Category: Sports

The Red Raider baseball team returned to the diamond on Friday afternoon with a pair of games at Franklin County.  The games were part of the King of the Hill Invitational which continues thru Sunday sponsored by Grundy County.

The Raiders battled to a 5 to 5 tie with Franklin County in the first game. Harley Hinshaw pitched 5 innings of 1 run, 4 hit ball but did not figure in the decision.  Zach Wise was 3 for 3 with 2 RBI.  Nathaniel Tate added an RBI.

In the 2nd game, the Raiders dropped an 8 to 6 decision to Columbia Post 19.  Bradley King was 3 for 4 in the game for Coffee County while Noah Anderson was 2 for 3 with a double and a triple.  DeAndre Wakefield finished the game 2 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI.

The Raiders continue tournament play on Saturday with a 4 PM game against Warren County at Grundy County.  The finals of the tournament are set for Sunday.

The Oklahoma City Dodgers spoiled A.J. Griffin’s first rehab start with the Nashville Sounds winning 11-7 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on Friday night.

Griffin lasted 4.1 innings surrendering six runs, five of which were earned. The right-hander gave up four home runs, while striking out five and was responsible for a throwing error that led to a run scoring in the first. All in all, the Dodgers hit five home runs on the night, tying the most Sounds pitching has yielded in a game this season.

In addition to Griffin, Athletics first baseman Ike Davis also made his first rehab appearance with the Sounds, going 1-for-3 with a double before being lifted for Anthony Aliotti.

It appeared the Sounds were going to suffer their largest loss of the season, but the offense erupted for a five-run ninth that was punctuated by a Jason Pridie three-run homer that made the game 11-7. All in all, the Sounds had 14 hits on the night, including multiple hit games from Aliotti, Luke Carlin, Pridie and Niuman Romero.

After dropping the first two games of the series, the Sounds (29-33) will look to turn things around Saturday. The odds will be in their favor as they send undefeated (5-0) right-hander Zach Neal to the mound. He will be opposed by Joe Wieland (4-3). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

A sixth inning home run doomed the Nashville Sounds during Thursday night’s series opener at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, and Oklahoma City Dodgers grabbed a 3-1 win.

Barry Zito came into Thursday’s start with a 21 inning scoreless streak and pushed it all the way to 26.2 before the Dodgers finally struck with a long ball. The scoreless streak started on May 26 for the left-hander and stands as the longest by a Sounds pitcher this season.

The 37-year old ended his night following six frames with the three runs and five strikeouts. Zito never walked a batter for the first time this season, helping him to his fourth consecutive quality start. The veteran’s loss dropped him to 1-4 away from First Tennessee Park.

Oklahoma City starter Scott Baker improved to 5-3 this season with seven innings of one-run ball. Andy Wilkins provided the offense for the Dodgers. The first baseman’s three-run blast was his sixth of the season.

The Nashville offense gave its starter an early lead. Bryan Anderson hit his second home run of the season with one out in the second to jump ahead 1-0. The homer was just the 24th the Sounds have hit this year, the fewest in the league.

The Sounds got a runner to third in both the sixth and eighth innings, but were never able to capitalize. They finished 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position in the loss. Nashville’s six hits each came from a different player, but Oklahoma City was able to outhit the Sounds and take the first game of the four-game set.

Brock Huntzinger had a scoreless streak of his own that was extended. The pitcher delivered a scoreless seventh and moved his streak to 13.2 innings without a run, the longest by a Nashville reliever this year.

Oklahoma City has now won seven of the first nine games against the Sounds this season. Nashville looks to break through Fridday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark as they send rehabbing pitcher A.J. Griffin out for the start. The Dodgers are scheduled to pitch Ian Thomas in the 7:05 p.m. contest.

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association(TSSAA) met Thursday for a work session to discuss potential solutions for the hotly-debated issue of public and private high schools continuing to compete in the same division.  Five proposals were presented to the TSSAA Legislative Council at Thursday’s work session in Murfreesboro which lasted nearly 5 hours.

The five proposals that were presented were:

1 – Keep the system the way it is: Schools that provide need-based financial aid will remain in Division II, while all other schools will compete in Division I.

2 – Postseason split: Public and private schools would compete together during the regular season, then be separated for the postseason.

3 – Complete split: Separate public and private schools in the regular season and postseason. It would force the state’s 24 private schools that compete in Division I to join Division II.

4 – Successive advancement: Move all schools together and devise a formula that would bump schools up in classification based on their on-field success. Several states utilize this model.

5 – Urban-rural split: Separate schools based on whether they are considered an rural or urban institution, which would be determined by the population density of the area surrounding the school. School’s with a population density less than 400 people per square mile would be considered rural schools, while those with more than 400 people per square mile would be considered urban.

