By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Bedford North Lawrence channeled its inner Star Wars. To paraphrase Han Solo, that swashbuckling hero in the far, far away fictional heavens, “hokey strategies and ancient attacks are no much for a good blast on your side, kid.”
The Stars, a collective explosion waiting to happen, went a little Death Star on New Albany, launching six solo home runs, and one of the kids had the force locked in during a breakout performance as BNL blasted its way to a thrilling 8-5 victory over the Bulldogs on a chilly Thursday night.
Macee Nicholson, a freshman thrust into a starring role, clubbed two home runs among her three hits, and she recorded her first career win in the pitching circle as the Stars (3-6-1) twice battled back from deficits with an impressive power display that kept the fair-weather horn honkers (sitting in cars atop the hill to watch rather than braving the elements on the bleachers) busy and noisy.
With a brisk wind blowing in from the outfield, Tori Nikirk, Ava Ratliff (the 47th of her career as she edges closer to the state record of 50), Kendall Graves and Aliza Jewell all joined Nicholson on the launching pad, and Danielle Stegeman made a spectacular run-saving, game-changing catch in the sixth inning as BNL won its Hoosier Hills Conference opener.
While the six-pack of homers came up short of the single-game state record of nine that BNL cranked out against Jeffersonville last season, it was a welcome, pressure-valve release. The Stars have been scuffling with their bats during the first three weeks of the regular season. Doing it in less-than-ideal conditions – the weather window didn’t clear until close to first pitch – made it even better.
“If you had told me there would be that many home runs . . . wow,” BNL coach Brad Gilbert said. “We hit line drives. Nobody was out there swinging for the fence, we just hit it on the nose. The ball just jumped. That’s exciting to see.”
New Albany (0-5, 0-2 in the HHC) did its own slugging with two home runs. Both gave the Bulldogs leads – Taylor Clemons hit a two-run shot for a 3-2 edge in the third, and Candace Meyer banged the first strike she saw leading off the fifth off the left-field foul pole for a 4-3 advantage.
BNL used force to respond. Nikirk ripped an opposite-field drive to right leading off the second for a 1-1 deadlock, and the Stars added another run that inning when Sara Williams swatted a triple to right-center and scored on Nicholson’s bunt single. Nicholson connected for her first bomb in the fourth for a 3-3 stalemate.
In the fifth, Graves and Jewell went back-to-back against NA reliever Jaycie Dunn for a 5-4 lead. Nikirk followed with a triple to the right-field corner, and she scampered home on Anna Williams’ ground out. BNL added two more in the sixth. Nicholson led off with her second homer, and Ratliff capped the surge with a towering, no-doubt drive to left.
Nicholson was 3-for-3 with 3 RBIs at the plate. Nikirk was 2-for-3, and her out was a smoked liner to first.
“My plan is just trying to hit the ball as well as I can,” Nicholson said. “I guess it worked out. We hit line drives and they went far.”
Jewell worked the first four innings and struck out seven. Nicholson allowed two hits in three innings of relief for the win.
All that offense would have been in vain if Stegeman had not made a play-of-the-year nominee in left field. With two outs and two runners on, Meyer mashed a vicious line drive toward the left-field gap. Stegeman, moved to the outfield while the Warren sisters (Britta and Bella) nurse injuries, took a couple of steps to her left and went horizontal for a remarkable diving catch to preserve a 6-4 lead. And generate more horn honking.
“You try to tell them not to take at-bats into the field, and Danielle didn’t have any hits tonight,” Gilbert said. “But she wasn’t out there moping. She just went and got the ball. And she hadn’t played outfield all year. She had to, and that was huge.”
Meyer and Clemons had two hits each for New Albany.
With this victory, BNL will seek to establish momentum for a busy weekend.
“We needed it,” Gilbert said. “To get the first conference win was huge. We made some plays, and that was a solid win. That’s what we have to have, to get going.”
The Stars will host Linton on Friday night.
