Category: Sports

Pete Weber’s Postgame Report

Filip Forsberg

The Nashville Predators ended their 4 game losing streak by beating the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 tonight. What could have been a snoozer was most certainly not. And if you were watching the game around the 10 minute mark of the 1st period, you know why.

The first period belonged to the Predators. After Colin Wilson got the good guys on the board first, Filip Forsberg dazzled everyone with what will undoubtedly be the goal of the year for the Predators. Though the Avs would eventually get a goal from Mikkel Boedker, the Preds were owning the game at that point and Forsberg’s play was a big, juicy exclamation point. Go watch the play again. You’ll be glad you did.

Unfortunately, the Preds momentum died after the 1st intermission. The Avs came out strong in the 2nd and Jarome Iginla, the Pred Killer, tied it up with 2 minutes left. The Preds didn’t register their first shot on Semyon Varlamov in the 2nd period until over 8 minutes in and, other than a couple of chances, had absolutely nothing working right. The Preds seemed to be asleep at the wheel since the amazing play by Forsberg.

The final period started with some swift skating and passing from Roman Josi, who found Mike Fisher wide open for the early lead. But the Avs would answer almost immediately on a tying goal by Shawn Matthias. Eventually Filip Forsberg found Craig Smith on the wing, who roofed home a frosty goal for a 4-3 lead. From there, the Preds would hold off the Avs, who needed at least 1 point to stay alive in the playoff race. The Preds fought like crazy to prevent Rinne from having to make the tough save, though he did on occasion. Rinne finished with 25 saves.

The Predators host the final regular season home game of the year on Thursday when they welcome Phoenix to the Bridgestone Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 PM and Thunder Radio will bring you the call of the game as part of the Fifth Third Bank/Nashville Predators Radio Network.

Kohl Young (Photo by John StClair – JohnStClairPhoto.com)

Kohl Young pitched a complete game shutout on Monday as the Coffee County Red Raider baseball team defeated Franklin County 2 to 0 at Powers Field on Crethan Hansert Night. Young, who scattered 5 hits and walked only 1, pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the 7th inning with a strikeout and coaxed a comeback grounder to the mound to end it. “My defense had my back all night” said Young following the game. “Kohl attacked the strike zone all night and let his defense work behind him” said Coach David Martin. Gavin Husted, Wyatt Day, Noah Anderson and Nathaniel Tate all had singles for Coffee County as Husted and Deandre Wakefield had RBI. The Raiders travel to Winchester on Tuesday for the second game of the season series.  First pitch is set for 6 PM.

Haley Hinshaw (Photo by John StClair – JohnStClairPhoto.com)

In a battle of softball district leaders, Coffee County used 6 hits in the 2nd inning to plate 6 runs as they went on to beat the Tullahoma Lady Cats 10 to 4 on Monday night at Tullahoma in high school softball action. Kaylee Skipper had another gutty performance in the circle as the junior pitcher scattered 11 hits on the night, but struck out the side in the 7th inning to get the win. The Lady Raiders sent 10 batters to the plate in the 2nd as Coffee County collected 5 hits and 2 walks including an RBI double from Tori Bell and a 2 RBI single from Haley Hinshaw. Hinshaw finished the night 2 fo  3 with 4 RBI while Raven Rogers was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Skipper finished the game with 9 strikeouts while only walking 1 hitter. The win improves Coffee County to 6 and 0 in District 8AAA play.  The Lady Raiders travel to Shelbyville on Tuesday night for another critical district battle with the Eaglettes. First pitch is set for 7 PM.

Caleb Simmons

The Westwood tennis team opened play on Monday afternoon at Fred Deadman Park with a split decision against Warren County.  The Westwood boys got singles wins from Jaret Kemper, Caleb Simmons and Braeden Massicotte and the doubles wins from the teams teams of Kemper/Simmons Massicotte and Ricardo Ayala to notch the 5 to 2 win.  The Lady Rockets were swept by the powerful Lady Pioneers squad.  The Westwood netters will take on Coffee County Middle School on Tuesday at Fred Deadman Park.  First matches are set to get underway 4 PM.

Kayla Wright

The Coffee County Central High School tennis team faced a tough task coming out of spring break as they went on the road to take on Lincoln County. The Falcons and Lady Falcons took care of business on their home courts winning 6 – 1 in girls action and 7-0 in boys play. Kayla Wright scored the lone win for Coffee County as she got an 8 to 5 win in singles play. Jared Hu took his opponent to the tiebreaker in singles play before dropping the match 9-8. The CHS tennis team will travel to take on district rival Shelbyville on Tuesday at H.V. Griffin Park in Shelbyville. First matches set to get underway at 3:30 PM.

