By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Torpedo bats are the new rage in Major League Baseball. The science behind the craze is moving more of the bat’s mass toward the sweep spot in the barrel, allowing hitters to make more consistent and forceful contact.
Bedford North Lawrence found the sweet spot. The Stars, in submarine stealth mode while trailing after three innings, torpedoed Borden with an 11-run outburst to sink the Braves and trigger the mercy rule.
Cal Gates clubbed a go-ahead home run during the explosion in the fourth inning, and the Stars sent 15 batters to the plate during that frame en route to a runaway 15-5 victory in five innings on Tuesday afternoon. Tate Tanksley had three hits and drove in four runs as BNL (3-2) rode the momentum of a sweet extra-inning triumph at Bloomington South to an impressive next-day win.
The Braves (3-2) never knew danger lurked beneath the surface. Why would they? Borden scored four times in the third to erase BNL’s early lead, and baserunning mistakes had cost the Stars other chances. One swing changed everything. When Gates blasted his second homer of the season, a towering three-run drive to the depths of right field, to power BNL back in front, the complexion of the game – and the noise from the BNL dugout – completely transformed.
“That’s how fast things can change in this game,” BNL coach Steven McNabb said. “I’ve been on both sides of it. I’ve been in the dugout where, you’re in the game, and the next thing you look up and it’s snowballed on you.
“It started with the guys getting on in front of him, then Cal’s big swing. The best coaching is always a three-run homer. We have a guy that can do that. But to continue the inning, and score eight more, puts the game away.”
BNL’s eruption started with Charlie Keith’s walk and Cutler Chastain’s infield single. Three pitches later, Gates connected for his bomb, and Earl Weaver (the former Baltimore Orioles manager who loved the three-run homers) would have been proud.
But BNL didn’t stop there. With one out, Grayson Gillespie rifled a RBI single, and Jaden Gilbert followed with a run-scoring single to center for a 9-5 lead. After Gillespie scored on a wild pitch, Charlie Keith stroked a RBI single to left. With two outs, Gates drew a base-loaded walk, and Tanksley hammered a bases-clearing double to right for the 15-5 advantage.
“We had a lot of good energy coming back from last night,” Tanksley said, referring to the South victory. “That home run was huge. It got everyone’s energy back up. Being that lively in the dugout helps us 10 times out there.”
Tanksley was 3 for 4 while Gates and Gilbert had two hits each. BNL collected 12 hits, with seven coming in the fourth.
“I’m ready to start hitting more gap shots,” Gates said. “Maybe some more bombs. The goal was five this year. We’ll see if we can get there. You have to keep the same approach. They’ll go if I get ahold of them.”
BNL scored twice in the first as Lucas Ira belted a two-run single, then added two more in the second (with Tanksley driving in a run).
BNL’s Chase Rynders earned the win on the mound with two innings of scoreless relief work. Ira worked the first three and struck out seven, but Borden banged out four straight hits (including three consecutive doubles) during the four-run third.
Garrett Schmidt had two hits and 3 RBIs, while Zander Keith had two hits and scored twice, for Borden.
”I’m proud of my guys,” McNabb said. “Their first four hitters could play, they could hit, pound for pound some of the better hitters we’ve seen so far. This is a great game to come back and get the job done.”
“It’s staying positive and the young kids buying in,” Gates said. “Whether they’re playing or not, they keep the energy up in the dugout. We’re all locked into the game.”
BNL will visit Edgewood on Thursday.
