BLOOMINGTON – Bedford North Lawrence freshman Grayson Gillespie drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning as the Stars edged Bloomington South 3-2 during an extra-inning baseball battle on Monday.
BNL (2-2) powered its way to the winning run. With one one, Lucas Ira drilled a double down the right-field line, and with two outs Gillespie blasted his RBI triple to the left-field fence.
“It was a total team effort,” BNL coach Steven McNabb said. “Super gritty, so much battle from the guys. We just happened to get that timely hit when we needed it.”
The Stars took a 1-0 lead in the third as Cal Gates launched a two-out triple to left, and he scored when Cam Gates beat out an infield single. The Panthers (1-4) scored their two runs in the fourth on two walks, a wild pitch, a ground out and a squeeze bunt.
BNL came back in the sixth. Cam Gates walked, Tate Tanksley singled him to third, and Ira singled in the run. That set the stage for the extra-inning tension.
“The coffee always tastes better in the morning after a victory,” McNabb said. “I’m just proud of the whole team. We’re building this from the ground up, brick by brick, and this was a big price of brick.”
Cam Gates earned the win on the mound with two innings of relief work. Tanksley was 3 for 5 at the plate while Cal Gates and Ira added two hits each.
”I can’t say enough about our pitching,” McNabb said. “They’ve been nothing but spectacular. We pitched in and out of trouble, that just shows the baseball player in all these kids. They enjoy the moment.”
Luke Arnett had two hits for the Panthers.
The Stars will host Borden on Tuesday.
