NEW ALBANY – Floyd Central ace Bishop Letson and reliever Blaine Metz combined on a one-hitter as Floyd Central conquered Bedford North Lawrence 8-0 in the opening game of the Class 4A sectional on Wednesday evening.
Letson, a Purdue recruit, also blasted a three-run home run while powering the Highlanders to the semifinal against New Albany (a 6-4 winner over Jennings County in the second game) on Saturday. Jeffersonville will face Seymour, the Hoosier Hills Conference champion, in the second semifinal.
BNL’s only hit was a lead-off double by Cal Gates. After that dubious start, Letson fanned 7 in five innings, while Metz closed out the win with two hitless innings. The Stars managed only four base runners (three walks), and Gates was the only one to reach scoring position.
“Letson is the real deal,” BNL coach Jeff Callahan said. “He had command and threw strikes, he brings it. After Cal’s double, we weren’t able to get much going.”
The Highlanders (17-8) struck quickly against BNL starter Cade Mungle. Floyd lead-off batter Justin Early singled to center, Ty Becker walked, and Letson launched his bomb to left for an immediate 3-0 lead. Floyd added four runs in the third against reliever Ryker Hughes. Two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases before Kayden Linares and Seth Newkirk singled in runs. Two more scored on a BNL error and bases-loaded walk.
Floyd added a final run in the sixth on a double by Mason Morevac, a Clayton Schroeder single and a Linares sacrifice fly.
Letson had two hits (including a triple) while Morevac had two hits and scored twice.
“Letson gave them that lead,” Callahan said. “When you get a three-run lead and have an outstanding pitcher like that, it makes it tough to come back.”
The Stars bowed out of the tournament with a 17-11 record.
“It was an up-and-down year, but overall we had a lot of good memories and played some good baseball,” Callahan said. “When you look back, it was a good season with six really good seniors. That’s the big picture, that we had good kids who have moved on through the program and will do great things.”
