High school softball: Bedford North Lawrence flexes star power, launches nine home runs in a game

Damon Bailey secured a spot in Indiana lore by capping his high school boys basketball career as the state’s all-time leading scorer. But the 1990 Bedford North Lawrence graduate and former Indiana Mr. Basketball isn’t the only athlete to harvest history on Stars Boulevard.

Less than two months after the girls basketball team – powered by junior Chloe Spreen (the 2023 MaxPreps Indiana Player of the Year) and senior Karsyn Norman (2023 Miss Basketball finalist) – won its fifth state title with a 46-42 win over Fishers in the big school 4A final, the BNL softball team has engrained its name too.

"Home runs are contagious," sophomore Ava Ratliff told Justin Sokeland of WBIW.com. "One after another, the energy keeps on going. We were just passing it along."

No softball team in the Hoosier State has hit the energy level BNL did against Jeffersonville on April 20. Ever.

Belting nine home runs in a 22-10 win, the Stars shattered the previous Indiana record (seven) set by Floyd Central (Floyds Knobs) in 2019 and 2021 and Carmel in 2021.

According to the NFHS record book only St. Benedict (Chicago, Ill.) has hit more home runs in a game nationally (11 in 2000). Cardington-Lincoln (Ohio) also hit nine home runs in a game in 1999.

Jeffersonville added four home runs of its own as the teams combined for an Indiana record 13 dingers.

Ratliff and classmate Kendall Graves each hit three homers (one shy of the state record). Seniors Braxton McCauley and Hayley Davis and sophomore Tori Nikirk smashed the other three.

The Stars 15 extra-base hits were one shy of the state record set by Heritage in 1993. They had five singles. Junior Aliza Jewell smacked three doubles. "We try to keep it simple, try to hit line drives," BNL head coach Brad Gilbert said. "I don’t know that anybody was trying to hit a home run. Most of them were just squared up. The ball carries here now. It’s exciting to see the kids hit the ball hard and have some confidence."

Bailey finished his high school career having appeared in three state Final Fours and scoring a record 3,134 points (still stands). He played in 110 varsity games and scored double figures in all. His career high (51) came against Jeffersonville as a sophomore.

Spreen, who committed to Alabama over the weekend, shined in the postseason, scoring 123 points over seven games including 20 in the championship. She averaged 19 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

Norman, who is committed to Butler, is the school's all-time assist leader and a four-time IBCA all-state selection. She averaged 16 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

Ratliff has the same moxie.

Despite just 51 career games, Ratliff is tied for 10th in Indiana history in career home runs (34).

Bremen’s Erin Coffel (2017-19) owns the state record (50) and shares the single-season record (22 she set in 2018) with Corydon Central’s Bella Gerlach (tied the mark last year). Gerlach (47 HRs) ranks second on the all-time list.

Ratliff hit 21 homers last season (second-best in state history) and has 13 in 21 games this spring. She also leads the team in doubles (10), RBI (39), slugging percentage (1.304), on-base percentage (.577) and fielding percentage (1.000). Ratliff was the 2022 MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year.

Her third round-tripper against Jeffersonville was a walk-off.

"After I hit it," Ratliff said, "I thought ‘That’s 100 percent gone.'" Jewell leads the team in batting average (.563) and hits (40) and is second in RBI (31). McCauley and Graves each have five home runs and 27 and 23 RBI, respectively. McCauley also has 25 runs, while senior Lauryn Anderson leads the team with 30. Davis (16 runs and 12 RBI) has a team-high nine stolen bases. Nikiork, who also plays basketball, has 17 hits, 16 runs and 10 RBI.

Other key contributors are senior Annie Waggoner (three home runs and 19 RBI), juniors Britta Warren (16 runs), Maddy Figg, Haleigh Canada (nine runs) and Anna Williams (22 runs), sophomore Maggie Fausett and freshmen Sara Williams (nine runs) and Jayella Filler. 

On the mound Waggoner (10-3, 3.19 ERA and 108 Ks) is the ace. Jewell (6-2, 24 Ks) is a solid No. 2. 

The Stars (16-5) are currently ranked No. 8 in the MaxPreps IHSAA Class 4A computer rankings. Four of their five losses are by one run. BNL has never won a softball state title.

The Indiana record for home runs in a season is 69 (New Palestine 2018). The Stars have 33 from eight different players. BNL also owns 48 doubles. The Stars average 9.86 runs per game.

"It’s pretty crazy," Graves said. "It’s fun to be a part of that."