Category: Sports

The Manchester Youth Baseball League postseason tournament resumed on Monday night as the 8U and 10U teams were back in action following the “Bonnaroo Break.”

In 8U action, the quarterfinals saw 8 teams in action as Thursday’s semi final matchups were set. Top seeded Interstate Auto bombed KOA by a score of 15 to 1. KOA got their lone run from Torin VanZanergen. Interstate was led by Dylen Trail who had 3 home runs in 3 at bats. Cayden Trail and Jayden Carter also smacked dingers for Interstate Auto. Coffee County Mini Storage got 2 runs in the 5th inning to overcome Cooper Sports 21 to 20. Matt Moore scored 4 runs for CC Mini Storage and drove the winning runs while David Lewis crossed home 3 times for Cooper’s. Hullett’s Service routed KK’s Music 15 to 4. Blake Hillis was 3 for 3 with 3 doubles and 3 runs scored for Hullett’s while Brady Wright had a double and scored twice for KK’s. And in the final 8U game of the night, Hillsboro Masonic beat Traders Bank 16 to 3. Max Lanier had a home run and scored 3 times for Hillsboro while Dillon Zackert had 3 hits for Traders
In 10U action, Friday’s finals are set as a pair of semifinal games were contested in the late games. Top seeded John Roberts Toyota doubled up 1st National Bank 8 to 4. Jack Anderson was 2 for 2 with 3 RBI for John Roberts while Adam Gann had a double and 2 RBI for 1st National. In the other semifinal, 2nd seeded Mark Lemons Construction got 2 runs in the 1st inning and 2 in the 4th inning to drop All Creatures 4 to 3. Jacob Holden was 2 for 2 for Mark Lemons with a double and 2 runs scored. All Creatures was led by Jaxen Webb who was 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored.
Tuesday night will feature the semifinal round of the 12U bracket and the quarterfinal round of the 6U bracket. Tuesday’s schedule is as follows:
5:00 PM – 6U – Hullett’s Service vs. Lion’s Club – American Field
5:00 PM – 6U – Cook Chiropractic vs. Oak Restaurant – National Field
5:00 PM – 6U – 1st Vision Bank vs. Sonic – T-Ball Field
6:30 PM – 6U – Dr. Jay’s vs. Gilley Farms – T-Ball Field
7:00 PM – 12U – Al White Ford/Lincoln vs. Coffee County Bank – American Field
7:00 PM – 12U – Powers Storage vs. Peoples Bank – National Field

2015 MYBL Post Season Tournament Bracket

Brittney Jones accepts her Miss Softball trophy at the TSCA All Star Showcase on Monday night in Columbia. (Photo provided)

Tori Bell accepts her All State trophy at the TSCA All Star Showcase on Monday night in Columbia. (Photo provided)

CHS Lady Raider softball players Tori Bell and Brittney Jones celebrated a season of sterling performances on Monday night in Columbia at the Tennessee Softball Coaches Association All Star Showcase.  The Lady Raider battery mates were honored with their selection as members of the Tennessee Softball Coaches Association All State team for Class AAA.  Additionally, Jones was named Class AAA Miss Softball for Middle Tennessee.

As part of the festivities, Brianna Jones pitched for the Middle Tennessee All Stars as they took part in a round-robin all star game triple header featuring the best of graduating seniors from 2015.  Jones pitched 4 innings against the West Tennessee All Stars allowing only 1 hit with 6 strikeouts.  Her performance was so impressive, she was selected for the Tennessee All Star team that will take on a team of All Stars from Kentucky at Western Kentucky University on Wednesday, June 24.

Rookie right-hander Williams Perez turned in a strong performance on Monday night at Fenway Park, leading the Braves to a 4-2 victory over the reeling Red Sox.  After going 0-4 against Boston last year, Atlanta took the first of the four meetings (all this week) between the clubs this season.  The Red Sox have lost seven in a row and are 27-38.  Perez (3-0, 2.29 ERA) gave up five hits and no runs over six innings, inducing the Red Sox into three double plays.
Rick Porcello (4-7, 5.29 ERA) took the loss, giving up six hits and four runs over 6 1/3 innings. The righty walked one and struck out five.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Twin killings frustrate Red Sox: Hoping to get off to a good start offensively, the Red Sox instead hit into three double plays in the first three innings, stifling their momentum. And in the bottom of the sixth, when Mookie Betts led off with a single, he got picked off first, thwarting another rally.
Winning Williams: Perez gave the Braves exactly what they hoped to see out of the converted reliever after pitching out of the bullpen two days earlier. The sinkerballer worked around traffic on the basepaths in five of his six innings, and he capped off his quality effort in the sixth by getting Hanley Ramirez to ground out and strand men on first and second.
A familiar face: Back at Fenway for the first time since the Red Sox traded him away, Jonny Gomes reminded Boston fans that he can still navigate left field by laying out to make a commendable diving catch in the fourth inning. The play robbed Dustin Pedroia of a leadoff hit.
Porcello frustrated: Trying to help the Red Sox snap a six-game losing streak, Porcello gave up four runs or more for the third time in his last four starts. And when Porcello was removed from the game, he tossed his glove down the runway toward the Boston clubhouse.
WHAT’S NEXT
Braves: Right-hander Julio Teheran gets the start for Atlanta at Fenway Park in the second of four games against the Red Sox. Teheran has struggled over his last four starts, posting a 6.57 ERA and 1.34 WHIP, but he will have the benefit of facing Boston for the first time when he takes the mound at 3:05 p.m. CT.
Red Sox: Lefty Wade Miley takes the ball for the first time since his controversial start last Thursday in Baltimore, when he got in a heated argument with manager John Farrell over his displeasure from being taken out of the game. Miley didn’t pitch particularly well, giving up nine hits and five runs over four innings.

