New Palestine High School

Adam Rickey's two RBI hits gave the New Palestine baseball team a lead Tuesday at Mt. Vernon. He then helped nail down a save in the seventh on the mound, leading the Dragons to a 5-1 victory over the Marauders. NP improved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in Hoosier Heritage Conference play. The teams will complete their two-game series Wednesday at NPHS, which will be broadcast at NewPalRadio.com. Michael Thorpe pitched an outstanding game to earn the victory. He allowed five hits and one earned run over six-plus innings, striking out 10. With two runners on, Rickey came on in relief and slammed the door, striking out all three Marauders he faced to earn the save. MV took a 1-0 lead on a leadoff homer in the second, but the Dragons quickly answered when Wyatt Mathies walked and scored on Rickey's double to left. Thorpe pitched around an error in the third and a single in the fourth to keep the game tied. In the fifth, Gavin Neal reached on an error, moved to second on Mathies' bunt and scored on Rickey's two-out single, giving the Dragons the lead. MV put two runners on in the bottom of the fifth, but Thorpe escaped the inning, then set the Marauders down in order in the sixth. The Dragons added some key insurance runs in the seventh, as Henry Thorpe led off with a double and moved to third on Neal's bunt single. Mathies' single plated a run. Michael Thorpe then plated Neal by bunting into a fielder's choice, as Neal beat the throw home. After a single by Rickey loaded the bases, Jacob Morris drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to put NP up 5-1. MV put the first two on in the bottom of the seventh with a single and a walk, but Rickey came on and punched out the first two batters before finishing the game with a third consecutive strikeout.