New Palestine High School

Two first-inning triples led to a trio of runs, while the New Palestine pitching staff shut down Yorktown's bats Tuesday in a 6-1 Dragons home baseball victory. The Dragons improved to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in HHC play. The two teams will play again at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Yorktown. The Dragons scored three runs in each the first and third innings to take command. Gavin Neal paced an eight-hit attack, drilling two extra-base hits and scoring twice. The opening frame saw the Dragons hit several balls hard en route to a three-run inning. Rigg Mahurin set the table by scalding a line drive to third, but it was snared by the third baseman for an out. But Jacob Morris followed by hitting an opposite-field triple off the rightfield fence. After a walk to Jackson Kamp put runners on the corners, Neal delivered his first extra-base hit. He roped a triple into the right-centerfield gap, plating two runs, and then scored on Liam Atkinson's groundout. The Dragons left two runners on in the second, as a diving catch in the gap by Yorktown centerfielder Aidan Witt robbed Kamp of a two-run double. In the third, they did much of their damage with two outs. Neal helped create a run by lacing a double down the left-field line. He advanced to third when he broke for third on a pitch in the dirt. It didn't stray far from the catcher, but Neal beat the throw and put himself in position to score on Kingston Hedges' sacrifice fly. With two outs and the bases clear, the Dragons rallied again. Holden Hughes singled, chasing the Yorktown starter. Ryan Haines greeted the new pitcher by lining his first pitch into left for a hit. Jesse Isaacs followed by lining a two-run double to the left-centerfield gap, pushing the lead to 6-0. That was all the run support Mahurin needed on the mound. He pitched around traffic early - Yorktown left two runners on base in each of the first three innings - but used his command to strike out eight Tigers and pitch five scoreless innings. He pitched around a walk and a hit batter in the first with thre strikeouts. In the second, he allowed a hit and a walk, but a diving play by Isaacs to rob an extra-base hit in left-center and a strikeout ended the threat. He used another called third strike to pitch around a walk and a single in the third. Five of Mahurin's eight strikeouts were looking. He followed with two perfect innings before handing the ball to Neal, who allowed two hits in two innings. Yorktown scored on a two-out double in the seventh, but Neal nailed the game down on the next batter. The Dragons outhit Yorktown 8-6. Neal was 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, two runs and two RBI. Isaacs was 1-for-3 with a two-run double. Morris was 1-for-4 with a run. Hedges was 1-for-2 with an RBI. Hughes was also 1-for-2. Haines was 1-for-2 with an RBI. Eli Whiteside was 1-for-1 with a run.