Category: Sports

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.

After escaping first-inning trouble, Braves knuckleballer R.A. Dickey found his groove and shut down 18 of the final 21 batters he faced in the Braves’ 3-1 victory over the Brewers on Saturday afternoon at SunTrust Park.

The Braves won their fourth straight, as Dickey was masterful on the mound. He scattered five hits and issued one walk, while striking out six batters in seven innings. According to Statcast™, Dickey threw 92 knuckleballs and registered 16 called strikes.
“[The knuckleball] wasn’t as good as the movement that I had the last three games, but I had a good enough one to change speeds,” Dickey said. “It was in the strike zone a large percentage of the night, and those things add up to a pretty good outing.”
Dickey got all the run support he needed on Brandon Phillips’ go-ahead two-run homer in the third inning. Phillips went deep for the third straight game, besting Brewers starter Matt Garza, who went six innings and allowed three runs.
Garza has dropped four of his last five decisions, and he owns a 6.91 ERA in those outings. He didn’t get much help from his offense, as the Brewers struck out 10 times. They lead the National League with 738 strikeouts.
The Brewers’ trio of Domingo Santana, Eric Thames and Travis Shaw came into the game with 40 home runs. However, those three were neutralized by Dickey and combined to go 2-for-11 with four strikeouts.
“We didn’t have that many swings and misses the first time through the lineup,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “As we went through the lineup, the swings and misses started increasing, so I think [Dickey] got a better feel for making it move, and we didn’t have that many answers.”
The Brewers loaded the bases in the first inning with two singles and a walk, but they were unable to capitalize with runners in scoring position. Dickey pitched around an RBI fielder’s choice from Hernan Perez and a balk by striking out Jett Bandy to end the frame. The Brewers could only get one more runner in scoring position for the remainder of the game.
“I thought in the first he was pretty good, but he just kind of hit some bats,” Braves catcher Tyler Flowers said. “After that, he did a good job keeping it clean and getting some strikes.”
The Braves’ bullpen didn’t allow a run after Dickey departed after seven innings. The combination of Jose Ramirez, Sam Freeman and Jim Johnson shut the door on a Brewers comeback attempt. The bullpen pitched around a hit and a walk, fanning four to end the game.
“Our whole bullpen has been really good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “They are picking up each other and keeping us in games to allow us chances.”
Phillips has hit six of his seven home runs at SunTrust Park after never hitting a homer in his home state. Prior to this year, Phillips had only 10 extra-base hits in Atlanta — all doubles — at Turner Field in 34 career games.
Julio Teheran takes the mound to wrap the three-game set at 12:35 p.m. CT on Sunday. Teheran has allowed eight runs (four earned) in his last three home starts.

The Nashville Sounds (36-38) matched the Oklahoma City Dodgers with six hits Saturday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, but failed to convert chances as the home team took the victory, 4-1.

Sounds centerfielder Jaff Decker, 2-for-4, provided the team’s lone run in the game with a solo home run in the fifth off Oklahoma City starter Wilmer Font (6-4).

Opposite Font was right-handed pitcher Ben Bracewell (0-1) manning the bump for Nashville in his Triple-A debut. The 26-year-old used 74 pitches to collect four strikeouts over four innings and walk three.

Bracewell’s final inning, which began with a leadoff walk followed by a fielding error by Joey Wendle, saw three runs cross, though unearned. With runners on the corners, Bracewell struck out Trayce Thompson, but O’Koyea Dickson connected on an RBI double off the wall in right-center field to plate the game’s first run. Baserunner Willie Calhoun tried to also score on the play but was gunned down by Mark Canha from right field.

With two outs in the fourth, the Dodgers added a pair of runs: one from Kyle Farmer’s RBI-single, the other on a wild pitch from Bracewell with a runner on third.

The Dodgers picked up one final run in the eighth inning when Brett Eibner knocked a double to left-center field, scoring Dickson, who had reached base on balls.

Sounds reliever Simon Castro picked up two scoreless innings of relief, holding OKC to one hit while fanning four. Patrick Schuster picked things up in the seventh to pitch 1.1 inning scoreless, before Aaron Kurcz rounded out the night, allowing the Eibner RBI-double.

The final game of the four-game series is scheduled for Sunday evening in Oklahoma City. Right-hander Corey Walter (2-2, 3.15) will start for Nashville against right-hander Justin Masterson (5-4, 4.16) for Oklahoma City. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

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

Given a chance to extend their recent success against a division leader, the Braves got five solid innings from Mike Foltynewicz to claim a 5-4 win Friday night over the National League Central-leading Brewers at SunTrust Park.

