Category: Sports

A stellar performance by Kolby Allard went for naught when the Nashville Sounds’ bullpen allowed eight late runs in an 8-4 loss to the Albuquerque Isotopes in front of 9,803 fans at First Tennessee Park Saturday night.

In his organizational debut, Allard started and tossed five shutout innings. The left-hander limited the Isotopes to four hits and two walks while recording eight strikeouts. He threw 101 pitches in the no-decision.

A two-out Patrick Wisdom double in the bottom of the fourth inning sparked the first rally. Adam Moore followed and chopped a ball up the third base line for an infield single. Josh Fuentes’ throw from third got away and allowed Wisdom to score the first run of the game.

The Sounds padded their lead in the fifth when Matt Davidson crushed his 25th home run of the season. Davidson’s two-run shot to the Vanderbilt Health Picnic Place gave the Sounds a 3-0 lead.

Allard departed after five innings and trouble started. The first four Albuquerque batters reached against reliever Kyle Bird and the game was quickly 3-3. Pat Valaika doubled in a run and Roberto Ramos hit a two-run homer into The Band Box to even the game.

Fuentes kept the inning going with a single and Drew Weeks drilled a two-run home run to give the Isotopes a 5-3 lead.

Shane Carle relieved Bird for the seventh inning and the first four batters reached again. Albuquerque got hits in the inning from Sam Hilliard, Valaika, Ramos and Brian Mundell and extended the lead to 8-3.

Nashville had several chances with 13 hits in the game but went 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position and left 14 runners on base.

Davidson, Nick Solak, Wisdom and Moore had multi-hit games. Moore had a season-high four hits.

Game three of the four-game series is scheduled for Sunday night at First Tennessee Park. Left-hander Joe Palumbo (1-0, 3.38) starts for the Sounds against right-hander Rico Garcia (0-3, 8.31) for the Isotopes. First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.

Post-Game Notes

– With the 8-4 loss, the Sounds dropped to 46-64 in 2019.

– Kolby Allard made his Texas Rangers organization debut after being acquired via trade on July 30. He tossed five shutout innings (ND, 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K).

– Matt Davidson extended his on-base streak to 22 games with a single in the first inning.

– Patrick Wisdom became the second Sounds hitter to collect two doubles in a game this year (Carlos Tocci, June 22 at New Orleans).

Saturday’s middle school volleyball schedule

The Coffee County Middle School and Westwood Middle School volleyball teams will take part in a full day scrimmage tournament at CHS on Saturday. The scrimmage tournament, hosted by the CHS Lady Raider volleyball team, features teams from 12 schools and will begin at 9 a.m. with the final scheduled for 6:30 p.m.  Coffee County and Westwood each play three pool games before being seeded into a single-elimination championship bracket.

The Lady Rockets of Westwood will open their season on August 8th at home against Tullahoma.  First serve is set for 4:30 PM at Joel Vinson Gymnasium.  The Lady Raiders open the regular season on August 12th when they travel to Shelbyville to take on Harris.  Opening serve is set for 5 p.m.

Ethan Hargrove cuts up field after receiving a pass on Thursday

The Coffee County Middle School football team welcome to Whitworth-Buchanan to the CCMS practice field on Thursday afternoon for a scrimmage. With each team alternating 10 play series, Coffee County won the scrimmage 21 to 12. The Red Raider first string offense scored on both of their possessions and the defense returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown and sacked the quarterback in the end zone for a safety.  Whitworth’s two touchdowns came against the Red Raiders second string.

Coffee County scored on their first possession on the 10th play of the series. Ethan Hargrove threw a 10 yard pass to Jackson Shemwell on a trick play to make the score 6 to nothing. The Red Raider defense stoned Whitworth-Buchanan on the Yellow Jackets first possession culminating in a safety to make the score 8-0 nothing.
After a penalty negated a touchdown reception by Cole Pippenger on the Raiders second possession, Shemwell hit Hargrove for a 55-yard touchdown pass to make the score 14 to nothing.  Hargrove kicked the extra point to make it 15 – 0. The Red Raider defense forced a fumble on the  2nd play of the 2nd series as Jacob Barlow stripped the ball and Jaiden Foster picked it up and ran it in from 20 yards out to make the score 21 to nothing.

