Category: Sports

Coach Chad Dyer(left) talks to his team following Tuesday night’s win

A huge first half lifted the Westwood football team to a 26 to 8 win over Middle Tennessee Christian School on Tuesday night at Dyer-Bouldin Field. The Rockets scored on all 4 first half possessions to build a 26 to 0 halftime lead and coasted home for the big conference win.
Westwood got a 55 yard touchdown run from Renaldo Ramirez on the first play from scrimmage to set the tone on the night. After a Gavin Taylor interception, Skylar Brather rumbled in from 5 yards out to make the score 12 to 0. Henry Garcia broke free for a 44 yard touchdown run and Bratcher added the 2 point conversion to make it 20 to 0 before Trenton Thompson raced around right end to score from 28 yards out to put the game on ice before intermission.
The win avenges a jamboree loss to the Cougars earlier this month. Coach Chad Dyer had this to say about the Rockets preparation.

The win levels the Rockets record at 1 and 1 on the season and 1 and 1 in conference play. The Rockets will be back in action on Thursday as they travel to Wartrace to take on Cascade in their second conference game of the week.

Despite his recent success on the mound, Ervin Santana entered Tuesday’s series opener vs. the Braves still looking to win three straight starts for the first time this season. Against his former team, the right-hander finally accomplished that feat, tossing seven scoreless innings in a 4-2 win at Turner Field.

“He’s efficient, he throws strikes, he changes speeds and he can bury his breaking ball when he wants to,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said about Santana. “He pitched eight innings [in Minneapolis on July 26], and we won 2-0 there. He’s just real efficient and knows what he’s doing. His command is really good, and he’s a good pitcher.”
Atlanta right-hander Joel De La Cruz allowed only one run in his sixth career start, but he was once again denied his first Major League victory, as the Braves registered only four hits against Santana. Since rejoining Atlanta’s rotation on July 31, De La Cruz has surrendered one run or less in three of his four starts.
While the Braves failed to break through against Santana, they rallied to score two runs against Taylor Rogers in the eighth inning. But after the Twins added another run in the ninth, Brandon Kintzler navigated around a one-out double by A.J. Pierzynski to convert his fourth consecutive save opportunity.
“The game took on a different look there at the end,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “Early on, it was all about getting a run on the board and watching Ervin go to work. He was on cruise control for a while. Late in the game, we had the opportunity to add on.”
The Twins jumped out to an early lead with Trevor Plouffe bringing home Joe Mauer with a two-out RBI double to left. The Twins didn’t score again until Mauer hit a solo homer in the eighth, and Plouffe added an RBI single in the ninth to give Minnesota an insurance run, although Jorge Polanco was thrown out at home on the play by center fielder Ender Inciarte. Plouffe was 3-for-5.
“He responded and had a big hit early,” Molitor said. “He also got that big hit up the middle there to get us that last insurance run.”
After being hit by a comebacker in the fourth inning and having to exit Wednesday’s game vs. the Brewers with a right knee contusion, De La Cruz struggled early on against the Twins. But after surrendering Plouffe’s RBI double and issuing a walk to the following batter, the right-hander retired 11 straight before giving up a single to Robbie Grossman in the fifth. De La Cruz ran into trouble again in the sixth with runners on first and second with no outs, but he induced a ground-ball double play before exiting the game after 5 2/3 solid innings.
“He was good. He just kind of just had to work really hard to get it done,” Snitker said. “He kept the game in check, and he gave us a chance. That’s all you can ask. I didn’t see any effects from getting hit in the knee, and it was a solid outing.”
Santana keeps it rolling: Santana has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since mid-June and turned in another impressive start with his seven scoreless innings. With the win, Santana improved to 5-2 with a 1.84 ERA over his last 10 starts. He was also fresh, as his last start on Wednesday was 2 1/3 innings before the game was ultimately postponed by rain. He proved that by striking out pinch-hitter Jeff Francoeur on a 94 mph fastball to get out of a jam in the seventh.
“It was nothing but sliders until the last pitch, because I knew he was looking for it,” Santana said. “So I threw a fastball. I was just trying to make a good pitch. I wasn’t worried about velocity. I was trying to locate.”
The Twins threatened to put the game out of reach after loading the bases with no outs in the ninth. And although they tacked on an insurance run on Plouffe’s RBI single, Inciarte limited the damage when he threw out Polanco at home plate. The outfield assist marked the center fielder’s 12th of the year, which ranks second in the National League behind Starling Marte.
“Awesome play,” Snitker said. “You [didn’t] think he [had] a chance. That’s some kind of arm strength right there to put it right on the money. It’s big in that game, too. It keeps that game doable. We’re getting in the ninth inning and a hit away from tying the game. That was big at that point in time.”
Atlanta will turn to Mike Foltynewicz to start Wednesday’s series finale at Turner Field, with first pitch set for 6:10 p.m. CT. The 24-year-old earned the win against the Twins on July 27 despite enduring his worst start of the season, allowing seven runs (six earned) on 12 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Since then, the right-hander has posted a 5.29 ERA over three starts. First pitch is set for 6:10 p.m. CT and Thunder Radio will join the Braves Network broadcast immediately following the Ryan Sulkoski Show.

