By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Conventional wisdom on the diamond puts a premium on “strength up the middle.” That’s where the defenders with the strongest arms and best gloves roam. They orchestrate positioning, cover the most ground, shoulder the most responsibilities.
So it’s no coincidence Bedford North Lawrence’s three-player senior class patrols the three most vital spots of catcher, shortstop and center field. Two of them are destined for Div. I programs, one is a frontrunner for the coveted Miss Softball award. No team has a stronger backbone than the Stars as they prepare for the 2025 campaign.
As coach Brad Gilbert opened Monday’s official practice session for his 25th year at the helm, his talented triumvirate will command the spotlight. Ava Ratliff (the record-setting slugger) will team with Kendall Graves (the slick shortstop) and Tori Nikirk (the speedy outfielder) to form the nucleus for a team with interesting possibilities.
“That’s three great players to build around,” Gilbert said. “We need all three to be leaders, take other players under their wings and show them what’s expected, how we should play, lead by example. Those are three strong seniors, as far as leadership and their skill level.”
Ratliff is the superstar. She already holds the state record for career home runs (57), she’s a three-time All-State selection, a Johnny Bench Award winner, and a national catcher of the year. She has earned equal doses of respect and fear from opposing coaches, who would rather walk her than watch one of her orbital shots sail over the powerless fences. She hit .482 last season with 14 homers and 35 RBIs.
“She doesn’t have anything to prove,” Gilbert said. “Everyone knows how good she is. Her stats have been unbelievable. We hope she can take off where she left off. Everything now is icing on the cake.”
”I feel pressure that I want to do well, but there’s no certain numbers that I need to put up,” said Ratliff, who has signed with Auburn University. “I just want to do the best I can with the last chance I have.”
Graves, on her way to Butler, is also an offensive weapon (.371, 8 homers, 30 RBIs a year ago), and Nikirk is a table setter after hitting .340 and leading the Stars in runs scored (31) last season. That’s a powerful top of the lineup.
Even with that foundation, softball is still pitching-centric. The Stars will have a three-player rotation with sophomore Macee Nicholson (3-3, 4.41 ERA), freshman Sophia Jewell (the younger sister of former BNL hurler Aliza Jewell) and junior Mitchell transfer Karsyn Coleman (4-2, 3.80 ERA last year with the Bluejackets).
“The key will be throwing strikes,” Gilbert said. “We won’t overpower people, so we have to hit our spots and throw strikes, let our defense play.”
That covers four spots on the diamond. What about the other five on the corners of the defense? BNL has returning veterans in junior Sara Williams (.225) and sophomore Danielle Stegemann (.288), but there’s a lot of competition.
“Everything is wide open,” Gilbert said. “That’s what we will preach. We’re trying out for a starting spot, and we have to figure things out. It will be fluid. There will be kids who get an opportunity.”
BNL will finish its preparation with a three-day, seven-game journey to Murfreesboro, Tenn. for the Southern Warrior Classic. After spending the first two weeks of practice (sandwiching the school’s spring break) working on defense, game strategy and live hitting, the Stars will get tested.
“We should have some of the questions answered,” Gilbert said. “I don’t anticipate have a starting nine for a while. We’re ready to get after it.”
BNL went 17-11-1 last season, falling to nemesis Floyd Central in the Class 4A sectional. In fact, the Highlanders have eliminated the Stars in the last two postseasons after BNL won sectional and regional titles in 2022. The seniors were freshmen that year.
”Our goal right now is the sectional championship,” Nikirk said. “That’s what we’ve been fighting for. This is our time, we have to prove we can get it.”
“If we’re going to do something, it’s going to be this year,” Graves said. “We have a good team.”
After the season-opening road trip, BNL will debut at home against Jasper on April 3.
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