'Cats Leads Early But Fall to Rattlers

PARKERS CHAPEL - Eight runs by the Murfreesboro Rattlers in the bottom of the fifth allowed them to overcome a three-run deficit as they ended the season for the Rison Wildcats, 8-5, in the first round of the Class 2A South Region Tournament last Thursday at Parkers Chapel.Rison's Brock Southerland was keeping the Murfreesboro offense in check over the first four innings, holding the Rattlers to just two hits before a walk, a double and a hit batter loaded the bases to start the fifth.The next batter grounded to third allowing the Wildcats to make a play at the plate to prevent Murfreesboro from scoring. However, a single and a walk scored two runs before Rison Coach Chad Cope brought in Ethan Saeler to relieve Southerland.An error allowed Murfreesboro to score another run to tie the game, 3-3, before a fly ball resulted in the second out. Another error plated another score to put the Rattlers up 4-3 before a couple of wild pitches plated two more runs to make it 6-3. A two-strike single tacked on two more scores to make it 8-3.Rison clawed their way back into the game in the sixth when three consecutive walks loaded the bases with one out. Souther-land then drew another walk to push one run across, and Canon Cope followed with a sacrifice fly to score Lawson Kidd to make it 8-5. The 'Cats still had two runners in scoring position when a strikeout turned back the threat.Ayden Laws reached on an error to start the top of the seventh inning but a strikeout, a ground out and a fly ball ended the game.Rison, the no. 4 seed from the 82A, took a 1-0 lead over Mufreesboro, the no. 1 seed from the 72A, in the top of the first when Cope had a two-out single to score Matthew Howard. Ethan Saeler, meanwhile, came up with a twoout double in the second to score Laws to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.The 'Cats scored again in the top of the fifth when Cope was hit by a pitch to start the inning. His courtesy runner, Austin Johnson, stole second, moved to third on a ground out by…