The Nashville Sounds lowered their magic number to 11 with a 2-1 win over the Tacoma Rainiers in front of 5,005 fans Tuesday night at First Tennessee Park.

All the scoring between the two teams who lead their respective divisions came early as two first-inning runs held up for the Sounds.

Jesse Hahn started for Nashville and got the game off to a nice start with a pair of strikeouts in a 1-2-3 top of the first inning.

In the home half, Arismendy Alcantara started the frame with a walk and promptly swiped second base. Jaycob Brugman singled to put runners at the corners before Forrest Snow struck out Renato Nunez for the first out.

Matt Olson drew a walk to load the bases for Matt McBride who lined a base hit to left field. The knock scored Alcantara to give the Sounds an early 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Rangel Ravelo was hit by a pitch, forcing in Brugman with the second run of the inning.

Tacoma bounced back with a run in the top of the second to cut the deficit to 2-1. James Ramsey collected a one-out double and scored when Tyler Smith rifled a ball down the first base line for another two-bagger.

Hahn avoided more damage by getting Mike Freeman to bounce out to second with the bases loaded.

That was all the scoring there would be on the night. Snow pitched 5 2/3 innings for the Rainiers and was saddled with the loss. Hahn allowed one run on two hits in four innings of work and got a no decision.

The trio of Angel Castro, Ryan Brasier and Tucker Healy kept Tacoma off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Castro went 2 2/3 innings and earned his first win of the season.

Brasier worked around a one-out walk in the eighth and put up a zero before Healy retired the side in order in the ninth to pick up his eighth save of the season.

The Sounds improved to 71-53 and will hold at least a nine-game lead entering play on Wednesday with 20 games to play in the regular season.

Game two of the four-game series is set for tomorrow afternoon at First Tennessee Park. Left-hander Dillon Overton (10-5, 3.51) starts for the Sounds against right-hander Jarrett Grube (1-2, 3.97) for the Rainiers. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m.

Tickets for the 2016 Pacific Coast League playoff dates at First Tennessee Park are now available for purchase at the Nashville Sounds box office and online at www.nashvillesounds.com. The 2016 season is the Sounds’ 19th year in the Pacific Coast League and their second as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate.

The Coffee County CHS volleyball team celebrates following a stirring come from behind win over Warren County on Monday night

Fighting off a match point in the second set and struggling through service error problems in the 3rd set, the Lady Raiders overcame a tough Warren County team in a 3 set thriller on Monday in McMinnville. The Lady Raiders saw a first set lead slip away as they dropped the first set, only to roar back from a huge second set deficit to capture the set and the win in an exciting hard fought match. Earlier in the evening, Coffee County had swept Van Buren County to open the season with a record of 2 and 0.
Against Warren County, Coffee County won by set scores of 23-25, 26-24 and 25-23. Trailing by 7 points in the first set, the Lady Raiders battled back to take a 19 to 17 lead before the Lady Pioneers took the set on a controversial “double touch.” The second set did not start out much better as Coffee County fell behind 10 to 4 only to tie the match at 19 and fight off Warren County’s lone match point with an Aerial Williams spike. Williams calmly retreated to the service line and closed out the come from behind win with an ace. In the decisive 3rd set, Coffee County jumped out to a 14 to 7 lead only to see the Lady Pioneers tie it at 16. From there, the 2 teams battled to the wire before Coffee County captured the last 2 points for the win. Baylee Nester led Coffee County in aces with 3 and kills with 6. Aerial Williams also had 6 kills and a pair of blocks. Rachel Henley added 9 assists and Tyana Fenton gathered up 9 digs.
In the opening match, Coffee County dispatched Van Buren County 25 to 11 and 25 to 13. Rachel Henley started off both games with a string of aces to give Coffee County a lead they would not relinquish. Henley led Coffee County in aces with 8 and assists with 11. Aerial Williams had 6 of Coffee County’s 18 kills. Haylee Skipper added 5.
When asked about his team’s tenacity in the comeback win over Warren County, Coach Andrew Taylor had this to say:

The Lady Raiders travel to Shelbyville on Tuesday night as they open up district play against the Eaglettes at 6 PM. The Lady Raiders have their home opener on Thursday night in a 6 PM battle with Tullahoma.

Ashley Gilliam on Monday at Sweetens Cove(photo provided)

The one-two sister duo of Savannah Quick and Ashley Gilliam led the Coffee County Lady Raider golf team to the lead after 1 day of the Baylor Preview on Monday. Quick shot an opening round 73 which gave her the low round of the tournament. Gilliam was 1 stroke off the pace at 74 to give the Lady Raiders the team lead at 147. Sophie Vinson carded an 86 for Coffee County on the Sweetens Cove Golf Club course in South Pittsburg. Clarksville is in second place at 151.
“I am very proud of how the girls played today” said Raider golf coach Mike Ray. “This is an awesome course but very difficult to play, especially the greens” added Ray. The tournament concludes on Tuesday as the Lady Raiders will tee off at 8:30 AM for the final 18 holes.

The Board of Control for the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association(TSSAA) met on Monday at the Hermitage offices and passed a series of measures that will lead to sweeping reform as to how high school and middle school baseball pitchers will be used. Acting on guidance from the National Federation of High Schools(NFHS), the TSSAA was tasked to develop its own pitching restriction policy based on the number of pitches thrown during a game to afford pitchers a required rest period between pitching appearances. The new guidelines and rules take effect this spring.
The Board voted to approve the following Pitch Count regulations for the sport of baseball:
GENERAL GUIDELINES:
1. Make sure properly warmed up prior to any throwing activity. Use proper equipment to aid in the warm up. (Surgical tubing, etc…)
2. Make sure a proper dynamic and static stretching plan is followed prior to throwing.
3. Educate pitchers on proper mechanics and techniques of throwing.
4. Monitor for signs of mechanical breakdown and fatigue.
5. Take immediate action if a pitcher complains of pain.
6. Consult a trainer/doctor/ trained coach upon completion of game pitching activity.
7. Put in place and follow a prescribed post pitching rehabilitation program.
8. Make every effort to avoid pitching a player in multiple games on the same day.
GUIDELINES:
1. Cannot use the same pitcher three (3) days in a row regardless of number of pitches thrown.
2. If pitchers hit their END number, they are allowed to finish the batter in the box regardless of END number.
3. Highly recommended that a coach check with a coach on the opposing team between each half inning to make sure pitch counts are in congruent. (the same )
4. Home team would be final correct count.
5. Both teams would sign documentation pitch form at the end of each game.
6. The pitch count will apply to a player who pitches. JV pitch count and high school varsity pitch count would be linked together. Example – Pitcher A pitches Varsity on Monday 45 pitches, not allowed to pitch JV on Tuesday.
7. The pitch count applies to regular season and postseason.

TSSAA Pitch Count Rules (click to enlarge)

Violations of the pitch count rule will result in forfeiture. A form tracking pitches for the pitchers for each school shall be kept and signed by opposing coach at conclusion of each game.

The Reno Aces used a strong start by Shelby Miller to score a 3-2 win over the Nashville Sounds in front of 5,058 fans Monday night at First Tennessee Park.

The two teams split the four-game series after the Sounds (70-53) won the first two games and the Aces (65-58) returned the favor in the final two.

Miller scattered 10 hits and limited the Sounds to two runs in 7 1/3 innings. He didn’t walk anybody and racked up nine strikeouts in his fourth win with Reno.

Sounds starter Jharel Cotton and Miller were in a pitcher’s duel early on. Cotton, who was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week earlier in the day, retired the first 13 batters he faced.

With one out in the top of the fifth, Reno’s Peter O’Brien snapped the streak when he crushed a solo homer to left field to give the Aces a 1-0 lead.

Cotton got through the fifth but found more trouble in the sixth. With Todd Glaesmann at third and Ronnie Freeman at second, Cotton struck out Ed Lucas for the second out of the inning. Nashville elected to intentionally walk Zach Borenstein but the moved backfired when Kyle Jensen sent a single into left to extend Reno’s lead to 3-0.

It looked as though the Sounds were going to get on the board in the home half of the sixth. With two outs and Colin Walsh at second, Jaycob Brugman lined a pitch from Miller into the left-center gap. Brugman was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double and was tagged out just before Walsh stepped on home plate.

Nashville did get on the board in the eighth. Rangel Ravelo doubled and scored easily when Arismendy Alcantara tripled into the right field corner. Brugman followed with an RBI groundout to trim the deficit to 3-2.

From there, Reno used a slew of relievers to finish off the Sounds. Joey Wendle kept the game alive with a two-out single in the ninth, but Silvino Bracho retired Matt McBride on a pop up to end the game.

Cotton allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings and was tagged with the loss. Alcantara, Brugman, Wendle and Ravelo had multi-hit games for the Sounds while Renato Nunez extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

Next up for the Sounds is a four-game series with the Tacoma Rainiers at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Jesse Hahn (1-6, 3.66) makes a Major League rehab assignment start for the Sounds against right-hander Cody Martin (9-7, 3.93) for the Rainiers Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Tickets for the 2016 Pacific Coast League playoff dates at First Tennessee Park are now available for purchase at the Nashville Sounds box office and online at www.nashvillesounds.com.

The 2016 season is the Sounds’ 19th year in the Pacific Coast League and their second as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate. Tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.

Nashville Sounds pitcher Jharel Cotton

Nashville Sounds pitcher Jharel Cotton has been named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for his performance from August 8-14, the league announced this afternoon.

The right-hander made one start for the Sounds during the week and turned in a masterful performance. In an August 9 outing in Round Rock, Texas, Cotton narrowly missed a perfect game and settled for a one-hit, complete game shutout.

Cotton retired the first 26 batters he faced before allowing a two-out triple in the bottom of the ninth inning. He struck out the next batter to finish of the 12-strikeout performance in Nashville’s 3-0 win over the Express.

Had Cotton finished the perfect game, he would have been only the fourth pitcher to throw a nine-inning perfect game in PCL history dating back to 1903.

Two of the three perfect games in league history belong to Nashville Sounds’ pitchers. John Wasdin was the first to accomplish the feat when he retired all 27 batters in a start against the Albuquerque Isotopes at Greer Stadium on April 7, 2003.

Manny Parra is the latest to toss a perfect game. The left-hander made history in a June 25, 2007 start in Round Rock – also a 3-0 Sounds win over the Express.

Cotton became the second pitcher in the PCL to throw a nine-inning, one-hit shutout this season. He’s also the second pitcher in the league to record 12+ strikeouts in a game without issuing a walk.

The 24-year-old leads the PCL in strikeouts (136), WHIP (1.07) and batting average against (.209) and starts for the Sounds in the series finale against Reno tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at First Tennessee Park.

The Sounds have been honored with weekly awards four times in 2016. Dillon Overton was PCL Pitcher of the Week (April 18-24) and Jaycob Brugman (June 6-12) and Bruce Maxwell (July 11-17) have garnered PCL Player of the Week honors.

Tickets for the 2016 Pacific Coast League playoff dates at First Tennessee Park are now available for purchase at the Nashville Sounds box office and online at www.nashvillesounds.com.

The 2016 season is the Sounds’ 19th year in the Pacific Coast League and their second as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate. Tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.

Alexis Rayman(in pink) attacks the net against 2 Harris defenders on Saturday

A pair of shutouts by the CCMS varsity and junior varsity soccer teams highlighted a strong performance for the home teams in Saturday’s Kickin’ Cancer Play Day. The varsity team had a win and a scoreless draw on the day while the JV team won a pair of shutouts. The Lady Raiders strong play, coupled with a huge turnout, gave Coach Travis O’Kelley a lot to be pleased about with Saturday’s scrimmage event.
The varsity team opened the day against Rockvale with a draw in a match where they dominated the time of possession. The Lady Raiders managed 9 shots on the game but could not get a ball past the Rockvale keeper. Against Harris, the Lady Raiders managed a goal on 8 shots as Alexis Rayman drilled home a rebound resulting from a scrum in front of the net.
The JV team got a pair of 2 to 0 wins defeating DeKalb County 2 to 0 as Katie Cotton had a pair of goals and Alyssa Gipson added an assist. The Lady Raiders dominated play as they had 7 shots on goal and forced 4 corner kicks. In the second game, Rayman and Cotton scored the goals for Coffee County.
“From an attendance standpoint, this was definitely the biggest day in tournament history; due in no small part to the involvement of so many teams” said Coach O’Kelley. He went on to say, “As a result, I expect that we will be making a sizable donation to the Middle Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition this year. On behalf of the boosters, players, coaching staff, school and administration, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all those who took part in making this our most successful Kickin’ Cancer play day to date.”
The Lady Raiders will open the regular season on Tuesday when they travel to McMinnville to take on Warren County. The varsity match is set to begin a 5:30 PM. Thunder Radio will be on hand for the Lady Raiders home opener on August 25th when Harris visits the Lady Raiders’ home pitch. That game will be broadcast as part of the First National Bank Hometown Sports Series.

Brianna Jones hits a pitch from former Lady Raider coach, and current MTSU softball coach, Jeff Breeden in Saturday’s Alumni Game

Known for her dominant pitching, former Coffee County Lady Raider Brianna Jones wowed the crowd with a win in the home run derby at Saturday’s Lady Raider Alumni Game. With a small turnout of former players, former head coach Jeff Breeden agreed to throw batting practice for an impromptu home run hitting contest. Brianna Jones, now a pitcher at Southern Illinois University, barely edged out former Lady Raider Cheyenne Willis to win the prize.
Former Lady Raider, and event organizer, Ashley Harrell Jernigan said the event raised over $3,500 to benefit the Coffee County Central High School softball team. The majority of that money was earned from the silent auction. Additionally, $208 was donated to the Daryl Welch family from a live cake auction. Coach Steve Wilder says that he plans on making the event an annual tradition.