New Palestine High School

In the third inning, the rains and lightning came. The extra electricity left over in the air after the delay might have put a charge into the New Palestine baseball team's bats, as the Dragons exploded for nine runs over the next three innings - including a six-run fourth - to take command in a 10-2 victory over Yorktown. The two teams split their two-game series. The Dragons improved to 4-3 (1-2 HHC) with the win. Again, the top of the order did much of the damage, as the two tablesetters - Gavin Neal and Kingston Hedges - were both 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. They combined for three extra-base hits - Neal hit a double and Hedges tripled twice. Jacob Morris was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run, and Liam Atkinson was 1-for-2 and drove in two, as the top four spots in the order combined for six of the Dragons' nine hits. Colin Workman (2-3, 2R) and Marshall Giant (1-2, RBI) tallied the other hits. After giving up a hit and a walk to lead off the game, Morris nailed down the first by striking out the next three batters. In the bottom of the inning, Hedges tripled and scored on Atkinson's base hit to tie the game. Yorktown tied the game in the second on two hits, and took the lead in the third on an RBI double. But the Dragons' deficit was short-lived. Neal led off the bottom of the third with a double to center. Hedges then followed with his second straight triple, and then gave the Dragons the lead by scampering home on a wild pitch. Alex Andrews took over in relief in the fourth and nailed the game down. He pitched around two baserunners in the inning, finishing it off with two strikeouts. The Dragons then exploded in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases on two walks and then a bunt single by Workman. Garrett Elkins forced in a run by drawing a bases-loaded walk. Neal brought in another with a groundball single to right. Morris pushed home a third run with a hit. Atkinson drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the inning's fourth run. A sacrifice fly by Giant and a wild pitch plated two more, putting the Dragons up 9-2. In the fifth, Workman led off with a double and scored on an error. Andrews (1-0) earned his first varsity victory, pitching four scoreless innings in relief. He allowed one hit, three walks and struck out eight. Morris started and fanned seven in three innings, scattering four hits and allowing two earned runs. The Dragons are next in action Friday at home against Danville.