New Palestine High School

The Class 4A No. 3 New Palestine softball team got a late power surge to beat Eastern Hancock 5-0. The Dragons were the scheduled visiting team, but played the game on their home diamond because it provided better field conditions. Courtney Study threw a complete-game shutout, allowing two hits and striking out two. She faced two batters more than the minimum and retired the last 17 batters she faced. EH's lone baserunners were singles in the first and second innings, and neither runner moved past first base. Allie Blum and Paige Ernstes broke open a tie game with fifth-inning homers, giving the Dragons a three-run lead. NP added runs in the sixth and seventh innings. The Dragons scored all three of their fifth-inning runs with two outs. Blum hit a 1-2 pitch over the centerfield fence for a solo homer to put the Dragons on top 1-0. Sydney Oliver followed with a single and Ernstes hit the second pitch she saw over the leftfield fence to extend the edge to 3-0. The Dragons added a run in the sixth when Maddie Engle walked and scored on Saydie Miller's two-out single. In the seventh, Blum walked and scored on an error. The Dragons had six hits. Blum was 1-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Oliver was 1-for-4. Ernstes was 1-for-3 with a two-run homer. Katie Hirschy was 1-for-4. Payton Dye was 1-for-3 and Miller 1-for-1. The Dragons are now 16-1 on the season. They next play Saturday against Munster and Crown Point, with the first game at 11 a.m.