BEDFORD — Head coach Emily Bobb asked her team to fight on Monday, and the Owls did just that against a very good Bedford North Lawrence team in the first round of sectionals.

The Stars advanced to the semis with a 3-0 victory over Seymour, but the Owls were in the game the entire time.

“Bedford is phenomenal, they’re a great hitting team, and they’ve been ranked most of the season,” Bobb said. “I’m really proud of the fight that we gave, and I truly think that we gave them our all.”

Earlier in the season, Seymour held a 4-3 lead over Bedford heading into the seventh inning until the Stars scored four runs to win 7-4, but Bobb felt like the Owls drew confidence in that game and carried it into sectionals.

After each team going hitless in the first inning, BNL got a leadoff walk in the second inning, and then Phoebe Underwood got a strikeout and catcher Mackenzie Bryson caught Aliza Jewell trying to steal, and Jamie Bobb ended up tagging her out for a double play.

Seymour had a big missed opportunity in the fourth inning after Bobb got a leadoff single. She was then caught stealing after a pitch in the dirt almost got by the BNL catcher, and immediately after that, Kendall Allman hit a double to the wall in left field, which would’ve scored Bobb. Instead, the Owls left a runner stranded, and no runs were scored.

“I’m always going to rather have them be aggressive,” coach Bobb said. “If she makes it to second, it’s a fantastic read. If she doesn’t, it’s a tough read. Their catcher, Ava Ratliff, is great, so it was risky, but like I said, I like the aggressiveness.”

In the bottom of the fourth, Bedford got on the board as Braxton McCauley hit a two-run home run to give the Stars a 2-0 lead in the game.

Underwood pitched 4.1 innings on the night, striking out two batters, and then Taylor Stuckwisch came in to pitch for Seymour.

With one out and two runners on base for BNL, Addyson Coomer made an incredible diving catch in center field for Seymour in a big moment. If that ball gets by her, two runs would’ve likely scored for Bedford. Instead, Seymour got out of the inning without giving up any more runs.

“I told her that catch will live rent-free in my head for a long time,” Bobb said, and she added it was a bummer the game couldn’t be recorded since it was an IHSAA postseason game to be able to go look at the replay of Coomer’s snag.

Bedford added an insurance run in the sixth inning after Seymour committed an error for an unearned run to score.

Alexia Rieckers reached base via an error to start the seventh inning for Seymour, but BNL ace Annie Waggoner was too much in the circle for the Owls as she went the distance and struck out 13 batters, including the final batter of the game.

For a Bedford team that hit 48 home runs this whole season, to only allow one to go over the fence and allow just two earned runs, Bobb was pleased with her team’s pitching and defense.

“Giving up only three runs, I’m very pleased with that,” Bobb said. “Our pitching was fantastic. Phoebe and Taylor did a great job, and we took away two or three of their base hits, so I’m really proud of the defense for stepping up.”

Seymour finished the season 8-16 overall and 3-3 in the Hoosier Hills Conference. Rieckers and Allman were the two seniors on the roster. Both are going on to play softball in college. Rieckers is going to play at IUPUC, while Allman is heading to Spalding University.

“They’ve made a great impact on our program,” Bobb said. “I’m so proud of them, and I’m so glad that they get to play collegiate softball and that this isn’t their last game. I’m looking forward to cheering them on and following them throughout their collegiate careers.”

With only two seniors graduating, it also means a lot of players will be back, and Bobb hopes to continue to build the program heading into year two at the helm.

“We’re definitely a young team, so as a first-year coach, I’ve appreciated being able to create that culture for girls that will hopefully be here for four years,” Bobb said. “I’m looking forward to them returning, knowing the standard and expectation, and I’m looking forward to carrying how we concluded this season with all that fight into next season.”

Bedford will play Floyd Central in one semifinal game later tonight, and New Albany will play Jeffersonville in the other semifinal.