New Palestine High School

Saydie Miller homered twice and drove in six runs Thursday as the New Palestine softball team powered past Greenfield-Central 16-5 in five innings. The Dragons scored multiple runs in four of the game's five innings and had 12 hits. Miller led the attack, going 3-for-4 with a double, two homers, three runs and six RBI. Payton Dye was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs. Callie Cromwell also homered. She was 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI. Cara Steele was 2-for-4 with a run. Claire Fitsgerald was 1-for-3 with two runs, a double and two RBI. Amber Hurt was 1-for-2 with a run and two RBI. Kenna Tweedy was 1-for-1 with two RBI. The Dragons jumped ahead early, with Hutchinson drawing a walk and Dye lining a single to put two runners on for Miller, who put NP on top 1-0 with a double. An error and a single by Cromwell plated two more runs to put the Dragons ahead 3-0. G-C answered with a homer in the bottom of the first, but the Dragons quickly answered back, as Miller hit a two-run homer in the second. Hutchinson was along for the ride after drawing a leadoff walk. NP plated five runs in the fourth. Hutchinson reached on an error to lead off the inning. After the next two were put out, Steele singled. Hurt delivered an RBI single. Fitzgerald drove in two runs with a double and then Cromwell followed with a two-run homer to left. G-C scored twice in the bottom of the fourth, but the Dragons' relentless offense struck again for six runs in the fifth. Hutchinson walked and Dye doubled to put two runners on base for Miller, who blasted her second homer of the day over the centerfield fence. Steele singled, Fitzgerald was hit by a pitch and Cromwell walked to load the bases. Tweedy delivered a two-run single and Aby Thomas a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 16-3. G-C added two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but pitcher Ava Lapenta was able to finish off the game. Sadey Hughbanks earned the win, allowing two hits, one earned run and striking out three. Lapenta pitched the fifth inning in relief. The Dragons are now 12-5 on the season and 4-1 in Hoosier Heritage Conference play. They next play Saturday at Jennings County, where they will face the host Panthers and also Columbus North in a three-team round robin.