New Palestine High School

The New Palestine softball team got off to a strong start Wednesday, but a three-run fifth inning carried host Roncalli to a 6-3 victory over the Dragons. The teams matched each other in the opening innings. Payton Dye hit a one-out homer in the top of the first. The Dragons then loaded the bases in the frame but were unable to score. Roncalli answered with a run on two hits in the bottom of the frame. In the second, the Dragons again re-took the lead as Callie Cromwell doubled and scored on Morgan Hutchinson's single. Roncalli turned three singles into a game-tying run in the bottom of the frame, and then went ahead 3-2 in the third on two hits. In the fifth, the Dragons tied the game as Dye walked, moved to second on Saydie Miller's single and scored on Claire Fitzgerald's infield hit. But the Royals had an answer in the bottom of the inning, with a triple, homer, double and passed ball turning into three runs. The Dragons had seven hits, with Hutchinson going 2-4 with an RBI and Cromwell 2-3 with a run. Dye was 1-3 with two runs and a solo homer. Miller was 1-4, while Fitzgerald was 1-2 with an RBI. Cailyn Hurst started and scattered 10 hits and four earned runs over 4 2/3 innings, striking out one, to take the decision. After Sadey Hughbanks got one out in the fifth, Ava Lapenta pitched a scoreless sixth and struck out one. The Dragons are now 11-5 on the season. They next play Thursday at Greenfield-Central.