Nothing was decided, and no vote was taken at Thursday’s meeting, but TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress did reveal that the Legislative Council’s final vote would take place July 16 at 1 p.m. at the Doubletree in Murfreesboro.  The repercussions, in regards to the structure of TSSAA from any public/private split, are unclear.  Thunder Radio will continue to follow this story in the upcoming months.

The Nashville Sounds are back at First Tennessee Park starting Monday, facing off against the Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A Cardinals) and Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple-A Royals) for seven games. The homestand includes Fox 17 Friday Night Fireworks, a baseball hat giveaway, Star Wars Night and more.

Monday, June 15 vs. Memphis Redbirds @ 7:05 p.m. (Gates Open at 6:05 p.m.)
• Tennessee Lottery I-40 Cup Series: This season marks the fourth year that Nashville and Memphis have played for the Tennessee Lottery I-40 Cup. The winner of the season series between the two teams retains the trophy and bragging rights. Memphis has been crowned champion the past two years.

• Social Media Monday: Follow the Sounds on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to score specials on merchandise, tickets and in-game contests

• Military Discount: Active and veteran military men, women and families can purchase tickets as low as $6 in select seating areas with a valid military I.D.

Tuesday, June 16 vs. Memphis Redbirds @ 7:05 p.m. (Gates Open at 6:05 p.m.)
• The Tennessean T-Shirt Tuesday: Tuesdays are all about t-shirts at First Tennessee Park. The first 2,000 fans will receive a t-shirt with the Sounds new logo presented by Kings University and 107.5 The River

Wednesday, June 17 vs. Memphis Redbirds @ 7:05 p.m. (Gates Open at 6:05 p.m.)
• Salute To Motown Night: Help the Sounds celebrate the music of Motown and join the promo staff with prizes for the best dressed fans. The night will also include music and videos of that era, trivia and much more.

• Kroger Plus Wednesday: The Sounds and Kroger are teaming up to offer fans the chance to purchase a “Family 4-Pack” of four (4) Bullpen section tickets for $36 when they show their Kroger Plus Card and purchase tickets at participating Kroger Ticketmaster outlets

• Senior Discount: All seniors over the age of 60 can purchase tickets in selected areas for $8 presented by Hippie Radio 94.5. Limit one ticket per I.D.

Thursday, June 18 vs. Omaha Storm Chasers @ 7:05 p.m. (Gates Open at 6:05 p.m.)
• Throwback Thursday: Everyone’s favorite day is back! Every Thursday the Sounds are reaching back into the rich baseball history at Sulphur Dell to honor the 1940 Nashville Vols as this season’s uniform style. Fans are also able to purchase select beer and soft drinks for $2 all night presented by iHeart Media.

• Tumbler Giveaway: The Sounds are helping fans keep their drinks cold by giving away 4,000 tumblers presented by Cuestion Tequila (to fans 21+ and older).

Friday, June 19 vs. Omaha Storm Chasers @ 7:05 p.m. (Gates Open at 6:05 p.m.)
• Fox 17 Friday Night Fireworks: After the final out is recorded, the fun has just begun. Following the game, fans will enjoy the sixth of 13 firework shows presented by Fox 17

• Star Wars Night: The force will be strong on Friday at First Tennessee Park as the Sounds host Star Wars Night. Fans are encouraged to join the promo staff by dressing up in their best Star Wars costume and photo opportunities will be available with popular Star Wars icons on the concourse before the game.

• Jersey Auction: The Sounds will don special Darth Vader style Star Wars jerseys to commemorate the night and fans have the opportunity to bid on them through a silent auction process. The auction will conclude at the end of the seventh inning and bid-winning fans will receive the autographed jersey from the player following the game. All proceeds from the auction will go to the Nashville Sounds Foundation.

Saturday, June 20 vs. Omaha Storm Chasers @ 6:35 p.m. (Gates Open at 5:35 p.m.)
• Nashville and Omaha play game three of their four-game series

Sunday, June 21 vs. Omaha Storm Chasers @ 2:05 p.m. (Gates Open at 1:05 p.m.)
• Baseball Hat Giveaway: Shade the sun and look good doing it by being one of the first 2,000 fans at the park on Sunday to receive a baseball hat presented by Advance Financial

• Autograph Day: Fans can stop by the First Tennessee Park concourse before the game to snap a picture and grab an autograph from their favorite Sounds players

• Piedmont Natural Gas Military Sunday: The Sounds will don camouflage jerseys every Sunday home game and offer special military discounts for Military Sundays presented by Tennessee 811 and WSMV Channel 4. Active and veteran military men, women and families can purchase tickets as low as $6 in select seating areas with a valid military I.D.

