New Palestine High School

Ethan Nunnally's bases-loaded walk-off single led the New Palestine baseball team to an 8-7 victory over East Central Saturday afternoon to split a doubleheader with the Trojans. The Dragons dropped the opener 8-3. In the nightcap, they had to rally from deficits of 4-0 and 7-4 to win. NP trailed by a run going into the bottom of the seventh, but loaded the bases on a walk to Kingston Hedges, a double by Marshall Giant and a walk to Mason Monnier. East Central prevented a run from scoring by forcing a runner at home on a grounder to short against a drawn-in infield. But Haydon Mills tied the game by drawing a bases-loaded walk. With the infield drawn in, Nunnally lined a single to left to deliver a victory for the Dragons and finish the comeback. The Dragons fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first on three singles and two walks, and EC made it 4-0 in the second on a single and three walks. The Dragons began to eat away at the deficit in the bottom of the second, putting two runners in scoring position on an error, walk and a bunt. Mills drove in a run with a single. After an errant throw on a stolen base attempt, another run came home and Nunnally plated a third with an RBI groundout to cut the deficit to 4-3. Marshall Giant's RBI single plated Jacob Morris - who led off the third with a double - to tie the game an inning later. East Central took the lead back in the top of the fourth with three hits and a sacrifice fly plating three runs. The Dragons began the comeback in the fifth. Morris hit a one-out double and scored on Liam Atkinson's base hit. Giant's grounder plated Atkinson to bring the Dragons within a run. The Dragons left two runners on base in the sixth but were able to finish it off in the seventh. Brogan Reveles earned the win on the mound, getting the final two outs in the seventh. Rigby Gross allowed four runs on four hits in one-plus innings as the starter. Colton Watkins then provided 5 1/3 innings of solid relief, scattering six hits and allowing one earned run, while striking out four. Morris led the Dragons' 10-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs. Mills was 3-for-3 with two RBI. Giant was 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and two RBI. Atkinson was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI, while Nunnally was 1-for-4 with two RBI. Monnier walked twice and scored twice. The Dragons dropped the opening game 8-3, as EC scored five runs in the last two innings to break a 3-3 tie. EC took a 1-0 lead without a hit in the top of the first, drawing four walks. The Dragons tied it in the second when Giant led off with a double and scored on Monnier's single. The Dragons stranded two runners to keep the game 1-1. A single, walk and two-run error allowed EC to tak a 3-1 lead in the third. The Dragons tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Morris walked, stole second, advanced on a groundout and scored on Hedges' sacrifice fly. Giant then blasted a long homer to left to tie the game at 3-3. EC stranded two runners on in each the fourth and fifth, but broke through for four runs in the sixth on a single, error, walk and two players reaching on fielder's choices when the Dragons were unable to cut down the lead runner. Two more hits led to a run to make it 8-3 in the seventh. J.P. Brundage pitched 3 2/3 innings of relief to take the decision. He allowed four hits, three earned runs and struck out two. Keegan Fritts started and pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and one earned run while striking out five. NP outhit EC 7-5, but the Dragons pitchers walked 12 batters and NP committed three errors. Giant was 2-for-3 with two runs and a solo homer. Reveles was also 2-for-3. Atkinson was 1-for-4. Hedges was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Monnier was 1-for-3 with an RBI. The Dragons are now 10-7 on the season. They next play Monday at home against Warren Central.