New Palestine High School

The New Palestine baseball team was unable to take advantage of early scoring opportunities Wednesday and Mt. Vernon scored nine runs late in a 12-1 six-inning victory over the Dragons. The Dragons (7-4) saw their four-game winning streak snapped. The two teams split their two-game series with the visiting team winning each game. The Dragons fell behind early, conceding the first run two batters into the game on a single, errant pickoff throw that became a two-base error and an RBI groundout. Starter Jacob Morris was able to strand two baserunners in the frame. After Morris hit a two-out double in the bottom of the first, the Dragons had a threat in the second after Marshall Giant singled and Eli Whiteside perfectly executed a hit-and-run for a base hit to right, putting runners on the corners with none out. But a strikeout, a comebacker to the mound and, after a walk loaded the bases, a sharp groundout ended the threat. MV went ahead 2-0 in the third on a solo homer. The Dragons answered with their only run when Morris singled and took second on a throwing error. He scored on Haydon Mills' sharp single to right to cut the deficit to 2-1. MV scored another run in the third on a single and hit batter that chased Morris. Ajay Kropp induced a groundout and a strikeout. Another third strike appeared to end the inning, but the ball skipped in the dirt to the backstop, allowing a run to score and the batter to reach to make it 3-1. Again, the Dragons threatened in the fourth, putting runners on second and third with none out as Colin Workman reached on an error and Brogan Reveles hit a long double off the fence in right-center. But a lineout, popout and, after a two-out intentional walk, another hard line-drive out to left ended the threat. The Dragons left nine runners on in the first four innings. MV scored three runs on four hits and an error in the fifth, and added six more on three hits, three walks and two hit batters - including three free passes with the bases loaded - in the sixth. Morris led the Dragons' seven-hit attack, going 2-for-3 with a run. Whiteside was also 2-for-3. Giant (1-1), Mills (1-2, RBI) and Reveles (1-1, 2B) also had hits for the Dragons. Four Dragons pitched in the contest, with Morris allowing two earned runs over three-plus innings and striking out four, before yielding to Kropp, Rigby Gross and Keegan Fritts. The Dragons are next in action Saturday at home against Franklin Central.