The Braves, who have won six of their past seven and eight of 11, won on the strength of two extra-base hits from Brandon Phillips (including a homer), Dansby Swanson’s decisive two-out RBI single in the seventh and a couple of game-saving gems in the final two innings.

“It’s fun to watch these guys play,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said after his team claimed its fourth one-run win within a span of seven games. “If I wasn’t here in my capacity, I’d pay to watch these guys play. They’re fun to watch. They leave it out there. They play a hard 27 [outs]. They never quit. Why would you not want to come watch these guys play?”
With one out in the top of the eighth, Milwaukee shortstop Orlando Arcia slugged a two-run double off Atlanta reliever Jose Ramirez, bringing the Brewers within one run, before the top of the eighth inning ended with third baseman Johan Camargo turning a nifty double play.
Foltynewicz was effectively wild, benefitting from a wide strike zone and catcher Tyler Flowers’ framing abilities. The Braves right-hander recorded nine strikeouts and allowed one run while totaling 104 pitches over five rain-soaked innings. Milwaukee’s lone run through the first six innings came courtesy of Keon Broxton’s fourth-inning home run. The solo shot to center had a 104.7 mph exit velocity and traveled 432 feet — the fourth longest homer the young outfielder has hit in his career.
Brewers right-hander Jimmy Nelson collected eight strikeouts in five innings of work, but yielded four runs on six hits and issued three walks.
“I was able to execute some good two-strike pitches,” Nelson said. “It seemed like there was quite a few sequences where me and [catcher Manny Pina] were on the same page with, especially with elevating the fastball. But at the same time there’s a few guys that got two-strike hits. They fouled off some tough pitches until they really got something they could do something with.”
With the Braves’ regular closer, Jim Johnson, having pitched the previous two nights, Snitker handed a ninth-inning lead to Arodys Vizcaino, who promptly allowed a leadoff double to Eric Thames. Domingo Santana followed with a sharp grounder to short, which Swanson snared, before spinning and quickly throwing to third base, where Camargo applied the tag just ahead of Thames’ arrival. Swanson then made a lunging catch to snare a liner off the bat of Pina and end the game.
“He tried to win a game there and we did,” Snitker said of Swanson’s decision to throw to third base. “If he doesn’t make that play, we’re tied and we’re not sitting here talking right now.”
With two on and one out in the eighth inning, Camargo showed why the Braves positioned him at third base when he dove to his right to grab Jesus Aguilar’s hot shot down the line. He leapt to his feet, fired to Phillips at second, who completed the turn and the double play, springing Ramirez from the jam and preserving the Braves’ lead.
“He’s fun to play next to just with the things he can do,” Swanson said of Camargo. “You see his arm talent and just the ability to put the barrel on the ball from both sides of the plate. He’s definitely fun to have around and somebody you’re confident in, in a lot of situations.”
Foltynewicz recorded 26 called strikes, bettering his previous career-best total of 23.
R.A. Dickey will take the mound when this three-game series resumes Saturday night. Dickey has allowed one run or less and lasted at least seven innings in two of his past three starts.

The Nashville Sounds finished on the wrong side of a 4-2 contest Friday night against the Oklahoma City Dodgers at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
The loss drops the Sounds’ record to 36-37, below .500 for the first time since May 20 when they were 19-20 after a loss to Sacramento.
Following Ryan Lavarnway’s sacrifice fly in the eighth, the Sounds loaded the bases with two outs; but the team’s final rally ended on a strikeout to outfielder Kenny Wilson.
At the start, the Dodgers struck first in the home half of the first inning with a Willie Calhoun sacrifice-fly to score former Sound Max Muncy. The Sounds answered in the next inning by stringing together a pair of two-out doubles by Mark Canha and Matt McBride; both 1-for-3.
Oklahoma City catcher Bobby Wilson hit a home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to break the 1-1 tie and deliver the go-ahead run against Sounds starter Zach Neal (3.47, 1-3), who took the loss, allowing two earned runs on six hits through five innings of work, striking out two and walking one.
Reliever Tucker Healy worked out of a jam in the sixth inning after allowing a bunt single to Calhoun and walking Trayce Thompson to put two on and none out. But the right-hander settled in to set down the next three batters: line out, strikeout, ground out; and keep it a one-run game.
The Dodgers added two runs in the seventh off Sounds reliever Patrick Schuster, who allowed two hits and a walk to load the bases for Calhoun, who connected on an RBI-infield single to third base. A ground out followed, scoring the home team’s final run. Pitcher Jake Sanchez worked the remaining 1.2 scoreless innings for Nashville, collecting three strikeouts along the way.
Offensively, Sounds designated hitter Renato Nunez and infielder Joey Wendle each finished 2-for-4.
Game three of the four-game series is scheduled for Saturday night in Oklahoma City. Right-hander Ben Bracewell is slated to make his Triple-A debut for Nashville against right-hander Wilmer Font (5-4, 3.84) for Oklahoma City. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Alontae Taylor

