Category: Sports

Head coach Brandon McWhorter told his Central High School Lady Raider softball team to “send a message” Monday night.

His team responded – outhitting Warren County 8-2 and riding 14 strikeouts from starting pitcher Keri Munn to drop Warren County 6-2 Monday night in McMinnville.

It was a much-awaited season opener after the cancellation of the 2020 season and Coffee County played like it. The Lady Raiders plated runs in each of the first four innings to get out of the gate fast. CHS did miss opportunities in the final three innings, leaving the bases loaded once and failing to get a bunt down and advance a runner for a scoring chance in the 7^th.

Kiya Ferrell, Olivia Evans and Justus Turner each had multiple hits for the Lady Raiders.

In addition to going the distance and striking out 14 in the circle to pick up the win, Munn also drove home a pair of runs for CHS. She was named Mid Tenn Turf Player of the Game by Thunder Radio. Turner singled home a run and Ferrell thumped a double into the left-centerfield gap to plate one.

Sadie Simmons was hit with the loss for Warren County. She allowed 5 runs and struck out 3 Lady Raiders.

Coffee County returns to the field at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 16 when the Lady Raiders host Columbia. That game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio – 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, Manchester Go app, thunder1320.com.

Jacob Holder pitched six no-hit innings and the Coffee County Central Red Raider baseball team opened the season with a huge 6-0 District 8-AAA win at Columbia Monday night.

Holder was money from the start. The right-handed hurler worked six complete innings and finished with 9 strikeouts. He struck out the side twice and worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth. After walking two in the seventh, Braden Brown came in and struck out the Columbia side to preserve the shutout for the Raiders.

Offensively, Coffee County picked up contributions from multiple people. Senior Haden Hullett was a home run shy of the cycle, ripping a single, double and a triple with an RBI. Senior Griffin Meeker knocked a double and a single and had a pair of RBIS. Wyatt Nugent singled home a run and catcher Lane Spry also had a single and an RBI.

The Raiders led 1-0 after the first and started to get some distance, scoring three in the second on a double by Hullett and a single from Nugent.

Coffee County (1-0 overall /1-0 District 8-AAA) will host Columbia at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Powers Field to wrap the 2-game district series. That game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio beginning at 3:50 p.m. Listen at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, on the Manchester Go app and at thunder1320.com.

Weather permitting, Monday will be the busiest day yet of the spring sports season in Coffee County, as 10 prep teams are schedule to be in action.

Thunder Radio will be out and about at various sporting events for coverage and action photos, — Thunder Radio will also be broadcasting one.

The CHS Lady Raider softball team is set to travel to Warren County with first pitch at 5 p.m. Originally, first pitch was set for 7 p.m. but has been moved up to 5 p.m. in an attempt to avoid bad weather. Joe Pat Cope will be there to deliver the play-by-play for Thunder Radio. Pregame begins at 4:50 p.m.

See full Monday schedule below:

**Set to be broadcast on Thunder Radio. 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, Manchester Go app, thunder1320.com.

Enhancing excitement about the upcoming season, the Braves will be welcoming fans back to Truist Park.

The Braves announced they will have 33 percent capacity (approximately 13,500 fans) for their April 9 home opener and each of the seven games on their first homestand. Capacity will be revisited for each subsequent homestand.

“After a long and difficult year, we are excited to welcome Braves fans back to Truist Park beginning on April 9th.” Braves president and CEO Derek Schiller said. “Baseball has had a healing affect over the course of our history, and we look forward to being a place where our fans can come, have fun and enjoy cheering on their favorite team in a welcoming environment.”

The Braves devised their safety plan with the assistance of Emory Healthcare’s infectious disease experts, who have assisted and reviewed the team’s Covid-19 protocols. Information about the plan can be found here: www.braves.com/letsplay

Here’s more information the team provided about purchasing and seating options:

Mike Keith prepared for what he thought would be a new website feature with NFL analyst Charles Davis, and on Thursday he put the plan into action during a Zoom interview focused on the Titans.

During the middle of the call, however, former Titans running back Eddie George was invited to join in, and what happened next even caught Keith by surprise.

Keith, Vice President of Broadcasting with the Titans, will be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame’s 2021 class. Davis and George, Tennessee Sports Hall of Famers themselves, pulled off the delivery of the news to perfection.

“Everybody I’ve heard from after the fact has been more delighted that I was “got” than anything else, because over the years I have sort of gotten a few people myself,” Keith said with a smile. “They got me good.

“It was a tremendous surprise, and to be told by Eddie George was just incredibly special, there’s no other way to put it. This really means a lot.”

Keith, a Franklin native and a graduate of Battle Ground Academy and the University of Tennessee, worked with the Vol Radio Network, WIVK Radio and WBIR-TV in Knoxville, from 1987-1998 before working on the Tennessee Oilers Radio Network in 1997 and 1998 as the Oilers played in Memphis and at Vanderbilt University. In 1999, Keith was named “The Voice of the Titans”.

Over the last 22 seasons, Keith has called over 450 preseason, regular season, and postseason games.

Keith has been named as Tennessee Sportscaster of the Year 11 times, has won over 20 Associated Press state awards, and he’s captured two national honors, including the industry’s most prestigious award: the Edward R. Murrow Award for nationwide excellence in sports reporting.

