By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Bedford North Lawrence juniors Cam Gates and Cutler Chastain were named to the All-Hoosier Hills Conference First Team by the league coaches.
Gates, a Boston College recruit, was an offensive force while hitting .476 with 40 hits, 11 doubles, four home runs and 14 RBIs. He led the conference in batting average, runs scored (29) and slugging. He was also one of the top pitchers in the league with a 5-1 record and sparkling 1.83 ERA, recording 67 strikeouts.
Chastain, committed to Indiana State, was 4-0 on the mound with a 1.98 ERA, ranking among the state leaders in Class 4A with 83 strikeouts (including 16 in the HHC championship game). He also hit .301 with three home runs and a team-high 21 RBIs. He won two games in the HHC tournament as the Stars won the conference title for the first time in program history.
BNL coach Steven McNabb was named Coach of the Year. The Stars finished the season 15-10.
Other members of the First Team included Floyd Central’s Matt Polk, Lance Metz, E.J. Milliner and Jaxon Stone; Jeffersonville’s Eli Harris and Derrick Haynes; New Albany’s Grayson Gobert, Braden Brewer and Jalen Wells-Henderson; Seymour’s Christopher Pumphrey and Jackson Trueblood; Jennings County’s Cooper Lane, and Columbus East’s J.D. Rotert.
BNL’s Jaden Gilbert, Jackson Jones and Grady Dalton were named Honorable Mention. Gilbert hit .275 and led the Stars with 14 stolen bases. Jones hit .405 (despite missing time with a back injury). Dalton hit .242 and drew a team-high 28 walks for a .478 on-base percentage.
