New Palestine High School

The New Palestine baseball team walked off Batesville Saturday morning - literally. Eli Whiteside drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth, giving the Dragons a 2-1 victory over the visiting Bulldogs and giving NP a 3-2 record on its season-opening homestand. The winning run came after Gavin Neal led off with a single and moved to second when Liam Atkinson was hit by a pitch. They were bunted to second and third by Ajay Kropp. After an intentional walk to Brogan Reveles to load the bases, Whiteside fouled off the first pitch, then took four out of the zone to force in the winning run. The Dragons were able to win another pitcher's dual - the Dragons have allowed three or fewer runs in every game this season. Alex Andrews pitched six scoreless innings in his first varsity start, allowing two hits and striking out nine. Ajay Kropp earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning in relief. NP had eight hits, but they accounted for one run in regulation, when Max Newkirk led off the second inning with a hit and advanced to second. He moved to third on a groundout and scored on Kingston Hedges' sacrifice fly. The Dragons' slim 1-0 lead lasted until the seventh inning. Holden Hughes came on in relief of Andrews to try to nail down the save, but Batesville greeted him with a leadoff double. A groundout and a game-tying single up the middle followed. The Dragons had two hits in the bottom of the seventh, but a doubleplay erased one. Reveles hit a two-out double, but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a triple. In the eighth, Carsyn Baker pitched around a one-out walk, as Newkirk turned a popout into a doubleplay to end the frame. The Dragons had an opportunity in the bottom of the eighth, as Marshall Giant singled and Newkirk was hit by a pitch with one out, but the next two batters were retired. Neal was 2-for-4 to lead the Dragons' eight-hit attack and scored the winning run. Atkinson, Baker, Hedges and Reveles were all 1-for-3. Giant and Newkirk were 1-for-2.