Stories from Tuesday, April 8, 2008

In their best offensive performance of the season, Shelbyville Central rolled past visiting Smyrna 11-1 in six innings Monday afternoon. The Eaglettes (5-3) banged out 14 hits in their non-district matchup with a number of two-out hits along the way...

On paper it looked like the balance of power atop the District 9-A standings could waver depending on the outcome of the Middle Tennessee Christian-Cascade game in Wartrace on a perfect afternoon for baseball. These two teams met for the district crown last May and both entered Monday's contest undefeated in 9-A play...

Mark David Fields, 37, of Smyrna died Sunday. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Woodfin Memorial Chapel in Smyrna with Rick Chambless and Daniel Carr officiating. Burial will follow at Roselawn Cemetery in Murfreesboro. Visitation with the family will be 3-8 p.m. today...

Funeral services for Ira L. Gunn Sr., 91, of Wartrace, who died Monday at Bedford County Medical Center, will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Hillcrest Funeral Home. The Rev. Paul Lane will officiate and burial will follow in Hillcrest Memorial Gardens....

MURFREESBORO -- It was one of those nights. The bats heated up, but hard hit balls ended up right at the defense time after time. As a result, host Riverdale made key plays at crucial times, rallying from an early three-run deficit to walk away with an 8-3 non-district victory over the Golden Eagles...

Bedford County was blessed with beautiful baseball weather Monday and teams from all across the area took advantage of their good fortune to work out the kinks from their game that had set in during the recent storms. Some teams took more advantage of the opportunity than others as Forrest (6-6, 2-2 9-A) rolled into Unionville to take on the Vikings in a District 9-A matchup and left with a 14-0 win in five innings...

Leigha Carter used the glovework of all eight of her Cascade teammates in the field to the fullest extent as she pitched a one-hit shutout in a 19-0 District 9-A victory over visiting Community. The Viqueens put the ball in play on a consistent basis against the right-handed sophomore, striking out but once in the five-inning affair. Carter worked around the plate and didn't issue a walk...

Abdimalik Abukar's second-half hat trick keyed a 7-1 Central Tennessee Conference win for Harris Middle over visiting Warren County Middle. Guillermo Clementé, Christian Gomez and José Pompa thinned the twine in the early going to put the Golden Eagles (7-0, 7-0 CTC) ahead 3-0 at the game's midway point...

A four-run seventh inning proved to be the difference in Harris Middle's 7-3 win on the road at Franklin County South in a Central Tennessee Conference showdown. With the game knotted at 3-all, the Eaglettes (5-3) went to work in the top of the seventh...

Harris Middle let one slip away as the Eagles fell 6-5 in an extra-inning matchup with host Franklin County South in Central Tennessee Conference action. With the game tied at 5-all after seven innings, South scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning after a walk, stolen base and pair of wild pitches...

Several solutions are needed to avoid a repeat of last summer's drought scare, and they may include adjusting the Duck River Agency's charter, according to a consensus officials heard during a water utilities summit last week. State Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro), who represents Marshall and Maury counties, hosted a brainstorming session at Henry Horton State Park on Thursday with dozens of leaders from water utilities attending with county mayors and other officials...

A brick saw, tool box with masonry tools and six pieces of angle iron used in construction, belonging to Diego Navarro and Leopoldo Estrada of D & L Masonry, was taken overnight Friday from a construction site on John Shaw Road, according to a Bedford County Sheriff's Department report...

Testing of the water system continues in Wartrace today as officials say that the turbidity level at Cascade Spring is dropping. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last Tuesday due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Mayor Don Gallagher said that the testing today involves the water line...

Will the third time be the charm for Bill Bobo and Rowdy Rev? The Shelbyville trainer rode the big, 7-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse stallion to top honors in the recent Walking Horse Trainers Association show, held over Easter weekend at Calsonic Arena. Considered the kick-off show for the season, winners catch the public eye early and try to keep that attention going strong through The Celebration...

If you are a college student with classes in journalism, communications or English, or if you know such a student, the Times-Gazette has an opportunity to discuss with you. Each year, the T-G news department takes on a summer intern. The main focus for the intern will be conducting interviews for and writing features for our Celebration souvenir edition. ...

Funeral arrangements for Elaine J. Bell, 45, of Shelbyville, who died Monday at Bedford County Medical Center, are incomplete and will be announced by Feldhaus Memorial Chapel.

Floyd Edward Batts, 76, of Nashville died Wednesday, April 2, at Southern Hills Hospital. Funeral services will be noon Wednesday at Rockvale Independent Church of God with John W. Batts Jr. officiating and Jimmy Tyson as eulogist. Burial will follow at Lovvorn Cemetery...