New Palestine High School

One day after suffering its first loss of the season, the Class 3A No. 1 New Palestine softball team slammed three homers put up four crooked numbers Wednesday en route to a 9-5 victory at Zionsville. The Dragons improved to 9-1 on the season with the victory. Katie Hirschy, Maddie Engle and Saydie Miller all homered for the Dragons, who took the lead for good in the third inning and pulled away, using a 10-hit attack and a solid pitching performance from Sadey Hughbanks. The middle of the lineup produced much of the Dragons' offense. Hirschy was 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBI. Engle was 3-for-4 with a run and four RBI. Miller was 2-for-4 with a solo homer. No. 2 hitter Payton Dye also had two hits, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and three runs. They got started quickly. Jersi Gross reached on an error to lead off the game and moved to third on Dye's double. They both scored on an RBI base hit by Engle, followed by an error on the same play. Zionsville drew a run back in the bottom of the inning and tied the game with a run in the second. But the Dragons re-took the lead in the third, when Dye led off with a double. Back-to-back singles by Hirschy and Engle drove in runs to make the lead 4-2. The Dragons made it 6-2 in the fifth, when Hirschy led off with a single and Engle followed with a two-run homer. Zionsville drew a run back in the bottom of the inning. In the seventh, the Dragons extended the lead again. Dye drew a leadoff walk and was along for the ride on Hirschy's two-run homer. Miller followed with a solo blast to make it 9-3. Zionsville added two runs in the bottom of the frame but Hughbanks finished off the complete-game win. Hughbanks allowed four earned runs, seven hits and struck out four in the victory. The Dragons are back in action Thursday at home against Mt. Vernon for a 6 p.m. first pitch. NewPalRadio.com will broadcast the game.