MARTINSVILLE – Bedford North Lawrence took a long walk in the park at Martinsville.
The Stars took advantage of 14 walks from five Martinsville pitchers while rolling to an 18-7 victory over the winless Artesians in five innings during high school baseball action on Monday.
BNL (12-4) scored seven runs in the first inning and cruised to its third straight win as it heads into the Hoosier Hills Conference tournament.
The Stars got RBI hits from Tate Tanksley and Cutler Chastain during the first-inning eruption, and BNL added four runs on bases-loaded walks. Grady Dalton had a run-scoring single in the second, Lucas Ira drove in a run during a four-run third, Charlie Keith, Jaden Gilbert and Tyler Stigall plated runs during a four-run fourth, and Tanksley cracked a two-run single in the fifth.
Tanksley had two hits and four RBIs while Gilbert had two hits and drove in two runs.
“This was all about coming over to get some more at-bats, defensive reps, and stay playing games,” BNL coach Steven McNabb said.
Josh Jones had two hits for the Artesians (0-14, with six losses via the mercy rule), while Jaxton Proctor had two RBIs.
BNL will face Jeffersonville in the HHC semifinal on Wednesday. The Stars stopped the Red Devils 9-2 at BNL on April 25.
“We have a big game on our home field,” McNabb said. “It will be a fun atmosphere. I know we will get a much different Jeffersonville team this time around. We will have to play great baseball in all three phases.”
