Cats, Bratcher Shut Out Lawrence Co.

Senior pitcher Mason Bratcher tossed a complete-game two-hitter and Baylan Tuten scratched

out a sixth-inning run to lead the Tullahoma Wildcats to a 1-0 win over Lawrence County

Tuesday night at Grider Stadium.

Tullahoma (17-6, 6-0,) won its 17th consecutive game after opening the season with six losses.

The defending Class 3A state champions have shown they can win close games. Their last

three district victories were close. The Cats beat Giles County 2-1, and they beat Lawrence

County Monday night 6-1, but led 2-1 entering the seventh inning.

Tuesday night, Bratcher and his Lawrence Co. (4-2, 11-10) counterpart, Truitt Kidd, were barely hittable in a 45-degree chill down by the creek. Bratcher (5-0) got stronger as the night

progressed, and added seven strikeouts to his shutout, lowering his earned run average to 0.97. Mason has 53 strikeouts in 36 innings.

The Wildcats couldn’t zero in on Kidd for the first five innings. A leadoff single and a stolen basein the second inning were wasted with a pickoff at second. With one out in the sixth, Tutenbunted his way on base and stole second, his 26th steal this season.

Lawrence Co. second baseman Jake Moore made a critical error, allowing Tuten to score the

winning run. Bratcher then set down the visitors in the seventh to seal the win, putting

Tullahoma at the top of the District 8-AAA standings.

During the 17-game winning streak, Tullahoma pitchers have tossed nine shutouts and five no-

hitters, along with two one-hitters. Tullahoma has outscored those 17 opponents 136-20.

Bratcher has been nominated for the Nashville area Athlete of the week. Fan can click here to vote now through 11 am on Thursday.