Zach Milan of Westwood baseball

Walks and hit batters spoiled the Rockets upset bid as Westwood fell to Moore County 10 to 4. Westwood got a run in the first inning as Austin Burch scored after reaching on a fielder’s choice and held the lead until the 4th inning. Moore County plated 3 runs in the 4th as they took advantage of 6 free passes. The Rockets rallied back to take a 4 to 3 lead in the 5th as Skylar Bratcher and Zack Milan had RBI in the frame. But 7 runs in the final 2 innings by the home standing Blue Raiders put the game out of reach. Burch ended up scoring twice for Westwood. The Rockets will welcome Moore County to Fred Deadman Park on Tuesday night for the final game of the season series. First pitch is scheduled for 5 PM.

Luke Irwin

The Coffee County Middle School tennis team welcomed Tullahoma to their home courts at the Raider Academy. The Raider netters dropped both matches to their cross county rivals. The boys got singles wins from Luke Irwin and Loren Hanson as they fell 4 to 2. In the girls’ matches, Coffee County got a singles win from Macy Brown in a 6 to 1 loss. The Coffee County Middle School netters will travel across town on Tuesday as they take on Westwood at Fred Deadman Park. First matches are set to get underway 4 PM.

Monday was the last home opener at Turner Field, and Atlanta Braves fans were treated to quite a ballgame.

The home team fell behind early when reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper blasted a solo home run in the first inning, giving the Washington Nationals an early 1-0 lead.

It was a lead that wouldn’t last long, though. Freddie Freeman tied the score at 1-1 with a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the first.

The teams would trade bases-empty home runs in the fourth inning as well.

The score remained 2-2 until the bottom of the eighth inning when the Braves donned their rally caps.

Jeff Francoeur scored the go-ahead run when Adonis Garcia drew a bases-loaded walk.

Jason Grilli came on in the ninth, looking to close the door. Unfortunately, the Nats loaded the bases and Grilli allowed a run on a sacrifice fly.

The Braves failed to score in the home half of the ninth, and Washington crossed one across the plate in the top of the 10th.

The Braves failed to score in the bottom of the 10th, and lost to Washington 4-3.

Julio Teheran got the start for Atlanta and scattered five hits over six innings. He struck out four and walked three. He was credited with a no-decision.

The Braves are back in action on Wednesday when they play host to Washington for a 6:10 PM first pitch. Thunder Radio will bring you the broadcast of that contest beginning with the pregame show at 6 PM on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network.

