Daily Reporter staff reports
The fifth-ranked New Palestine softball team remained unbeaten Saturday by winning the four-team New Palestine Invitational.
The Dragons, now 8-0, beat Perry Meridian 5-0 in the opener, then defeated Jennings County 7-1 in the title game.
In the semifinal, Elisha Barker threw a five-hit shutout, striking out three, and the Dragons took a lead with a run in the fourth.
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They expanded it with a four-run fifth to put the game away.
Brittany Duncan was 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBI to help pace the nine-hit attack. Madison Whitaker also was 2 for 2 with a double and an RBI. Adie Lorsung was 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored. Barker and Abby O’Connor also drove in runs.
In the championship-game win against Jennings County, the Dragons outhit the Panthers 14-4 and gradually pulled ahead to a 6-0 lead, scoring in every inning except the first.
The Dragons had two runs in each the second and sixth innings.
Mary Crumlin was 3 for 3 with two RBI. Whitaker and Abby Davis each had two hits and an RBI, with Whitaker pounding two doubles. Issy Hoyt had a two-run homer. Lorsung also had a single, a double and two runs.
Kaylin McMurray allowed four hits and one unearned run in a complete-game win. She struck out five.
The Dragons (8-0, 1-0 Hoosier Heritage Conference) play today against league foe Yorktown (6-2, 1-1 HHC).
Cougars win pair vs. Beech Grove
Greenfield-Central obliterated the Hornets 15-1 and 11-1 in Saturday’s doubleheader at Beech Grove.
Darcie Huber (4-0) led the way in Game 1, striking out 11 Hornets (2-5) in just five innings.
On offense, six Cougars collected multi-hit games. Sara Morris paced them, going 4 for 5 with two doubles, three runs scored and three RBI. Sydney Williams cracked her first home run of the season.
In Game 2, Michaela Ballman (2-1) gave up one run in five innings to earn the win. She also helped her own cause at the plate with a home run.
Eastern Hancock trounces Titans
In only took the host Royals five innings to get past the Titans on Saturday, as they won 13-2.
Brooke Walden led the offensive outburst, going 3 for 4 with a home run and five RBI. Kaysi Gilbert was a perfect 4 for 4 at the plate, while Jordan Pierson, Darby Shaw and Peyton West added multi-hit efforts.
Peyton Neisler (1-0) pitched the complete game, surrendering two earned runs and punching out a pair of Titans (2-3).
BASEball
Dragons split 2 games against New Castle
Four errors costs the New Palestine baseball team in the first game of Saturday’s Hoosier Heritage Conference doubleheader at New Castle. The Trojans scored five unearned runs on their way to an 8-6 victory.
The defense stepped up in the second game, though, as the Dragons committed no errors and won 9-1.
Andy Edwards (1-2) pitched four innings in the Game 1 loss, surrendering just two earned runs to the Trojans (5-6, 3-3 HHC), while striking out three.
On offense, Tyler Woodcock and Jason Hall-Manley each collected a pair of hits. Hall-Manley knocked in two, while Braden Roberts and Wes McBride earned an RBI each.
In Game 2, Hogan Fulkerson (2-0) pitched a gem, giving up just one earned run in six innings while striking out six.
Fulkerson was supported offensively by Evan Hickman, who swatted his first two home runs of the season. He had four RBI. Edwards added a pair of hits and three RBI, while Keegan Watson also picked up a couple hits and knocked in two.
Knightstown pitcher dominates Royals
The Panthers’ Spencer Mattix allowed just three Royals’ hits in his complete-game, 11-1 win at Mid-Hoosier Conference rival Eastern Hancock on Saturday.
The Royals (3-4, 0-2 MHC) kept the game close for a while, trailing by just one heading into the fifth. But the Knightstown (5-0, 3-0 MHC) offense exploded for 10 runs in the final three innings.
golf
Marauders 6th, Dragons 9th at weekend invite
Mt. Vernon shot a 337 to finish sixth at Saturday’s nine-team Center Grove Invitational. The Dragons shot a 365.
Scoring for the Marauders were Oliver Mast (78), Will Dant (80), Jacob Ault (87), Jack Harker (92) and Adam Shanahan 98.
Trojans swing past Eastern Hancock
The Royals golf team dropped its match at New Castle on Friday 153-224.
Cole Allen and Matt Wilson each posted 53s to lead Eastern Hancock. Kenny Bunnell (57) and Jait Shultz (61) rounded out the Royals’ scoring.