At that point Coffee County substituted liberally.  Whitworth-Buchanan scored two touchdowns on the 2nd string. Coach Brian Morgan was pleased with the effort of his team. He called out the execution of the offense and the strong defensive play of his squad.

The Red Raiders open the season on Tuesday at Watertown taking on the Tigers of Watertown Middle. Opening kick is set for 6:30 p.m.  Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you the broadcast as part of the First National Bank Hometown Sports Series. We begin our live coverage with the pregame show at 6:20

The Westwood Middle School football team had their annual Blue/White Intersquad Game cancelled on Thursday night because of lightning and the threat of bad weather.  Westwood officials decided that waiting out the weather would make for a late start on a school night.  They are offering a Rain Check however.  Anyone who attended can get in free at the first home game at Dyer-Bouldin Field.   That will take place on Thursday, August 15^th when the Rockets host Eagleville.

On Friday, the Rockets will travel to Wartrace for the Cascade Jamboree.  The Rockets will take on Eagleville for a half of action beginning at 6 PM.  The Rockets open the season on Thursday when they travel to Woodbury to take on Cannon County.  Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you all the action as part of the First National Bank Hometown Sports Series.  Opening kick on Thursday is set for 6:30 PM, our broadcast will begin at 6:20 with the pregame show.

The Sounds dropped their series finale to the El Paso Chihuahuas 8-5 on Thursday night after allowing 18 hits. Eli White led the way for the Sounds offense with three hits.

A solo home run by Estaban Quiroz in the second inning was the first run of the game for El Paso. They scored two more runs in the third inning when Ty France hit a two-run single to make the score 3-0, Chihuahuas.

Three runs in the bottom of the fourth by Nashville tied the game up. Andy Ibanez led the inning off with a home run, his 13th of the season. Eli White hit a double that scored Nick Solak and White scored on an RBI single by Patrick Wisdom to tie the game at 3.

El Paso retook the lead in the top of the fifth inning with two runs. Boog Powell became France’s third RBI of the game and he scored on a Jason Vosler double to take the 5-3 lead.

The Chihuhuas scored three more in the sixth inning. Michael Gettys hit a solo home run and Boog Powell hit a two-run single to score Webster Rivas and Travis Jankowski. That pushed the score to 8-3.

The Sounds got a run back in the bottom of the sixth inning. Nick Solak hit an RBI double that scored Ronald Guzman to cut the El Paso lead 8-4.

One more run was scored for the Sounds in the bottom of the seventh inning. Ibanez hit an automatic double in to score Adam Moore. That would be all either team scored for the remainder of the game as El Paso beat Nashville 8-5.

Friday begins the second part of Nashville’s seven-game homestand with a four-game series versus Albuquerque. With first pitch at 7:05 p.m., right-hander Tim Dillard (6-8, 5.00) will start for Nashville versus Albuquerque’s left-hander Chris Rusin (1-2, 6.30).

Post-Game Notes

– With Thursday’s 8-5 loss, the Sounds dropped to 45-63 in 2019.

– Nashville starter Seth Maness allowed 15 hits and earned the loss. The 15 hits allowed was a career-high for Maness. He also set the season team-high for Nashville, topping Tim Dillard who allowed 14 hits to Oklahoma City on June 30. The franchise record is 16 hits allowed by Jamie Werly on August 18, 1981.

– Nick Solak’s double was his eighth extra-base hit of the season for Nashville. He has 14 hits for Nashville this season. 31 of Solak’s 56 hits in Triple-A Durham were extra-base hits.

– Eli White’s three hits tied his season-high, achieving the feat for a fifth time. The last time he did so was on June 24 at New Orleans.

The 2019 season is the 42nd in Nashville Sounds franchise history and first as the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Single-game tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.

