Tennessee
South Bay meets Southern Hospitality: What Los Gatos baseball team learned from trip to rural Tennessee
Like many baseball teams in the Bay Area, Los Gatos spent a week away from home playing non-league teams.
But instead of taking on other opponents from the West Coast, the Wildcats traveled down to middle Tennessee, playing unfamiliar programs like Friendship Christian and Overton in a small town called Lebanon.
Located around 45 minutes east of the state capitol and a world away from what the South Bay natives were used to, the teenagers grew to appreciate the state that coach Mike Minkel spent his college years.
“They saw a lot of respect for strangers and people you’ve never met before,” said Minkel, who went to school at Cumberland in Lebanon. “A lot of time spent holding doors for people and going out of your way to be kind when you don’t have to be.”
Despite both graduating from the same NAIA program in the 2000’s, both Minkel and his assistant coach Eric Mull still have plenty of friends in the area, making it possible to plan games and put together events with help from locals.
Los Gatos won all three games in the Volunteer state, including a 10-5 victory in Nashville over Mookie Betts’ alma mater Overton High.
They might have been 2,000 miles from temperate Los Gatos, but Brayden Smith and Lucas Carlisle led an offense that looked comfortable in the southeastern humidity. Each junior hit a home run against the Nashville powerhouse, which is 9-1 in league play.
The 18-3 Wildcats stayed focused between the lines, but their coaches made sure they also had fun on their trip.
With several of his players both avid country music and college baseball fans, they also enjoyed a day in the genre’s mecca and caught a Vanderbilt game too.
The Wildcats even got to see the South’s party bus and hot chicken epicenter of Broadway Street, albeit from a distance.
“They got to see what Broadway looked like at night,” Minkel said, who then laughed and added, “Although obviously, we all stayed in the car and drove them around, because there’s not much you can do walking around there at 16.”
But it wasn’t the baseball or the big events that the coach enjoyed the most – It was a quiet team BBQ on the Cumberland river.
“They’re out doing their thing, they’re engaged in nature and off of their phones,” Minkel remembered. “It was refreshing to see and be a part of it. It was an instance where I didn’t really want to leave there and do the next thing.”
He hoped that his team took a new appreciation for that region of the country, and the people who live there, back with them to the South Bay.
“You take all the politics out of everything, and when you come together and sit down, with us from California and them from Tennessee, we’re all just human beings who care about each other,” Minkel said.
Tennessee
Nashville Sounds and Autism Tennessee partner to host inclusive Beyond the Label Day for local children
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At a ballpark built for noise, there is space for something quieter.
During the Nashville Sounds’ “Beyond the Label Day,” kids are learning, playing and experiencing baseball in a way that works for them. Autism Tennessee volunteers stepped in to guide kids through sensory play designed to calm and focus.
From spinning toys to textured fidgets, these tools help turn overwhelming moments into manageable ones. Children engaged with the activities, pointing out shapes like a circle, noticing items like candies, and expressing how nice the experience was.
Adam English, general manager of the Nashville Sounds, said making space for everyone is the goal, even as the stadium announcer calls another Sounds strikeout.
“It’s important for us to raise awareness about autism, but also just make sure that First Horizon Park is an inclusive place for everybody” English said.
The Sounds stadium even has a sensory room for families at every game.
“There’s huge baseball fans that sometimes shy away because of loud crowds and we want to make sure every game out here available” English said.
For Autism Tennessee leaders like Jessica Moore, days like this are about more than awareness. They are about belonging.
“Typically events like this can be super overwhelming… so this is just a way for people to feel like they can come and still be successful” Moore said.
What are your thoughts on making sports venues more inclusive for all fans? Watch the video to see the sensory room in action, and share your experiences with me at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim Rafferty and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
Checking in on Cole: Gallatin rallies around teen battling brain tumor with prayer vigil
Austin Pollack brings us an update on a remarkable young man facing great odds, and his family has one simple request: pray for Cole. I believe in the power of prayer and hope you’ll join me in lifting up Cole and his family.
– Carrie Sharp
Tennessee baseball will look to salvage the final game of the SEC series against Ole Miss.
The Vols (25-14, 7-10 SEC) play Game against the No. 23 Rebels (29-11, 10-7) on April 19 (1 p.m. ET, SEC Network+) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Ole Miss has been on a roll. The 8-1 win on April 18 against the Vols moved the Rebels to eight straight wins. It got an ace-level start from Cade Townsend and a grand slam from Tristan Bissetta to secure Game 2.
Taylor Rabe (3-1, 3.16 ERA) will start for the Rebels. Evan Blanco (3-2, 3.67 ERA) will be on the mound for Tennessee.
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss live updates
What channel is Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss on today?
- TV channel: SEC Network+
- Live stream: ESPN app
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss game times
- Game 3: April 19 (1 p.m. ET)
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss probable pitchers
- Tennessee: LHP Evan Blanco (3-2, 3.67 ERA)
- Ole Miss: RHP Taylor Rabe (3-1, 3.16 ERA)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The Tennessee Volunteers baseball team dropped game two to Ole Miss on Saturday afternoon, 8-1. The Rebels clinch the series, the first time Ole Miss has won a series in Knoxville since 2016.
A bright spot for the Vols was Tegan Kuhns who threw 5.2 innings not allowing a run, striking out 10 batters on five hits.
Cam Appenzeller picked up his first loss of the season coming in out of the bullpen for Kuhns. The SEC Freshman of the Week did not have a great outing. Appenzeller went 2.1 innings giving up six earned runs.
Tennessee escaped a shutout as Trent Grindlinger hit a solo home run in the ninth inning. Grindlinger’s home run was one of Tennessee’s two hits on the night.
The Volunteers look to avoid the series sweep as theY round out the series with Ole Miss on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on the SEC Network+.
Copyright 2026 WVLT. All rights reserved.
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