The Nashville Sounds Baseball Club has announced its tentative Opening Day roster for the 2016 season. The Sounds begin Pacific Coast League play on Thursday, April 7 when they welcome the Oklahoma City Dodgers to First Tennessee Park.
Eight players listed among Oakland’s top-20 prospects (according to Baseball America) will begin the season in Music City. They include: LHP Sean Manaea (No. 2), INF Renato Nunez (No. 4), OF Matt Olson (No. 6), INF Chad Pinder (No. 7), LHP Dillon Overton (No. 8), INF Max Muncy (No. 13), INF Rangel Ravelo (No. 15) and Joey Wendle (No. 17).
Led by Wendle, eight players who donned a Sounds uniform in 2015 will open the 2016 season on Nashville’s 25-man roster. The 25-year-old second baseman was named to the All-PCL team last year after he clubbed a franchise-record 42 doubles.
Manaea, 24, was acquired by the Athletics last July in a deadline trade that sent Ben Zobrist to Kansas City. In 14 starts last season, the Indiana native went 7-1 with a 2.66 ERA. Following the season, the southpaw pitched in the Arizona Fall League where he was named to the AFL All-Prospect Team and took part in the Rising Stars Game.
Nunez, 22, and Olson, 22, have played together since 2013, climbing through the A’s minor league system. Combined, the two have hit 143 home runs over the last three seasons. Last year, Nunez played in the MLB Futures Game and was named a Texas League mid-season All-Star. Olson, a one-time Vanderbilt commit, also played in the Futures Game and was named a Texas League mid-season All-Star.
Pinder, 24, was the Texas League Player of the Year in 2015 after he hit .317 with 86 RBI, 72 runs, 32 doubles and 15 home runs with Double-A Midland. The shortstop was drafted by Oakland in the Competitive Balance Round B (71st overall) out of Virginia Tech University in 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Overton, 24, went 7-6 with a 3.43 ERA in 27 games, including 25 starts, with Advanced-A Stockton and Midland in 2015. The left-hander was drafted by the A’s in the second round of the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Oklahoma.
Muncy, 25, and Ravelo, 23, spent time with the Sounds in 2015. Muncy hit .274 in 60 games with Nashville and Ravelo hit .304 across three levels after recovering from wrist surgery.
Nashville native and Montgomery Bell Academy graduate (‘07) Andrew Triggs will be a member of the Sounds’ bullpen. In 43 games with Double-A Bowie last year, the right-hander had a miniscule 1.03 ERA and converted a perfect 17 of 17 save opportunities.
Other positions players include catchers Bruce Maxwell and Matt McBride. McBride was named a 2015 PCL mid-season All-Star while the 25-year-old Maxwell gets his first shot at the Triple-A level.
Those who played in Nashville last season and are on this year’s season-opening roster include: C Bryan Anderson, RHP Angel Castro, INF/OF Tyler Ladendorf, Muncy, RHP Zach Neal, Ravelo, OF Jake Smolinski and Wendle.
Other pitchers on the roster include: LHP Daniel Coulombe, RHP Jesse Hahn, RHP Tucker Healy, RHP Eduard Santos, LHP Patrick Schuster, RHP Chris Smith, LHP Eric Surkamp and RHP J.B. Wendelken.
Coulombe, Hahn, Smith and Surkamp have major league experience. In 30 career games in the big leagues, Hahn is 13-10 with a 3.23 ERA. Smith is second on the Sounds’ all-time saves list with 43 from when he pitched in Nashville in 2009 and 2010.
The Sounds will be led by Manager Steve Scarsone for the second consecutive season. He enters his eighth season in the Oakland organization and fourth consecutive campaign as manager of the club’s top affiliate.
His coaching staff will consist of pitching coach Rick Rodriguez, hitting coach Eric Martins, trainer Brad LaRosa and strength and conditioning coach AJ Seeliger. LaRosa joins Scarsone as the only returning member from the 2015 coaching staff.
The 2016 season is the Sounds’ 19th year in the Pacific Coast League and their second as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate. Season ticket memberships are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.

J.D. Robertson, a freshman infielder from Smyrna (Photo by Jeff Reed Photography)

J.D. Robertson lined a double down the first base line in the bottom of the ninth inning, scoring Josh Bankston who opened the inning being hit by a pitch, and the Motlow Bucks beat the Volunteer State Pioneers 6-5 Sunday afternoon at the Driver Baseball Complex.

The Bucks (14-24, 4-11) needed the win to salvage the final game of the three-game series against their Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) rivals. Volunteer State swept Saturday’s doubleheader 14-3 and 11-3.

Motlow will go on the road this coming weekend when they travel to Cleveland for a three-game series against TCCAA opponent Cleveland State.

Sunday’s win was even more impressive for Motlow considering the Bucks took a 5-2 lead into the ninth inning before the visitors rallied for three runs to tie the score. A hit batter and three errors almost cost the Bucks, but Robertson’s heroics saved the day.

J.R. Gilmer (1-1) got the win for Motlow by getting the final two outs in the eighth and pitching through the ninth. Connor Boyd got the start for the Bucks and was impressive, allowing only six hits and two runs with five strikeouts through seven innings. R.J. Moore and Bryce Bub pitched in the eighth before Gilmer came in to complete the win.

Peyton Meeker and Robertson each had two hits for the Bucks, who broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the sixth. Hunter Nance led off with a long double and Meeker singled him home, increasing his team-leading RBI total to 38. Motlow added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth as Nance walked, Meeker singled, Casey Wehrhahn doubled to drive in Nance and Cameron Isley added a double which drove in Meeker.

Saturday’s doubleheader was a different story as the Pioneers rolled into the Driver Baseball Complex with their bats swinging. Defense continued to be an issue for the Bucks as they committed 10 errors during Saturday’s 12 innings of action.

Motlow managed only five hits in game one while Volunteer State was slamming three home runs. Meeker went 3-4 in game two and had a double. The sophomore first baseman from Manchester is hitting .350 on the year with seven doubles, nine home runs and 38 RBI.

Spencer Mossburg had a double in each game and continues to lead the Bucks in hitting with a .383 average. Motlow’s next home contest will be Monday, Apr. 11, when the Cumberland University JV visit for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

Visit the official website of Motlow Athletics at for rosters, schedules, stats and more. Interact with Motlow Athletics at <Facebook/MotlowSports> and <Twitter@MotlowSports>.