Claybusters Junior National Championship team

The most successful prep sports team in Southern Middle Tennessee added another national title to their championship pedigree.  The Coffee County Claybusters earned a team title and a pair of Top 3 finishes on Tuesday in the American Trapshooting Association(ATA) AIM Grand American World Trapshooting Championships in Illinois.  All 3 teams and 3 individuals competed in the AIM Singles Championship shooting 100 targets a day on Monday and 100 more on Tuesday.

The Claybusters Team #1 captured the Junior Division national title as they shattered 972 targets out of 1000.  Leading the Juniors was Hayden Jacobs who shot 197 clays.  Colter Smith was right behind him with 196.  Tucker Carlton shot 195, Victoria Majors shattered 193 and Cheyenne Martin finished with 191 as each shooter had at least 2 perfect 25 rounds.

Claybusters Sub-Junior Division Class AA team

Claybusters Team #2 finished in 2^nd place in the Sub-Junior Division Class AA with a final score of 952.  Team #2 was led by twin brothers Landon and Logan Meadows who each dropped 194 clays.  Garrett Taylor was right on their heels after shooting 192 clays.  Riley Bellomy shot 188 and Emma Mathews dropped 184.

Claybusters Sub-Junior Division Class A team

Claybusters Team #3 claimed 3^rd place in the Sub-Junior Division Class A with a final score of 922.  Team #3 was led by Jonah Wyatt who shot 194 targets.  Brayden Davenport dumped 191 and Aubrey Payne shattered 186.  Xavier Bartley scored 176 hits while Dylan Hickerson scored 175.

Individually, Alexus Stacey shot a 179 as a Junior Class B shooter.  Jacob Anderson  had a 171 as a Pre-Sub Junior Class A shooter and Emily Deford shot 163 in the Junior Division Class D.

As the calendar flips over into August, it is officially football season.  All 3 local prep teams have been on the gridiron preparing for the 2019 season.  Part of that preparation are scrimmage games and all 3 prep teams will have scrimmage games this week.

The Coffee County Middle School football team will play host to Whitworth-Buchanan on Thursday behind the Coffee County Middle School on the Raiders practice field.  That scrimmage is set to get underway at 4:15.  The Red Raiders open the season on Tuesday when they travel to Watertown.  Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you all the action as part of the First National Bank Hometown Sports Series.  Opening kick on Tuesday is set for 6:30 PM, our broadcast will begin at 6:20 with the pregame show.

The Westwood Middle School football team will also get underway on Thursday night with their annual Blue-White Game.  The inter-squad game will kick-off at 7 PM at Dyer-Bouldin Field.   The Rockets will then turn around and travel to Wartrace on Friday for the Cascade Jamboree.  The Rockets will take on Eagleville for a half of action beginning at 6 PM.  The Rockets open the season on Thursday when they travel to Woodbury to take on Cannon County.  Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you all the action as part of the First National Bank Hometown Sports Series.  Opening kick on Tuesday is set for 6:30 PM, our broadcast will begin at 6:20 with the pregame show.

The Coffee County CHS football team will also hit the field on Friday.  The Red Raiders will host their first scrimmage on Friday, August 2nd when they welcome Stewarts Creek to Carden-Jarrell Field in a varsity/freshman doubleheader.  That scrimmage will get underway at 5:30 PM.  The public is urged to come out and show their support.  The Red Raiders will open the 2019 season on August 23rd when they travel to Winchester to take on Franklin County.  That game will kick-off at 7 PM and as always, Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you every second of every game.

Members of the Coffee County Youth Bass Club at Saturday’s Coffee Coaches Show. Standing(left to right) Brent Sain(boat captain), Phil Thurmond(boat captain) and Dawson Wells. Sitting(left to right) Phil Petty(coach), Jacob Garms, Colby Thurmond, Branson Wells, Kaden Freeze and Briley Sain

Three boats from the Coffee County Youth Bass Club will hit the water on Thursday, August 8th in the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Championship on Kentucky Lake.  The teams of Jacob Garms and Colby Thurmond, Dawson and Branson Wells, and the team of Kaden Freeze and Briley Sain will represent Coffee County in the 3 day championship.  The boats will fish on Thursday and Friday weighing in each afternoon.  The top 12 boats will return on Saturday to compete for the national championship.

