By Brady Extin | Daily Reporter
NEW PALESTINE — New Palestine opened up Hoosier Heritage Conference softball play with a bang on Tuesday night, both figuratively and literally.
In a battle of two of the top teams in the state in their respective classes, the Dragons (6-2, 1-0) launched four long balls on their way to a 12-6 victory at home over the defending HHC champion Yorktown Tigers (6-2, 1-2).
The Dragons entered the game ranked No. 9 in Class 4A, while the Tigers were ranked No. 6 in Class 3A. Last season, the Dragons gave the Tigers their lone HHC loss in a 4-3 contest.
“It’s especially nice being a conference win. Last year, our game against Yorktown was one of the best we had all year as far as just being a great softball game, so I expected the same this year,” New Palestine head coach Ed Marcum said. “They’re always good, so it was a big game for us.”
Yorktown got on the board first in the second inning with a sacrifice bunt, but the 1-0 lead would be their only lead of the night.
Reese Rosenbaum wasted no time tying the game, starting off the bottom of the second with a solo home run to center field.
“Reese has been fighting for at-bats and playing time, and she had a really good week last week, so I moved her into the five-hole,” Marcum said. “She came through for us with that first home run, getting us on the board and getting the game tied.”
Maddie Engle followed her with a double to the warning track, and one batter later, Katie Hirschy hit the Dragons’ second home run of the inning to push the New Palestine lead to 3-1.
A two-run home run by the Tigers cleanup hitter, Jenna Sylvester, tied the game back up in the third, but in the home-half of the inning the Dragons broke things wide open.
With just one lefty in the Dragons starting lineup, Yorktown turned to Lizzy Willis on the mound to begin the third. Through 12 innings of work to start the year, Willis had yet to allow an earned run.
The Dragons changed that quickly.
Willis faced seven batters in the inning before being replaced by starting pitcher Caitlin LaFerney.
New Palestine tagged her for three doubles, a single, a home run, and six total runs.
Catcher Aglaia Rudd started things off with a double, and Paige Ernstes brought her home on a two-run bomb to left field. Following a Rosenbaum walk, the Dragons reeled off four straight RBI hits. Engle doubled in Rosenbaum, Hirschy doubled in Engle, Nyla Lewis singled in Hirschy, and Syd Oliver ripped a triple to score Lewis. Alyssa Mumaw capped off the seven-run third with a sacrifice fly.
“I thought [Willis] came in and was throwing well. Throwing a lefty at us was a really good move on their part, it just didn’t work out,” Marcum said. “I thought we were much more focused (Tuesday) at the plate. I certainly can understand why he made the move when he did, but we were able to just keep hitting and keep our focus. When we swing at good pitches, that’s the key for this team.”
Eight different Dragons recorded a hit, and seven knocked in at least one run. Rudd, Ernstes, Engle, Hirschy, Oliver, and Rosenbaum all finished with multiple hits. Oliver and Hirschy led the Dragons with three RBIs, Ernstes added two, and Lewis, Mumaw, Engle and Rosenbaum all notched one.
In the circle for the Dragons, Courtney Study worked around seven hits and a walk to allow just three earned runs and four runs total.
With a 12-4 lead in the seventh and an opportunity to get a freshman conference experience on the mound, Marcum turned to Kenna Tweedy. The Tigers notched four singles to close the New Palestine lead to 12-6, before Marcum went back to Study to close things out. With the bases loaded, she forced a ground out to second base to end the game.
“Courtney has improved a lot since last year. I think with her doing track, it’s going to wear on her, but we’re not letting her hit to save her there. She’s pitched really well this season,” Marcum said. “I tried to give my freshman some work tonight, and it didn’t work out so well, but it’s a little different situation against Yorktown, they’re a very good team.”
The Dragons take on county rival Mt. Vernon Thursday, at home, at 5:30 p.m.
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New Palestine 12, Yorktown 6
Yorktown (6-2, 1-2);012;010;2; — ;6;11;0
New Palestine (6-2, 1-0);037;020;x; — ;12;14;2
Caitlin LaFerney, Lizzy Willis (3), LaFerney (3) and Anna Rinker; Courtney Study, Kenna Tweedy (7), Study (7) and Aglaia Rudd, Reese Rosenbaum (7). 2B: Y – LaFerney, Claire Hazen; NP – Maddie Engle 2, Rudd, Katie Hirschy. 3B: NP – Syd Oliver. HR: Y – Jenna Sylvester (1); NP – Rosenbaum (2), Hirschy (4), Paige Ernstes (2), Oliver (2). WP: Courtney Study (5-0). LP: Lizzy Willis (0-1).
