The Coffee County Claybusters middle school and high school trap teams competed in the Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program state championships last week.  Competing in their second state tournament in last 2 weeks, the high school and middle school shooters hit the firing line at Nashville’s Gun Club.

On Thursday, the Coffee County Middle School intermediate/entry level team captured a state title as they shot 431 of 500 targets.  They outdistanced the 2^nd place team of Hardin County by 20 targets.  Logan Meadows paced the Raider trap shooters as he hit 95 of 100 targets.  Landon Meadows was 2 broken clays back at 93.  Jonah Wyatt shot 86, Elizabeth Moore broke 81 targets and Emma Matthews hit 76.  Moore finished as the #5 female shooter in the classification while Matthews came in 7^th.  Logan Meadow’s score was good enough for 2^nd overall while brother Landon finished in 4^th place overall.

Also on Thursday, the CCMS intermediate/advanced team came in 19^th place in their class after shooting 359 out of 500.  The team was led by Tucker Carlton(96 of 100) which was good enough for 7^th place overall.  Other team members were Blaine Schreck(86/100), Brason Fletcher(77/100), Alexus Stacey(77/100) and Aubrey Payne(23/100).  Stacey’s score of 77 was good enough for 18^th place in the ladies division.

On Saturday, the Coffee County Central High school team shattered 484 targets out of 500 to capture a 4^th place finish.  The Claybusters finished 5 clays behind state champion Hardin County.  The Raiders were led by Austin Schaller’s 98/100 which was good enough for 13^th place overall in his classification.  Victoria Majors also shot a 98/100 which was the 5^th best score for lady shooters in her classification.  Other team members were Neil Slone(96/100), Hayden Jacobs(96/100) and Zach Bonee(96/100).  Lindsey Duncan shot a 95 to finish in 18^th place in the ladies division.

The Claybusters will guests on the Coffee Coaches Show on Saturday, July 15^th.  The Coffee Coaches Show is broadcast live at 10 AM each Saturday morning from the showroom of Al White Ford/Lincoln.  The Coffee Coaches Show is heard exclusively here on Thunder Radio.

Braeden(left) and Colby(right) Thurmond show off their scholarship winnings on April 13th at Kentucky Lake.[Photo Provided]

On Thursday, the Thurmonds got off to a good start catching 4 fish that tipped the scales at an even 11 pounds.  That finish gave them a placement of 127^th after the first day of competition.  After sitting out Friday’s weather delay, Braeden and Colby netted 4 more fish on Friday but they were weighed in at 6 pounds and 12 ounces.

Team Thurmond is the first Coffee County Youth Bass Club team to compete at the national tournament.  The Thurmonds qualified for the national championship by finishing the year in 21^st place in the 2016-2017 TN Bass Nation Points Championship.  Braeden and Colby captured a 54th place finish in the Tennessee State Championship held in May on Tims Ford.

The Nashville Sounds Baseball Club returns home Monday, June 26th to open another eight-game homestand at First Tennessee Park.

The Sounds welcome the Round Rock Express – the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers – for a four-game series from June 26-29. The second half of the homestand features a four-game set against the Oklahoma City Dodgers – the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers – from June 30-July 3.

Below is a preview for each game of the homestand:

Monday, June 26 vs. Round Rock – 7:05 p.m.

Gates open at 6:00 p.m.
Barry Zito Bobblehead Giveaway to the first 2,000 fans.
Kroger Plus Monday – Buy a “Family 4-Pack” that includes 4 Select section tickets, 4 hot dogs & 4 fountain sodas for $44 when fans show their Kroger Plus card at the Sounds Ticket Office. The “Family 4-Pack” is available for advanced purchase only – subject to availability.

Tuesday, June 27 vs. Round Rock – 7:05 p.m.

Gates open at 6:00 p.m.
Pre-game autograph session with Oakland Athletics legend Rickey Henderson. The Hall of Famer will sign autographs (flat objects only & one item per fan) before the game from 6:00-6:20.
Tuesday Night Live – Sing for the Fences with live karaoke between innings. Who will take home the crown at First Tennessee Park?

Wednesday, June 28 vs. Round Rock – 7:05 p.m.

Gates open at 6:00 p.m.
College Night – Tennessee State University/Nashville Sounds hat giveaway to the first 1,000 fans presented by First Tennessee.
Seniors (60 and older) receive discounted Corner or Select tickets – subject to availability.

Thursday, June 29 vs. Round Rock – 7:05 p.m.

Gates open at 6:00 p.m.
Battle for the Boot: For one night only the Sounds are changing their team name, logo, and uniforms to the Nashville Honky Tonks as the team defends the city’s ‘Music City’ nickname against the Round Rock Express. The American Southern Division rivals will do the same in changing their name, logo, and uniforms to the Round Rock Dance Halls for this unique game between rivals.
Pre-game music by various entertainers sets the stage for live dueling pianos performing on the Brauer Lounge deck throughout the night.
The Honky Tonks jerseys will be auctioned off via silent auction during the game.
Throwback Thursday presented by Budweiser – Fans can purchase Coca-Cola fountain soda and Budweiser draft beer specials for $2.

Friday, June 30 vs. Oklahoma City – 7:05 p.m.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m.
Faith and Family Night presented by Trevecca Nazarene University & WAY-FM – Join the Sounds for a night of worship and baseball with player testimony. Grayson Reed/Cross Point Church performs a pre-game concert at the guitar scoreboard plaza with gates opening for the festivities at 5:30.
A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ record attempt: Join us as the Sounds attempt to set the world record for The Largest Air Guitar Ensemble presented by First Tennessee. Be a part of history with 2,500 of your closest friends on the field prior to post-game fireworks.
FOX17 post-game fireworks presented by Koorsen Fire & Security. Enjoy the fireworks with a custom 1982 playlist.