Keith was named to the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 last year.

“Mike Keith is one of the NFL’s premier radio voices, and his success is due to nothing less than hard work and dedication,” said Brad Willis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. “Every week during the NFL season, Mike uses his voice to paint the picture for Titans fans across the region, and his signature calls have become synonymous with the Titans organization. We are excited to have him join the Class of 2021.”

In January of 2000, Keith called one of the greatest plays in NFL history, “The Music City Miracle,” a last-second touchdown that gave the Titans an improbable playoff win over the Buffalo Bills. ESPN named Keith’s description of the play as one of the 10 best radio calls in American sports history.

Keith also calls Tennessee state championship events as part of the Titans’ relationship with the TSSAA. In addition, he regularly hosts shows on Sirius XM NFL Radio and has done play-by-play for SEC-ESPN Network. Keith has also served as the emcee for the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet for over the last 20 years.

“The whole thing about the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame is you think about Wilma Rudolph, and you think about Pat Summitt, and General (Robert) Neyland and Jess Neely and Steve Spurrier and Phillip Fulmer and John Majors and Reggie White and Penny Hardaway and on and on and on,” Keith said. “All these people who were just legendary figures in so many different ways, and then to even think that my name is going to be among theirs, that is otherworldly. It really is phenomenally special.

“Obviously, I wasn’t good enough to make it as a player, and I sure couldn’t coach. So, the fact that I am able to talk about sports and be involved in it in this way through the TSSAA and the University of Tennessee and obviously the Tennessee Titans. … It is just really special in a way that is hard to describe.”

Just four days before the first regular season game of his senior year and Central High School Red Raider Griffin Meeker knows where he will be playing college ball.

After verbally committing a few weeks back, Meeker signed on the dotted line in front of family, friends, coaches and teammates at Powers Field Thursday afternoon.

The senior right-hander plays infield and pitches for the Raiders. He said he just knew Motlow was the best fit.

“When I went there and visited with the players and the coaches I just knew it was a good fit for me,” said Meeker. “I didn’t even have to think about it really, I almost immediately told them I wanted to play there.”

CHS head coach David Martin was not surprised that colleges were looking at Meeker.

“Griff is a hard worker, has a great approach to the game and does the things it takes to play at the next level,” said Martin. “He is a big asset for us. He is a leader out there and we expect him to have a great senior year for us.”

Coffee County opens the season Monday, March 15, at Columbia.

Coffee Middle’s Red Raider baseball team pushed 3 runs across the plate in the first inning Thursday afternoon against Stewarts Creek. But it was the runs that didn’t score that cost CMS.

The Raiders stranded 12 runners on base, including three innings where they left the bases loaded, in a 5-3 loss to visiting Stewarts Creek – a game you heard broadcast live on Thunder Radio as part of the Peoples Bank & Trust Hometown Sports Series.

Everything looked good for the Raiders early. Landon Abellana drove in Tatsuki Aso and Cole Pippenger with 2-RBI single. That was followed by an RBI single from Jace Cashion to send Evan Kirby across the plate.

But the Raiders left the bases loaded to close the first, then loaded them up again in the second and couldn’t push across a single run. CHS stranded one in scoring position in the fourth inning after Cole Pippenger singled and stole second. Then the Raiders loaded the bases in the fifth with one out and could not score. Two runners reached in the sixth with no outs, but Stewarts Creek again pitched out of trouble.

Meanwhile, Stewarts Creek got an unearned run across in the third and eventually took the lead with a 3-run fifth, powered by a 2-run home run by Tyler Huskey. SCMS added a run in the seventh.

CMS was pitcher by committee – getting 2 innings out of starter Colter Neel, 2 from Aso, 1.2 from Keaton Rowe and 1.1 from Caleb Crouch.

Jeff Moran picked up the win on the mound for Stewarts Creek – not allowing a single run in relief while pitching out of a bases loaded jam in the second and sixth.

It is the first loss of the season for the Raiders, who are now 4-1. They will host Harris Middle on Monday, March 15.

Nick Cousins scored the lone goal for the visitors, as the Nashville Predators finished their two-game set in Carolina with a 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes on Thursday night at PNC Arena. The result sees Nashville’s two-game point streak to start their eight-game road trip come to a close as their overall record 11-15-1 on the season. 

Predators hockey can be heard all season long on Thunder Radio – presented by Charlie Gonzales with Weichert Realtors, Joe Orr and Associates.

Capacity will continue to be limited for Coffee County Central sports this spring – particularly baseball and softball.

Baseball and softball tickets will be available through GoFan at www.gofan.co. Tickets will go on sale a few days before each game is set to be played.

Tickets for CHS boys soccer will be sold at the gate only and not online.

Temperature checks and facial coverings are required to enter and fans are asked to socially distance.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.

Thunder Radio will broadcast over 30 CHS baseball, softball and soccer games this spring, beginning with the Lady Raider softball team on Monday against Warren County. Thunder Radio will broadcast a double header Tuesday – Red Raider baseball at 4 p.m. and Lady Raider softball at 7 p.m. See the full broadcast schedule below.

Local prep sports schedule for Thursday, March 11, 2021.

*** Peoples Bank & Trust Hometown Sports Series broadcast LIVE on Thunder Radio. Listen at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM