DUBOIS – Northeast Dubois took advantage of defensive lapses and Bedford North Lawrence’s lackluster offense to stun the Stars 3-1 during high school softball action on Monday.
The Jeeps (12-5) scored three runs (two unearned) in the first, and two NED hurlers made that work as BNL (19-10) failed to fire on any cylinders.
“It’s the worst we’ve played since COVID,” BNL coach Brad Gilbert said. “We just showed up. We didn’t run the bases well, and on defense we acted like we didn’t know how to play or where to throw the ball. It’s about as frustrated as I’ve been with a team for a long time.”
Dubois loaded the bases in the first as the first three batters reached (error, bunt and infield single) without the ball leaving the infield. Adalie Kalb singled in the first run, and the second scored on Ava Helming’s sacrifice fly. The third came home on an outfield throwing error.
BNL didn’t score until the sixth. Tori Nikirk and Ava Ratliff reached on infield singles. After Nikirk was cut down at third base, Ratliff took second on a passed ball and scored on Kendall Graves’ single. The Stars loaded the bases but could not do any more damage.
The Stars had 8 hits, with Ratliff and Sara Williams collecting two each. Dubois pitchers Anna Miley (five innings, three hits) and Austin Kempf (two innings, five hits) kept BNL at bay. The Stars had 10 fly-ball outs.
“We had way too many non-productive outs,” Gilbert said. “We kept popping up, flying out, and we didn’t make any adjustments. The energy was not there until too late.
”Macee (Nicholson) pitched well enough to win. We didn’t field the ball well in the first inning, and we got ourselves in a hole.”
The Stars will visit Bloomington South on Tuesday.
