New Palestine High School

The New Palestine baseball game rallied Thursday in its season opener, but came up just short in a 3-2 loss to Center Grove in a matchup of teams ranked in the top three of their respective classes. CG entered the game ranked No. 2 in Class 4A. The Dragons were No. 3 in Class 3A. Both teams were defending regional champions. The game lived up to its billing - with outstanding pitching and solid defense. The Dragons trailed 3-0 going into the sixth and had been held to one hit on the day. Leadoff hitter Marshall Giant opened the inning by scorching a triple to the right-centerfield fence. Two batters later, Jacob Morris blasted a long opposite-field homer to right into the teeth of a 25mph crosswind, cutting the deficit to 3-2. The Dragons continued to pressure. Gavin Neal drew a walk and Liam Atkinson singled, putting the go-ahead run on base. Center Grove changed pitchers, bringing in fireballer Kade McEnulty. He struck out the next two batters to end the inning, and then retired the Dragons in order in the seventh with two more strikeouts to earn the save. Atkinson had two of the Dragons' four hits in the game, both singles. The Dragons got solid pitching performances from Holden Hughes and Neal. Hughes scattered two hits and two runs in four innings. Neal allowed four hits and one bad-luck run while striking out five over three innings of relief. NP got the leadoff man on in each of the first two innings - a walk to Giant and a single by Atkinson - but was unable to advance past first base. Hughes pitched out of a second-inning jam, as a walk and an error put two Trojans in scoring position with one out. He induced a short comebacker and a strikeout to end the inning. With a 25mph wind howling straight out to left, CG broke through in the third when Reed Sawa launched a line-drive homer with the wind on the first pitch. The Trojans then loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter. Hughes induced a doubleplay to the next hitter, but a run scored to make it a 2-0 game. Neal took over in the fifth, facing the top of the order. He allowed a leadoff single, but then retired the next two batters. However, runner Drake McClurg stole second and advanced to third on a groundout. Neal then induced a comebacker to Hudson Stewart, but it hit the mound, popped straight up in the air and, by the time it landed, Stewart had beaten it out for a two-out infield hit. McClurg scored on the play to make it a 3-0 game. After another single, Neal induced a punchout to end the frame. The Dragons (0-1) continue their season-opening five-game homestand Friday with a 5:30 p.m. first pitch against Indian Creek.