• Kids Run The Bases: Kids 12 and under can take a lap around the bases with their dads following the game

Following the homestand, Nashville will enjoy an off day before playing their cross-state rival Memphis for three games at AutoZone Park. The Sounds return to Music City on Friday, June 26 for an eight-game homestand against Oklahoma City (Triple-A Dodgers) and Colorado Springs (Triple-A Brewers).
Ticket packages are currently on sale. Fans can visit First Tennessee Park, open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., call (615) 690-HITS, or visit www.nashvillesounds.com for information.

The Coffee County Central High School baseball team will participate in the 4th Annual King of the Mountain Summer Invitational being hosted by Grundy County on Friday and Saturday. The Raiders will play on Friday at Franklin County as they take on the Rebels at 4:00 PM and then the Columbia Post 19 team at 6:00 PM. The Raiders will take on Warren County on Saturday afternoon at Grundy County High School beginning at 4:00 PM. The finals for the tournament are set for Sunday. The Raiders will return home next weekend for the annual Crethan Hansert Memorial Tournament. Scott Hansert will appear as a guest on Saturday’s Coffee Coaches Show to talk about the tournament. The Coffee Coaches Show is broadcast live from Al White Ford/Lincoln on Saturday morning at 10 AM on Thunder Radio.

The Central High School Raider and Lady Raider basketball teams each completed a 3 day team camp on Wednesday. The Raiders were in Cookeville, while the Lady Raiders traveled to Dade County, Georgia. Each will take some time off this weekend before returning to camps next week.
For the Raiders, Coach Micah Williams sung the praises of how much his team improved from last week’s camp performance. “We grew up a lot this week. The competition was much tougher, but I am proud of how they competed” said Williams. He was also quick to praise seniors Wyatt Day, Boone Riddle and Kohl Young for their leadership. Day continues to lead the team in offense while Young was strong on the glass for the young Raiders. Williams continues to be impressed with the energy, effort and tenacious play of Riddle. The Raiders showed better ball movement at Cookeville and played well on defense. “We still are struggling hitting our shots” said Williams. The Red Raiders will travel to Brentwood on Tuesday through Thursday of next week to take part in a team camp at Ravenwood prior to the 2 week dead period.
Lady Raider head coach Herb Horton also spoke of the improvement of his young squad. “We are getting better and are beginning to find out what we can and cannot do” Horton said as he described a week of playing teams from Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. He called out the leadership play of rising junior Holli Smithson who is the only returning player who started more than a handful of games last season. Horton also sees flashes of brilliance from his younger players but stresses “we need more consistency.” Horton would like to see more offensive production from his young team but has been pleased with their effort. The Lady Raiders will practice on Thursday morning before playing a pair of camp games on Tuesday at Shelbyville and a 2 day camp at Crossville on Thursday and Friday.

Keese Jones(left) of All Creatures slides safely into home ahead of the tag of American City Bank’s pitcher Raiden Sain(right) in 10U action on Tuesday night.

On Tuesday, The Manchester Youth Baseball League continued their post season tournament with 3 doubleheaders at Fred Deadman Park.  In 6U action, Lions Club got a run in the top of the first inning and never trailed as they defeated Manchester Tire 26 to 17.  Lions Club was led by Andie Nicoll who was 4 for 4 with 3 runs scored.  Manchester Tire was led by Gavin Smith who had 2 doubles.  In the other 6U game, Sonic scored 7 runs in the 3^rd inning to break open a close game and defeat Henley Storage 25 to 16.  Randall Harrison and Lee Ashford were each 4 for 4 for Sonic while Journey Cummings was 4 for 4 with 4 runs scored for Henley Storage.

Eli Hobbs(left) of 1st National Bank slides safely under the tag of Hullett’s pitcher Hayden Garr(right) to score on a passed ball on Tuesday night in 10U action.

In 10U action, Cole Fowler of Hullett’s was called out for missing 3^rd base on an apparent game tying, inside the park home run  as 1^st National Bank squeaked out the 6 to 5 win.  Knox Wimberley was 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored in the winning effort for 1^st National Bank while Jonathan Nelson was 2 for 2 for Hullett’s.  John Roberts Toyota held Rose Hill to a single hit as they blanked them 13 to 0.  John McKelvey had an inside the park home run for John Roberts while Darryn Strickland had the lone hit for Rose Hill.    All Creatures held off a late rally from American City Bank to claim a 9 to 5 upset win.  Remington Banks was 2 for 2 for All Creatures with an inside the park home run.  Tevin Taylor had a single and reached on an error for American City Bank.  And in the final game of the night, Mark Lemons Construction got a walk-off RBI single from Anthony Fidecaro to eclipse Jiffy Burger 4 to 3.    Jacob Holder was 2 for 3 for Mark Lemons while Jiffy Burger was held hitless on the night.