The Trojans’ Drew Saunders earned medalist honors with his 35.
TRACK
Eastern Hancock boys, girls triumph at invite
Neither the Royals boys nor the girls had much trouble securing victory at Saturday’s Randolph Southern Small School Invite.
The boys scored 140.5 points, far ahead of runner-up Wapahani (52). Cowan (50.5), Cambridge City Lincoln (43), Union-Modoc (34), Blue River Valley (31) and Randolph Southern (9) rounded out the field.
On the girls’ side, Eastern Hancock scored 115 points to outpace Randolph Southern (92), Blue River Valley (57.5), Cambridge City Lincoln (35.5), Wapahani (33), Cowan (16) and Union-Modoc (6).
Winners for the boys were Devyn Brinson (200, 400-meters), Clayton Brumfield (800, 1,600), Cole Cochard (110-meter hurdles) and Reece Burkhart (shot put, discus). The Royals also won all three relay events.
Picking up wins for the Royals girls were Karlee Gray (200), Cassie Hancock (400), Cara Johnson (800), Hope Spaulding (300 meter hurdles). The 4×400 and the 4×800 relay teams also won.
Cougars boys 2nd, girls 3rd at invitational
Greenfield-Central boys athletes won seven of 16 events on their way to a second-place finish at Friday’s Joe Schott Twilight Invitational at Decatur Central.
The girls won three events on their way to third place.
The Cougars boys scored 166 points to finish 18 back of behind No. 12 Brownsburg (184). Host Decatur Central racked up 83 points to finish third. Greensburg (31), Indianapolis Scecina (30) and Covenant Christian (20) rounded on the pack.
Individual winners for Greenfield-Central were Jason LaFord (800 meters), Tyler Morris (1,600), Zach Bishop (3,200), Jacob Keener (pole vault) and Zach Phillips (shot put, discus). Bishop, Jason LaFord, Tyler Morris and Tommy Hembree also claimed the 4×800 relay.
The girls picked up 106 points to finish third behind meet-winner Ben Davis (178 points) and runner-up Brownsburg (118). Greensburg (74 points), Decatur Central (36), Scecina (15) and Covenant Christian (12) also competed.
Snagging first-place finishes for Cougars were Maddie Wise (100 and 300 meter hurdles) and Emily Jones (pole vault).
New Pal senior wins twice at Midwest Prep
New Palestine senior Chris Poturalski was a double-winner at the Midwest Prep Invitational at Lawrence Central on Saturday.
A total of 646 athletes from three states competed in the event.
Poturalski won both the 200- and 400-meter dash titles at the event. He was also part of the 4×400 relay, joining Kyle Zehner, Adam Brickens and Riley Wilson, which placed seventh.
Dragons sophomore Lillie Cain placed sixth in the shot put.
Marauders compete at Terre Haute Invite
Four Mt. Vernon boys and six girls picked up wins at Saturday’s Patriot Invitational at Terre Haute.
Team scores were not kept at the meet. Schools were broken into divisions, with schools with smaller enrollments in Divisions 1 through 3 and schools with larger enrollments in Divisions 4 and 5.
Winning for the Marauders boys were Link Hine (pole vault), Wyatt Gutierrez (discus), Christian Noble (1,600) and Aaron Rush (3,200).
Gold medal winners for the girls were Olivia Coleman (200-meter, 400-meter, long jump), Aubri Benbow (100, 300 hurdles), Alexa Christensen (100-meter dash), Morgan Hayse (3,200) and the 4×100 relay team (Kiara Gibson, Taylor Riggs, Christensen, Benbow).
Tennis
Mt. Vernon 2nd; New Pal 5th at invitational
The Marauders were runners-up in their own invitational Saturday, scoring 24 points, 12 behind No. 14 Marion. Lebanon (17) came in third, followed by Muncie Central (16), New Palestine (14) and Richmond.
On Friday, the Dragons fell against Franklin Central 5-0.
“I hope this is a little bit of a wake-up call for us,” Dragon coach Chris Hardin said. “I hope we come out with more effort, more passion.”
Triton Central downs Eastern Hancock
The Royals lost Friday’s match against Triton Central 3-2.
The No. 1 doubles team of Lexi McMahan and Channing Bearhope won 6-2, 6-2, while the No. 2 team of Emiley Carlton and Kelly Mellene won 6-1, 6-0.
The Eastern Hancock JV team triumphed 8-2.
