MITCHELL – From quiet to unquenchable, Bedford North Lawrence exploded for 10 runs in the fifth inning to smack Mitchell 14-3 in a mercy-rule, six-inning triumph during high school baseball action on Saturday.
The Stars, shut out through the first four frames of the county rivalry and trailing 1-0, had four hits in the first four innings, then collected nine hits – including a home run by Cal Gates, while sending 15 batters to the plate during that turnaround.
The eruption started with Tate Tanksley’s two-run, go-ahead double. With the bases loaded, Jackson Jones lofted a sacrifice fly. That was followed by a two-out avalanche as Grayson Gillespie cracked a two-run double and Gates bashed his three-run bomb. Cam Gates tripled and Tanksley singled to cap the outburst.
”Cal and Tate continue to produce at an All-State level for us,” BNL coach Steven McNabb said. “They had great weeks. Seniors led us today.”
Cam Gates had a run-scoring single and Tanksley added a sacrifice fly during a four-run sixth that trigged the 10-run mercy rule. Cal Gates and Tanksley were both 3-for-4 and combined for 7 RBIs. Tyler Stigall added two hits as the Stars totaled 16 hits.
Cam Gates went the distance on the mound, fanning three. The Bluejackets scored in the third (singles by Cooper McFadden and Blake King, with Ryker Moore grounding out to plate the run) and twice in the fifth (a two-run triple by Bryson Zeeks).
BNL (13-6) will host Jennings County on Monday. Mitchell (6-13) will entertain Crawford County on Monday.