The MYBL tournament will resume on Monday as the 8U and 10U teams return to action.  The 12U and 6U teams will return to action on Tuesday while all age divisions will crown their champions on Friday, June 19th

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

Behind Matt Carson’s power hitting and baserunning, the Nashville Sounds defeated the New Orleans Zephyrs 6-3  at rain-soaked Zephyr Field on Tuesday afternoon.

The game’s original 11:00 a.m. start time was pushed back one hundred minutes due to rain. It was not the first time the tarp would come on the field.

After falling behind 1-0 after one, Matt Carson gave the Sounds a 3-1 advantage that scored Niuman Romero and Jason Pridie. In his next appearance, Carson stole second and went to third on a throwing error by Zephyrs catcher Brandon Bantz in the fourth inning. He then scored on a Luke Carlin sacrifice fly and the Sounds led 4-1.

The Zephyrs cut the lead in half with a run in the bottom half of the frame, but the Sounds pushed across another run their next time up when Kent Matthes hit his team-leading 19th double and Pridie drove him in with a liner up the middle.

Sean Nolin returned to the mound for Nashville after missing his last start with a left groin strain. The southpaw lasted just 3.2 innings, giving up two earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts. Angel Castro relieved Nolin and earned his second win of the season.

The Zephyrs went to the pen in the sixth after Misch let two batters reach. James Nygren came into the game, but was uncomfortable with the safety of the mound. Standing water had begun to collect on the mound and at shortstop and the Zephyrs’ grounds crew ran out to add fresh dirt. After conferring with both managers, the umpire crew decided to continue the game. First batter, Craig Gentry hit a grounder to short, Miguel Rojas lost his footing and the ball rolled into the outfield. The Sounds added a run, but more importantly won the game as the umpire crew called for the tarp. After a brief delay, the game was called.

The Sounds and the rest of the members of the Pacific Coast League are off Wednesday. Nashville will start a series at Oklahoma City on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Chase Bryce of Lewis Auto(#2 in orange) rounds 1st base after hitting a single on Monday night as Trace Stevens of KOA(#19 in yellow) defends 1st base.

The Manchester Youth Baseball League opened their 2015 post season tournament on Monday night. The 12 teams in action battled each other and the rain as 3 of the 4 age divisions got the single elimination tournament underway. In 8U action, KOA got a run in the 4th inning by Trace Stevens to squeak by Lewis Auto by a final score of 10 to 9. Stevens, Blake Trail, Ethan Stevens and Torin VanZandbeign were all 3 for 3 on the night for KOA. Chase Bryce had a homerun for Lewis Motors. Traders Bank got 5 runs in the first inning to vault past Central Funeral Home 10 to 3. Layton and Emmanuel each had home runs for Traders while Jase had a single and an RBI double for Central Funeral Home. KK’s Music got 7 runs in the 4th inning to break open a tight game and lift them to a 12 to 4 win over Star Physical Therapy. Noah Costello was 4 for 4 for KK’s while Jayden Gilliam was 3 for 3 for Star.
In 10U action, Coffee Financial used a 7 run 2nd inning to dump Rose Hill 8 to 3. Patrick Caning was 2 for 2 for Coffee Financial. Landen Daniels had a single and scored a run for Rose Hill.

Allie from Central Funeral Home bats on Monday night in 8U action

In 12 U action, Peoples Bank got 7 runs in the 2nd inning to double up Shelter Insurance 10 to 5. Michael Sherrill was 2 for 3 with 3 RBI to lead Peoples while Jacob Sherrill was 2 for 3 for Shelter. Also in 12U action, Coffee County Bank got runs in every inning as they bested Bush Insurance 21 to 2. Jacob Garms was 2 for 3 for Coffee County Bank including a grand slam. Logan Meadows had a single and a walk and scored a run to lead Bush.
On Tuesday, the 6U teams will get underway with a doubleheader as Manchester Tire takes on Lion’s Club at 5:00 PM while Sonic and Henley Storage will square off at 6:30. Both those games will be on the T-Ball Field. In 10U action, Hullett’s takes on 1st National Bank at 5:00 PM and John Roberts Toyota takes on Coffee Financial at 7:00 PM at the American Field. On the National Field, American City Bank will play All Creatures at 5:00 PM and Mark Lewis Construction takes on Jiffy Burger at 7:00 PM.

updated MYBL tournament bracket