MURFREESBORO, Tn. – Bedford North Lawrence suffered its first defeats of the season during the second day of the Southern Warrior Classic.
The Stars, launching the program’s 42nd season, rallied for a victory in a milestone contest, but fell twice during a busy day in the seven-game event. After starting with a 14-5 loss to East Peoria (Ill.), BNL battled back late for a tough 4-3 win over McNairy Central (Tn.) in the middle game, but another comeback came up short as Forrest (Tn.) stopped the Stars 10-6 in the third game.
“Our kids battled and battled,” BNL coach Brad Gilbert said. “We did a lot of little things right. That was the slogan for the day.
“It was a long day, and it was a little bit of being tired and playing really good teams. Playing three in a row is tough, but I”m proud of the effort, proud of the defense, proud of the way we played. We saw a lot of positive things.
“We just have to bounce back tomorrow.”
East Peoria (Ill.) 14, BNL 5 – East Peoria scored six runs in the second to pull away early en route to a five-inning triumph. Addison Dunchean clubbed a three-run homer to spark that outburst as the Raiders pounded out 17 hits and recorded their first win of the year.
Ava Ratliff powered the BNL offense with three hits, including a home run and double, while totaling four RBIs. Kendall Graves added two hits.
BNL 4, McNairy Central (Tn.) 3 – The Stars rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fifth to post a victory during the 1,000th game in program history.
BNL’s late comeback from a 3-1 deficit started with singles by Sara Williams and Graves. Macee Nicholson stroked a RBI single to center, and Karsyn Coleman reached on an infield single to drive in the tying run. With two outs, Nicholson scored the winning run on a wild pitch.
BNL’s first run came in the third on a Tori Nikirk single and Williams triple.
Kaylee Heathcock cracked a home run for the Bobcats (9-6).
Nicholson earned her first win of the season in the circle, working out of trouble while allowing 10 hits and four walks in five innings. McNairy stranded nine runners.
Forrest (Tn.) 10, BNL 6 – The Rockets (5-1) recorded their fifth straight win, as Emory Hall popped a homer and double while driving in three runs. Forrest broke open a 6-6 deadlock with a four-run sixth after the Stars had battled back from a 6-2 deficit.
Hall hit a three-run bomb in the sixth and Taylor Moreland followed with a solo shot.
The Stars scored via a RBI single by Ratliff in the first, a run-scoring single by Graves in the third, a two-run single by Nicholson in the fifth, and a two-run blast by Ratliff (her third homer of the season) in the sixth. Ratliff was 4 for 4, and the top five batters in the lineup accounted for all of BNL’s 12 hits.
BNL (3-2) will finish the tournament on Saturday, facing Coffee County (Tn.) and Lexington (Tn.).
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