Saturday, July 1 vs. Oklahoma City – 7:05 p.m.

Gates open at 6:00 p.m.
Enjoy Saturday at the Park with visits to The Band Box and our family-friendly Fun Zone in the right field corner.

Sunday, July 2 vs. Oklahoma City – 6:35 p.m.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m.
Pre-game autograph session with select Sounds players from 5:35-5:50. In addition, the Sounds promo team will host the coloring station for children to color baseball posters and sign up for on-field games.
Military Sunday presented by Piedmont Natural Gas and Tennessee 811- The Sounds extend their military appreciation with special military green jerseys and discounted Corner or General Admission tickets for active and veteran men, women and families – subject to availability.
Post-Game Kids (ages 12 & under) Run the Bases.

Monday, July 3 vs. Oklahoma City – 7:05 p.m.

Gates open at 6:00 p.m.
Independence Day Post-Game Fireworks Celebration presented by Nashville International Airport – Join us for the longest and loudest fireworks celebration of the season as we celebrate Independence Day at First Tennessee Park. The Sounds will sport special stars & stripes hats that will be available in the Sounds Team Store.
Don Mattingly Throwback Jersey T-Shirt Giveaway to the first 2,000 fans presented by Gibson.
The Nashville Sounds have partnered with the following media outlets – Mondays: 96.3 JACKfm, Tuesdays: The Tennessean and NASH-FM 103.3, Wednesdays: 102.5 The Game, Thursdays: iHeartMedia, Fridays: FOX17, and Sundays: WSMV-TV Channel 4.

The 2017 season is the Sounds’ 40th in franchise history and their third as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate. Season ticket memberships are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.

Travis Shaw drilled a titanic first-inning home run and Zach Davies was efficient as the Brewers beat the Braves, 7-0, on Sunday at SunTrust Park.

Davies scattered four hits over seven innings with one walk and no strikeouts against the Braves, who had averaged 6.25 runs while winning seven of their past eight games. He also recorded his first career extra-base hit — a fourth-inning leadoff double — that chased Julio Teheran.
“It was a great homestand,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We played some great games. Today, it just didn’t work, and Julio wasn’t hitting anything. He just had a tough day. Their guy was being really efficient and throwing the ball really well.”
The Brewers’ right-hander gained early support as Shaw and Keon Broxton homered in the first two innings. Broxton added a two-run single during a three-run third and finished a triple shy of the cycle.
“The big inning for me was the third when we had two outs and nobody on and we put together five or six at-bats that were outstanding,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “That’s one of our best innings of the year, I think, the way we put it together.”
Teheran surrendered seven earned runs on seven hits over a season-low three-plus innings. The Braves’ right-hander had recorded three encouraging starts since producing a similarly ugly outing in Cincinnati three weeks ago. But he has now allowed at least six earned runs in five of his past 19 starts.
“I didn’t have my fastball, and my command wasn’t the best,” Teheran said. “But they’re a good hitting team with a good lineup. Whenever a guy starts missing his spots and falling behind like that, they’re going to take advantage.”
Milwaukee avoided being swept in a three-game series for the first time this season.
Shaw set the tone for the afternoon when he turned on a 1-1 fastball that was up in the zone and became the first player to hit a ball that landed on the roof of the Chop House, which sits beyond the right-field wall. The rocket traveled a projected 429 feet with a 109.1-mph exit velocity per Statcast™.
Sean Newcomb starts when Atlanta begins a three-game series against the Padres at 9:10 p.m. CT on Tuesday at Petco Park. Newcomb has completed at least six innings in each of his first three starts, but he is still in search of his first win.

The struggles continued for the Nashville Sounds in a 3-1 loss to the Oklahoma City Dodgers Sunday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. The loss sent the Sounds to their first four-game sweep in nearly a year.

In what became a theme over the four-game set, the pitching kept Nashville (36-39) in the game but the hitting scuffled as the Sounds left 10 runners on base and went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Starter Corey Walter allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings, but Oklahoma City’s Justin Masterson limited Nashville to one run in 5 2/3 innings.

After both hurlers matched each other with zeros in the first three innings, the Sounds broke through in the fourth and took their first lead of the series. Renato Nuñez cracked a one-out base hit to center field, and moved to second on another hit by Ryan Lavarnway. After Mark Canha struck out, Jermaine Curtis came through with a two-out base hit to right field to score Nuñez and give the Sounds a 1-0 lead.

It looked like Nashville may have another run when Melvin Mercedes singled up the middle. It wasn’t meant to be as Oklahoma City center fielder Alex Verdugo delivered a perfect throw to the plate to cut down Lavarnway trying to score from second.

The lead didn’t last long, however, as the first three reached against Walter in the home half of the fourth. Trayce Thompson’s two-run triple gave Oklahoma City a 2-1 lead.

Willie Calhoun added an insurance run with a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 3-1 game.

Nashville put at least one runner on base in every inning except the first, but couldn’t get anything going outside of the fourth.

Mercedes started the ninth with a base hit to right field, but the shortstop was stranded at third. Madison Younginer struck out Kenny Wilson, retired Jaff Decker on a bounce out, and struck out Yairo Munoz to end it.

Mercedes and Curtis had multi-hit games for the Sounds. Relievers Lou Trivino and Felix Doubront combined to throw 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.

The Sounds return home to begin another eight-game homestand Monday night against the Round Rock Express. Right-hander Paul Blackburn (4-6, 3.03) starts for the Sounds against left-hander Jimmy Reyes (2-2, 1.69) for the Express. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.