All 3 teams were guests on Saturday’s Coffee Coaches Show.  You can hear their interview by downloading the show at: http://www.podcastgarden.com/episode/coffee-coaches-show_147238?fbclid=IwAR38ANAUaft_bgrwqyW70RwxdEmCJN5zlOPODqj6WD6BS9GP6dmTVWpxyHs

Ronald Guzman’s second inning grand slam helped the Nashville Sounds jump out to an early lead and they hung on for a 7-6 win over the El Paso Chihuahuas in front of 6,828 fans at First Tennessee Park Wednesday night.

With a 1-0 lead and the bases loaded in the second, Guzman drilled a 1-2 pitch from Dietrich Enns into the Vanderbilt Health Picnic Place in right-center for a grand slam and 5-0 lead. It was the second grand slam by a Nashville hitter in 2019, and Guzman’s first long ball with the team.

El Paso didn’t go away quietly as they answered with two runs in the next frame. Shortstop Seth Mejias-Brean drilled a two-run homer off Austin Bibens-Dirkx to get the Chihuahuas on the board.

The Sounds were at it again in the fourth with another long ball. With Jett Bandy on second base, Christian Lopes launched a two-run blast into the Hyundai Deck in left field to give the Sounds a 5-2 lead. Lopes went 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI and is hitting .352 since joining the team from Double-A Frisco in late June.

El Paso answered again in the fifth when they sent nine batters to the plate in a four-run inning. Mejias-Brean, Michael Gettys, Josh Naylor and Ty France all knocked in a run to trim the Nashville lead to 7-6.

Miguel Del Pozo eventually relieved Bibens-Dirkx and got out of the jam. Del Pozo started a string of four Nashville relievers that combined to toss 4 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

Joe Barlow struck out a batter to finish the sixth and faced the minimum in a scoreless seventh. Jake Petricka followed suit with a scoreless eighth and David Carpenter worked a six-pitch, 1-2-3 top of the ninth to notch his 19th save of the season.

The series finale is scheduled for Thursday night at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Seth Maness (6-3, 5.75) starts for Nashville against right-hander Emmanuel Ramirez (0-1, 14.59) for El Paso. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Post-Game Notes

– With tonight’s 7-6 win, the Sounds improved to 45-62 in 2019.

– Ronald Guzman hit a grand slam in the second inning. It was the second grand slam for Nashville in 2019 (Zack Granite – May 23 vs. Memphis).

– Scott Heineman’s double in the eighth inning extended his hitting streak to 11 games. During the streak, Heineman is hitting .378 (17-for-45) with 9 runs scored, 1 double, 2 home runs and 6 RBI.

– The Sounds are now 13-10 in one-run games.

– David Carpenter earned his 19th save in as many chances. The 19 saves is the ninth-most in a single-season in Nashville Sounds history.

The 2019 season is the 42nd in Nashville Sounds franchise history and first as the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Single-game tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.

The 2019-2020 prep sports season got underway on Tuesday as the 2 time defending district champion Coffee County CHS golf team opened their season. Coach Mike Ray got his biggest rebuilding effort underway in Fayetteville Tuesday morning with an 9 hole match against Lincoln County. The Red Raiders came up short to Lincoln County by 6 strokes. The Lady Raiders came out on top by 14 strokes.
Freshman Maggie Crouch led the Lady Raiders as she shot a 49 to claim the low round honors. Fellow freshman Cadie Prater fired a 60 on the day. The Lady Raiders outdistanced the Lady Falcons by a final score of 109 to 123.
The Red Raiders fell 188 to 182. Chris Robinson had the low round for Coffee County as he fired a 41. Chase Hancock carded a 45 and Logan Hale mastered the course in 46 strokes. Blake Perry finished with a score of 56 and David O’Connor carded a 63.
The Raider linksters will travel to Cookeville next Tuesday, August 6th for an 18 hole match. Coffee County will also play Grundy County at Sewanee on Thursday, August 8th before their first home match. The Raiders first home match will be on Thursday, August 15th at Willowbrook when they welcome Warren County, Tullahoma and Grundy County for a 18 hole match.