New Palestine High School

A five-run seventh inning helped the New Palestine baseball team pull away to a 10-5 road victory over Batesville Saturday afternoon. The Dragons never trailed, but led 5-3 from the middle of the third inning until the final frame, when they turned four hits and two walks into five runs to go up 10-3. They had to hold on as Batesville rallied in the seventh, but were able to do so. Leadoff hitter Rigg Mahurin had a big day, going 5-for-5 with a double, two runs and two RBI. He helped lead a 14-hit attack. Two days after nailing down a save against Shelbyville, Jesse Isaacs earned the win in relief. He pitched four scoreless innings. With the bases loaded and the tying run in the on deck circle, Gavin Neal came to the mound, threw three pitches and recorded the final out for his first save of the season. Both teams had a lot of traffic on the basepaths. Dragons starter Holden Hughes pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the first. The Dragons immediately followed in the second with four runs. The first two batters reached on a Batesville error and a Kingston Hedges single. Hughes delivered an RBI single to center to put the Dragons on the board. After Batesville cut down a runner trying to score on a grounder, Mahurin followed with a two-out RBI single. A Batesville error allowed two more runs to score. But the Dragons' 4-0 lead would be cut quickly, as Batesville plated three runs on two walks, an RBI single and three Dragons errors to cut the lead to one in the bottom of the second. NP added a run in the third, as Neal singled, stole second and scored on Liam Atkinson's line-drive single to center. The Dragons had two runners on with none out, but two strikeouts and a flyout limited the rally to one run and put NP up 5-3. Isaacs came on in the third and immediately pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam with two flyouts to Mahurin. The Dragons were unable to take advantage of a leadoff double in the fourth. In the fifth, Batesville again loaded the bases with two hits and a walk, but Isaacs induced another flyout to Mahurin to end the frame and keep the lead at 5-3. The Dragons broke through in the seventh, scoring five runs and sending 10 batters to the plate. They loaded the bases with none out. Atkinson led off with a single. Hedges followed with a sacrifice bunt and reached on a throwing error. Eli Whiteside added another bunt single. A forceout at home kept the bases loaded, but pinch-hitter Ethan Nunnally delivered a two-run single. Mahurin added an RBI single. Back-to-back walks to Jacob Morris and Jackson Kamp forced in another run. Neal hit a sacrifice fly to left to make it a 10-3 game. However, Batesville would not go away. Ajay Kropp relieved Isaacs in the bottom of the seventh. Batesville loaded the bases on a double, walk and an infield hit. Kropp induced a popout and a sacrifice fly, cutting the lead to 10-4 but recording two outs. Back-to-back walks forced in a fifth run. Neal came on for the final batter and induced a groundout to third to end the game. In addition to Mahurin's 5-for-5 day, Atkinson was 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Kamp, Neal and Hughes each had a hit and an RBI. Hedges and Baker each had a hit, as did Eli Whiteside, who scored twice. Nunnally also had a hit and two RBI. Isaacs (1-0) scattered three hits and three walks in his four scoreless innings, striking out one. Hughes did not allow an earned run in two innings, allowing three unearned runs, two hits and striking out one. Neal earned his first save of the year. The Dragons are now 3-1 on the season. They are next in action Tuesday at home against Yorktown. A 6 p.m. first pitch, the game will be broadcast by NewPalRadio.com.