By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – In their final appearance on home turf, Bedford North Lawrence’s senior trio made it count.
Before the traditional celebration for the graduating class, each of the three seniors made significant contributions as the Stars conquered Bloomington South 7-6 on Thursday night. What a way to go out as Karsyn Coleman, Dalanie Davis and Sara Williams were honored with a memorable sendoff.
Davis slugged a home run, Williams drove in a run, and Coleman earned the victory in the circle with four innings of relief work as BNL (8-19) concluded the regular season with a tough win, scoring the go-ahead run in the sixth to sweeten the postgame festivities.
“Our record is unbelievable on Senior Night, it’s just crazy sometimes,” BNL coach Brad Gilbert said. “It’s always great, on Senior Night, when your seniors play well, for something to remember. I’m very proud of the girls. It was a big win over a very strong and well-coached team.“
The elders had a little help. Jaden Schofield stole four bases (matching the single-season school record with her 24th theft) and made two spectacular catches in the outfield to preserve the one-run lead in the seventh.
The Stars trailed 2-0 in the first but answered immediately. Schofield ripped a triple and scored on a wild pitch, and Davis clubbed her two-out, two-run homer to left. Schofield manufactured another run in the second with a single, two steals and a passed ball, then played a pivotal role during a two-run fourth with a sacrifice bunt. Bella Warren also dropped a bunt to plate a run.
In the sixth, Schofield struck again with a walk, two steals, and scored on an errant throw. She matched Timber White’s school record, set in 2000, for steals in a single season. In the South seventh, Schofield went back to the fence to snag a long drive, then made a leaping catch of a bullet for the second out.
That cleared the way for BNL’s seniors to celebrate.
For Williams, softball was a foregone conclusion. She followed her mother and two sisters into the game.
“I’ve always been competitive, always loved the thrill,” said Williams, who plans to attend USI and major in nursing. “You can say you hate pressure, but it has taught me how to deal with things, how to move on, how to work hard. Even though our record isn’t pretty, I wouldn’t want to go through this with any other group of girls.”
Davis, who is on her way to Purdue to major in animal science, battled through a late-season shoulder injury, so her home run (even with a protective strap clamping down and keeping the shoulder intact) was special.
“Softball taught me problem solving, and controlling my emotions, my mood, my facial expressions,” she said. “I love the competition, creating bonds and friendships.”
Coleman will attend Ivy Tech for nursing.
“I will remember the team,” she said. “We’ve had the best chemistry, and I will remember that we gave all the effort we could, all the time. It taught me to bounce back from things. I just like the thrill of the game.”
For the Panthers (11-8), Larkyn Ivey and Perry Murphy had two hits each. Coleman struck out three, including the last batter.
“Karsyn really settled in, didn’t panic and threw well,” Gilbert said.
BNL will now focus on the postseason. The Stars will await the Seymour-New Albany winner in the Class 4A sectional semifinal at Jeffersonville on Tuesday. Jeffersonville will face Floyd Central in the other semifinal, with the championship game set for May 28.
