Brewer, Heikkinen Provide Big Blows in Tullahoma’s 9-6 Win Over Eagles
by Mike McGee [Photos]
Justin Brewer had a three-run double in the fifth inning to lead the Tullahoma Wildcats to a 9-6 win over Shelbyville Wednesday night.
  The Tullahoma Wildcats came up with the clutch hits and made the clutch pitches Wednesday night, and the result was a 9-6 win over visiting district rival Shelbyville.
  It was the Wildcats’ second win in a row over the Eagles and their fifth win in their last six district games after a 1-3 start. Tullahoma is now alone in second place in the district standings with a two-game showdown looming next week against league-leading Lincoln County.
  The Wildcats twice had to fight from behind in Wednesday’s game, and both times they proved up to the task. After Phillip Heikkinen’s three-run double put the Cats up 3-0 after two innings, Shelbyville battled back with four runs in the top of the third with Stephon Ransom providing the big blow, a two-run homer over the center-field fence.
  Tullahoma tied it 4-4 in the bottom of the third when Justin Brewer doubled and scored on Hunter Culbertson’s RBI single. The Wildcats re-captured the lead in the bottom of the fourth when Luke Grow doubled, and Brewer drove him home with a single to make it 5-4.
  The Eagles chased starter Josh Bryant in the fifth when a single, a two-base throwing error and a wild pitch tied the game. Jon Greenwood came on to pitch for the Wildcats and gave up a one-run double that put Shelbyville on top 6-5, but he escaped without further damage.
  The Wildcats struck back in the bottom of the fifth, and once again it was Brewer in the middle of the rally. After a walk and two straight hit batters loaded the bases, Heikkinen was hit by a pitch to drive in a run and tie the game 6-6. Brewer then ripped a double to right center that cleared the bases and gave the Wildcats a 9-6 lead.
  With the bases loaded and two outs in the Eagles’ sixth, Chris Bishop came in and coaxed a fly ball to right to end the threat. He then set the side down in order in the seventh to save Greenwood’s win.
  The Wildcats are now 6-4 in district play while Lincoln County is 6-3 (the Falcons have a make-up game to play with Shelbyville in addition to next week’s two-game series with Tullahoma.). The Cats could finish anywhere from first to sixth after next week’s final district games. The four teams immediately behind them in the standings have .500 records, either 6-6 or 5-5.