NEW ALBANY – Forced into emergency work in the pitching circle, Bedford North Lawrence’s Aliza Jewell rose to the occasion in spectacular fashion.
Jewell, with BNL starter Annie Waggoner suffering from sudden dizziness after throwing only six pitches, was sensational in relief, and she slammed a solo home run as the No.5 Stars opened Hoosier Hills Conference play with a 9-2 victory at New Albany on Thursday afternoon.
Ava Ratliff also slugged a home run (her ninth of the season) as BNL started its defense of the conference title while improving to 11-3 overall. But all the attention was focused on the middle of the diamond when Waggoner slumped down after recording the first out.
Once Waggoner received medical attention, Jewell (4-1) came in to scatter eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. She struck out only one batter, but she walked only one and didn’t surrender any runs until the bottom of the seventh.
“Aliza came in and did a great job,” BNL coach Brad Gilbert said. “She pitched great, moved the ball around.
“We got to the game late so we just warmed up Annie and was going to warm up Aliza (in the third inning). We think Annie got too hot too quickly, having to warm up fast and then got light headed immediately after throwing a pitch.”
BNL’s offense started with a run in the second as Kendall Graves doubled, took third on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch. In the third, Sarah Williams singled and Braxton McCauley clubbed a RBI double for a 2-0 lead.
Ratliff smacked her two-run blast in the fourth, and Jewell launched her homer in the fifth. The Stars pulled away with four runs in the sixth as Ratliff singled in a run, McCauley drew a bases-loaded walk, and Jewell stroked a two-run single.
Jewell was 3 for 4 with 3 RBIs, Ratliff drove in three runs, and Graves had two hits.
“Our offense hit the ball well, putting pressure on New Albany every inning,” Gilbert said. “Our defense was solid all night. It was a great HHC win.”
Ava Brewer and Cheyenne Palmer had three hits each for the Bulldogs (2-4, 0-2)
The Stars will host Charlestown (a new game added to the schedule) on Wednesday.