The Sounds fell victim to an early deficit and dropped the series opener against the Memphis Redbirds at First Tennessee Park on Monday night, 5-2.

The loss was the team’s fifth straight defeat and put Nashville’s home record to 15-14. The Sounds had their chances, going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, but saw the Redbirds take the first game in the I-40 Cup Series.

Memphis stormed out to a 4-0 lead off Sounds’ starter Chris Bassitt. Tommy Pham got the ‘Birds on the board when he blooped a two-run single in the first. Rafael Ortega hit a double and scored in the second and then produced a run-scoring triple in the third.

Bassitt came into the start having allowed just one run in four prior games at First Tennessee Park, but labored through five innings and fell to 2-5 on the season. The right-hander gave up four runs on six hits, fanning six in the process. His pitch count elevated quickly, as the 26-year old threw two wild pitches and walked three with his season-high 107 pitches.

Nashville had a tough time figuring out Memphis starter Nick Greenwood, who established season highs with six strikeouts and 6 1/3 innings. The Sounds collected only two hits off the left-hander, who improved to 5-1 with the win.

Niuman Romero and Ryan Roberts had the early hits off Greenwood. With the third-inning single, Romero has reached base in 28 of his last 30 games.

The Sounds did eventually get a pair of runs to cross the plate in the eighth. Craig Gentry reached on an infield single with two away and Joey Wendle added his team-leading 24th extra-base hit to set up runners at second and third. Rehabbing first baseman Ike Davis followed by beating the shift during his at-bat, slapping a single to the left side that scored both runners.

Ryan Verdugo, who had a rough outing against Oklahoma City on Friday, delivered two innings of hitless relief, while R.J. Alvarez struck out the side in his second consecutive outing during the ninth.

The cross-state rivals continue the three-game set on Tuesday at First Tennessee Park. The pitching matchup will feature a battle of the lefties, as Sean Nolin (0-0, 1.71) will duel with John Gast in the 7:05 p.m. game.

5:00 PM – 8U – Interstate Auto vs. KOA – American Field
5:00 PM – 8U – CC Mini Storage vs. Cooper Sports – National Field
5:00 PM – 8U – Hullett’s vs. KK’s Music – T Ball Field
7:00 PM – 10U – John Roberts Toyota vs. 1st National Bank – American Field
7:00 PM – 10U – Mark Lemons Construction vs. All Creatures – National Field
7:00 PM – 8U – Hillsboro Masonic vs. Traders Bank – T Ball Field

2015 MYBL Post Season Tournament – updated June 9 – 9:40 PM

A big third inning led the Oklahoma City Dodgers to a sweep of the Nashville Sounds as they cruised to a 4-2 victory at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on Sunday night.

The Sounds got on the board first, hanging two runs in the top of the third courtesy of RBI singles via Anthony Aliotti and Jason Pridie after Alden Carrithers led the inning off with a double down the right field line.

Momentum shifted quickly however. Hector Olivera led off the bottom half of the inning with a single and Buck Britton flied out. Two singles and a double followed and the Sounds suddenly trailed. To make matters worse Sounds starter Brad Mills left the game with an apparent leg injury on the play. Angel Castro was rushed into action, but he was unable to keep the inherited runner, Austin Barnes, from scoring.
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Castro helped manager Steve Scarsone and the Sounds out however; throwing 2.2 scoreless innings before Jim Fuller spelled him. The Massachusetts-native also threw two scoreless innings before Brock Huntzinger put up a zero in the eighth inning to extend his scoreless streak to 14.2 innings.

Unfortunately, the Sounds offense could not get it going all night against former Athletics farmhand Deck McGuire and the team with the PCL’s best record completed their first sweep of the season.

The Sounds return home Monday night as they play host to Memphis for the first game of the Tennessee Lottery I-40 Cup. Chris Bassitt is expected to face Nick Greenwood. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.