Coffee County rising senior football player Alontae Taylor opens up play next week in the prestigious Nike+ Football The Opening Finals to be held at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.  Taylor, who is a verbal commitment to the University of Tennessee, is listed as the #1 athlete in Tennessee in the Class of 2018 in the Scout recruiting rankings. He is also listed as the #2 athlete in the South Region and the #11 athlete in the nation.  Taylor is projected to play at wide receiver in college and will compete as a wide receiver at the camp which runs from June 29^th thru July 3^rd.

Taylor will compete, along with 165 other athletes, in a 7 on 7 competition featuring the best athletes from across the nation.  Each athlete in attendance received an invitation based on their performance in one of 13 regional camps that were held throughout the country.  Taylor qualified at the Atlanta regional camp in March.  Taylor received his official invitation in May.

Taylor will fly out to Oregon on Wednesday for a practice session on Thursday.  One on one drills commence on Friday with 7 on 7 competition scheduled throughout the weekend.  Taylor will fly back home on the 4^th.   “I am looking at getting better and going up against the top DB’s in the nation” said Taylor.  “I am also looking at getting more comfortable at the receiver position” added Taylor.  Taylor plans to be a mid-term enrollee in January and will sign his National Letter of Intent in the early signing period on December 22^nd.

Taylor and head coach Ryan Sulkowski will be guests on Saturday’s Coffee Coaches Show to talk about the upcoming trip and Taylor’s upcoming senior season.  The Coffee Coaches Show is broadcast live each Saturday morning from 10 to 11 AM from the showroom of Al White Ford/Lincoln.  The Coffee Coaches Show is heard exclusively on Thunder Radio at 107.9 FM and AM 1320.  It can also be heard online at www.WMSRradio.com

Coach Joe Pat Cope has announced that the Coffee County Lady Raider basketball team will host a scrimmage doubleheader Friday afternoon at the Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gym.  The Lady Raiders will end their summer workout schedule with a 3 PM scrimmage against Cascade.  Additionally, the Coffee County Middle School Lady Raiders will take the floor at 2 PM in a scrimmage with the Cascade Middle School team.  The scrimmages are designed as a fund raiser for the Lady Raider program and are open to the public.  Admission price will be $4 at the gate and concessions will be available.  Everyone is invited to come out and watch all the action.

The Motlow State Community College softball program is stretching its recruiting focus and adding some of the immediate area’s top talent in hopes of repositioning itself back into championship contention, according to Head Coach Janice Morey.

Motlow has signed 14 incoming freshmen to National Letters of Intent, including 12 from Tennessee, one from Alabama and one from Georgia. The Lady Bucks will return five from the 2017 squad, with all five being from Motlow’s service area.

Although the majority of student-athletes on the roster will be from Tennessee, Morey and her staff have worked hard at identifying talent from outside Motlow’s service area, which stretches from Rutherford County to White County to Huntsville, Alabama.

“Softball is a very strong sport on the high school level in the state of Tennessee,” said Morey. “We feel confident we can build a program that consistently contends for conference championships with student-athletes from our state. At the same time, we aren’t bound by state lines and we always want to be open to expanding our recruiting focus.”

Incoming freshmen who will be counted on to contribute to the 2018 edition of the Lady Bucks, and their hometown and high school, includes:

Jennifer Corbitt, McDonald, Bradley Central; Kendall Durard, Shelbyville, Shelbyville Central; Katelyn Elliott, McEwen; Alessandria Hanson, Hendersonville; Haley Hinshaw, Hillsboro, Coffee County Central; Madison Hopkins, Lewisburg, Cornersville; Annsley Kalamon, Hendersonville; Samantha King, Columbia, Forrest; Ariel McAtee, Smyrna, Stewarts Creek; Emily Parks, Tullahoma, Moore County; Geneva Tackett, McMinnville, Warren County; and Skyler Youngblood, McMinnville, Warren County.

Freshmen from outside Tennessee are Caroline Sarris from Kell High School in Acworth, Georgia, and Kylie Thackerson from Scottsboro High School in Scottsboro, Alabama.

The 14 freshmen will join five returning sophomores for the Lady Bucks: Miranda Cooksey, Ciera Dobbins, Chelbie Gannon, Breanna Owens and Sarah Beth Wilson.

The Lady Bucks can carry up to 20 players on the roster, which leaves Coach Morey with the availability to sign another student-athlete prior to the upcoming season. Motlow softball will play an exhibition schedule in the fall and open the 2018 season in early February.