New Palestine High School

The New Palestine baseball team put together an almost-unhittable pitching performance Friday, as Jacob Morris and Alex Andrews combined for 15 strikeouts in a 2-1 Dragons victory over Indian Creek. Morris (1-0) struck out 12 batters in 5 2/3 shutout innings, surrendering only one hit. Andrews came on for a four-out save, striking out three while allowing one hit and one run. The Dragons did their offensive damage in the third. when they plated both runs. Carsyn Baker led off with a single. He was forced at second on Marshall Giant's groundout. Giant then stole second and scored the game's first run when Morris drilled a two-strike double to the centerfield fence. After a walk to Gavin Neal put two runners on base, Liam Atkinson punched a single to left to plate Morris. Indian Creek retired the side with no further damage. Meanwhile, Morris was cruising on the mound. After surrendering a one-out walk in the first, he retired the next 12 Braves. He struck out the side in the fourth and had two strikeouts each in the first three innings. IC mustered a one-out hit in the fifth, but Morris stranded him with a groundout and his 10th strikeout of the day. Morris then fanned the first two batters in the seventh to give him 12 for the day. He faced two batters more than the minimum. Andrews struck out the first batter he faced on three pitches to retire the side. In the seventh, Indian Creek rallied, with a two-base error leading off the inning, followed by an RBI single. A bunt moved the tying run into scoring position. After a walk, Andrews struck out back-to-back batters to end the game and seal the victory. The Dragons had six hits in the game. They stranded runners on base in the first two innings before breaking through in the third. In the fifth, Morris walked, but was thrown out trying to steal. Neal followed with a single, but was left on base. Morris led the Dragons' offense, going 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. His double was the team's lone extra-base hit. Neal, Atkinson, Ethan Nunnally and Baker also had hits for the Dragons. NP is now 1-1 on the season. The Dragons are next in action Tuesday at home against Shelbyville in their conference opener.