Down five runs at one point, the Mets clubbed four homers Sunday en route to their biggest comeback of the season in a 10-8 win over the Braves at Citi Field.  Juan Lagares completed the comeback with a go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth, giving the Mets a two-run lead — their first of the game. A patchwork bullpen took it from there, leaning on Jeurys Familia’s four-out save to hold Atlanta scoreless over the final five innings.
Most of the early afternoon belonged to the Braves, who assaulted Mets spot starter Dillon Gee with an eight-run barrage over 3 2/3 innings. But Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz gave most of that back, allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits and departing with one out in the fifth. The Mets’ 25th-ranked offense then completed the rally against Luis Avilan and Atlanta’s 27th-ranked bullpen.
The Braves have now lost each of the past three games in which they have scored at least eight runs. They went 135-2 when scoring at least eight runs from 2009-14.
Atlanta will begin a two-game series against the Red Sox on Monday at 6:10 p.m. CT.  You can hear that broadcast here on Thunder Radio beginning at 6:00 PM.  Williams Perez will make his scheduled start, despite having completed a scoreless inning of relief to complete Saturday’s 11-inning win over the Mets. Perez threw just nine pitches in the “emergency” relief appearance.

Coffee County’s Alan Rob (#25) is welcomed at home plate by his teammates after hitting a 3 run home run on Saturday against Warren County

A home run and a suicide squeeze were the story of Saturday’s summer league baseball game for Coffee County against Warren County. Alan Rob’s 3 run HR in the top of the 4th inning was not enough to overcome a successful squeeze bunt by Warren County in the bottom of the 7th to drop Coffee County by a final score of 10 to 9.
The Raiders jumped out to a 4 to 0 lead in the 3rd inning powered in part by RBI doubles from Bradley King and Deandre Wakefield. The Pioneers responded in the bottom of the inning with 5 unearned runs on 3 Raider errors. Coffee County responded in the 4th inning with a 4 run rally capped by Rob’s 3 run bomb to left center field. Warren County rallied for 4 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning but Coffee County tied it in the 6th on an RBI single from Wakefield knocking in Nathaniel Tate. The Pioneers got the walk-off RBI bunt with 1 out in the 7th to claim the win.
The Raiders were led in hitting by rising freshman Colton Kerber who was 3 for 3 on the day with 3 singles and 2 runs scored. Tate finished 2 for 2 with 2 sacrifices and 2 RBI while Wakefield was 2 for 3 with a double and 2 RBI. The Raiders will return home on Thursday as they play host to the Crethan Hansert Memorial Tournament. Thunder Radio will post the schedule later in the week.

Coffee County pitcher Brianna Jones

Brianna Jones will toe the pitching rubber one more time in her Coffee County softball uniform on Monday.  This time, Jones will be attempting to pitch the Middle Tennessee All-Stars to victory over teams from West Tennessee and East Tennessee in the Tennessee Softball Coaches Association (TSCA) All Stars Showcase Games held at Columbia State Community College.  The Middle Tennessee All Stars will take on West Tennessee at 1:30 PM and the East Tennessee All Stars at 5:30 PM.

The TSCA also named Jones the AAA Miss Softball for Middle Tennessee and Tori Bell a member of the TSCA All-Midstate team.  The pair will be recognized for these awards at 5:00 PM between the 2^nd and 3^rd games of the All Stars Showcase Tripleheader.  Jones, who led the state in earned run average and strikeouts, was also named to the TSCA Midstate All-Star Team.

Coffee County catcher Tori Bell

Jones finished the season with a record of 24 wins and 4 losses with an earned run average of 0.25 which was the best mark in Tennessee and 3rd nationally according to the MaxPreps.com. Her strikeout total of 358 ranked her first in Tennessee and 7th in the nation. On offense, Jones batted .302 for the season as she led the team in RBI with 26, doubles with 9 and home runs with 5.

Bell, a sophomore catcher, led the Lady Raiders in batting average as she hit .348 on the season. Bell was second on the team in doubles with 7 and home runs with 3. Bell also led the team in fielding percentage with an average of .994 including 19 assists. Bell threw out 5 of the 13 runners that attempted stolen bases against her for an impressive success rate of 38.5%

For the first time this season Sounds’ starter Zach Neal was beaten, as Oklahoma City defeated Nashville 6-4 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on Saturday night.

Neal had five wins in as many appearances with Nashville posting a 1.60 ERA entering tonight’s action, including a win over Oklahoma City at First Tennessee Park on April 24. After giving up just six runs all season, the Dodgers matched that total, knocking the Sounds’ starter out of the game with just one out in the fifth.

Jason Pridie continued to be a bright spot for Nashville crushing his team-leading seventh homer of the season in the sixth inning. In addition to home runs, the outfielder leads the sounds in most of the major offensive categories including AVG (.307) and RBI (37).

The Sounds cut the deficit in half in the seventh inning courtesy of a pair of Dodgers’ miscues. After Bryan Anderson doubled to extend his hitting streak to a season-best six games, Alden Carrithers hit a routine grounder to second that Hector Olivera fired by Dodgers first baseman Andy Wilkins allowing Anderson to score. Carrithers took second on the play and later moved to third. He then scored when Matt West threw a wild pitch.

A pair of Nashville right-handers put the Sounds in a position to attempt a comeback. Dan Otero threw 2.2 scoreless innings of relief for Neal, while R.J. Alvarez looked particularly dominant striking out the side in the eighth. The Sounds scored a run in the ninth via a Niuman Romero RBI single, but that was all they could muster as they fell for the third time in as many nights in Oklahoma City.

The Sounds will send Brad Mills to the mound as they look to avoid the sweep Sunday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. He will be opposed by Deck McGuire. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.