New Palestine High School

A three-run homer by Gavin Neal put the New Palestine baseball team on top early, and the Dragons held on Thursday for a 6-4 victory over Perry Meridian. The Dragons were the designated visiting team, although the game was played at NPHS due to field conditions. Neal stepped up with two men on and one out in the first, as Rigg Mahurin led off with a walk and Jacob Morris was hit by a pitch. After falling behind 0-2, Neal worked the count full and blasted the payoff pitch over the centerfield fence to give the Dragons a 3-0 lead. Perry Meridian began to claw back. After leaving the bases loaded in the top of the second, the Dragons surrendered two runs in the bottom of the frame without a hit on three walks, a double-steal and a wild pitch. In the fourth, an error, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly allowed the Falcons to tie the game. The Dragons quickly re-took the lead in the top of the fifth. Neal and Liam Atkinson drew walks and scored on a wild pitch and Jesse Isaacs' two-out single to put NP up 5-3. Rigg Mahurin took over for starter Jacob Morris in the bottom of the fourth. Perry loaded the bases on a double, walk and pop-up single. A balk brought home a run, but Mahurin struck out the last two batters to retire the side with the Dragons up 5-4. PM again had three baserunners in the sixth, but Mahurin struck out a batter and the Dragons picked off two baserunners to retire the side. The Dragons added a run in the seventh when Neal was hit by a pitch and scored on a wild pitch. Mahurin nailed the game down in the bottom of the inning by pitching around two baserunners. The Dragons had five hits but drew seven walks. In addition to Neal's homer, he scored three times. Atkinson was 1-for-2 with a run. Isaacs was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Ethan Nunnally was 1-for-2. Morris was 1-for-2 with a run. The Dragons' pitchers combined to allow three hits. Morris allowed one hit and struck out six in three innings, allowing two earned runs, to earn the win. Mahurin struck out six and pitched around two hits and five walks to earn a three-inning save. He allowed one run. The Dragons (1-0) are back in action Friday at Indian Creek.