ropapa Mensah of Nashville SC

Another exciting back-and-forth match for Nashville Soccer Club ended in a 3-3 draw against Ottawa Fury FC at First Tennessee Park on Saturday night.

Goals by Daniel Ríos, Ropapa Mensah and Cameron Lancaster were enough to extend Nashville’s unbeaten streak in USL Championship play to seven matches.

Both teams scored in the first half as Nashville SC got the on the board early with a beautifully-worked goal in the 9’ minute. Mensah and Lebo Moloto were credited with assists on Ríos 10th goal of the season, moving the MLS-signed forward into a tie for the league lead in goal scored, for the time being.

After Ottawa equalized just before the half on a free kick, Fury FC jumped out to a second half lead through a goal in the 50’ minute. It didn’t take Nashville long to return the favor as Justin Davis sent a free kick onto the head of Mensah who nodded it home from the near post.

It looked like Nashville SC would come away with all three points when substitute Cameron Lancaster came on and scored on his first touch to give Nashville a 3-2 lead in the 71’ minute. It was Lancaster’s fifth goal in his last five appearances, a club record. However, it was Ottawa who found the final goal as the visitors scored in the 81’ minute to equalize.

Here are three takeaways from the thrilling draw:

1) Ríos and Mensah Top the Chart

Forwards Daniel Ríos and Ropapa Mensah have started just three matches together up top for Nashville SC, but the pair have found a quick chemistry. In the three matches the combo has started up top, Ríos and Mensah have combined for four goals and two assists while leading the offense to 10 total goals. With goals for each on Saturday night, both are now atop the club’s all-time goal scoring charts with 10 goals each in a Nashville SC uniform.

2) Super-Sub Cameron Lancaster

Off the bench, Cameron Lancaster has been electric. The English forward has five goals in his last five appearances and four as a substitute. Diving deeper, in his past four USL Championship appearances, all as a sub totaling 94 minutes, Lancaster has scored four times. With a goal scored in five straight matches, Lancaster extends his Nashville SC record for consecutive appearances with a goal.

3) Moloto Providing the Service

When Nashville SC traded for midfielder Lebo Moloto before the 2018 season, Head Coach Gary Smith knew he had found his offensive engine. Moloto has powered the offense to a club record 10 goals in its last three matches. Moloto has been involved in four of the goals, with a goal and three assists, and with an assist on Saturday, upped his total assist tally to five on the season. His five assists are tied for fifth in the USL Championship this season.

Up Next

Nashville SC won’t have much time to rest as it will play a Wednesday night home match against New York Red Bulls II at First Tennessee Park. Red Bulls II is tied with Nashville in third place in the Eastern Conference standings with 29 points. Nashville would move into second place in the conference with a victory.

Andy Ibanez and Carlos Tocci combined for seven hits, four runs and five RBIs on Saturday night, leading the Nashville Sounds to an easy 10-3 win over the New Orleans Baby Cakes at the Shrine on Airline in the middle game of a five-game series. The Sounds totaled a season-high 18 hits and matched their largest margin of victory on the year.

The game was tied 1-1 in the third when Nolan Fontana launched a home run to right field to give the Sounds a lead they never gave away, and they broke open the game with a six-run third off Ben Meyer. Eli White drilled a two-run double, Matt Davidson singled home a run and Ibanez crushed a three-run homer to make it 8-1.

Ibanez collected another run-scoring hit by driving in Tocci with a single in the sixth, and Tocci got his fourth hit with an RBI double in the seventh. Ibanez went 3-for-5 and finished a triple shy of the cycle, and Tocci went 4-for-5, becoming the third Sound this year to have a four-hit game.

Pedro Payano notched his first victory as a Sound, giving up one run in five innings. Taylor Guerrieri and Jake Lemoine had scoreless relief outings, and New Orleans managed two runs in the ninth off Josh Fields for the 10-3 final.

The five-game series continues Sunday afternoon at 1:00 CT. Tim Dillard (5-6, 4.23) is scheduled to start for the Sounds, and Robert Dugger (NR) will pitch for New Orleans.

Post-Game Notes

Carlos Tocci has hit safely in eight games in a row and reached safely in 20 games in a row
This was the Sounds’ largest margin of victory since they defeated Round Rock 9-3 on May 17, and it equaled their season-high (13-6 win vs. Oklahoma City on May 8)
Matt Davidson went 3-for-5 and owns a six-game hitting streak

Rod Brinkley of Coffee County CHS basketball.

The Coffee County CHS basketball team closed out their summer scrimmage schedule on Thursday as they played a pair of games in their home gym.  The Red Raiders hosted 5 visiting teams on the day as they captured wins over Cannon County and Fayetteville.

The Red Raiders opened the day with a 56 to 50 win over Cannon County.  In the day’s second game, Coffee County trailed most of the 1^st quarter before taking the lead on the 2^nd possession of the 2^nd quarter.  The Raiders built a 7 point lead before the half before Fayetteville made a late charge capped by a 30 foot 3 pointer at the halftime buzzer.  In the 2^nd half, the Red Raiders led for all but 54 seconds of the half as they rolled to a 56 to 50 win.  Jaylen Wooten led Coffee County in scoring with 13 points.  Kyle Farless added 10 points while Jaxon Vaughn and Tyler Taylor each dropped in 8 points for Coffee County.

The 1 day home camp put an end to the summer team sessions for the Red Raiders.  When asked about his impressions of the summer season, head coach Micah Williams had this to say:

Hayden Skipper of CHS baseball

Rising Coffee County CHS senior baseball player Hayden Skipper was selected for the Tennessee Baseball Report All Region Team on Wednesday.  The selection was made by the publication based on statewide nominations.  Skipper was selected to the Region 4 team which includes District 7 and District 8 teams from all 3 classifications.

Skipper was joined on the Region 4 team by 5 District 8AAA rivals.  From Tullahoma, Race Marin and Hollis Fanning were selected.  Chase Rhoton of Franklin County, Jackson Cothren of Lincoln County and Luke Stofel of Lawrence County were also selected.

In 2019, Skipper led the Raiders in most hitting categories for the year.  Skipper led the team in batting average(.376), home runs(4), doubles(10), triples(4), hits(35) and walks(25).  On the mound, Skipper finished with a record of 3 and 4 while leading the team in innings pitched with 38 and strikeouts with 66.  Hayden has verbally committed to play baseball for the University of Louisville.