New Palestine High School

The New Palestine softball team dominated from the opening pitch Tuesday in a 19-1 victory over Greenwood, propelling the Dragons into the sectional championship game. The No. 2 Dragons (24-4) will face No. 4 Roncalli in Wednesday's sectional final, as Roncalli beat Indian Creek 5-2 in the other semifinal game. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. at the NPHS softball diamond. NewPalRadio.com will broadcast the title game. The Dragons hit throughout the lineup, pounding 15 hits en route to their 19-run outburst. NP has outscored its foes 32-2 in the first two games of the sectional. The Dragons got going early, with Payton Dye delivering an RBI double, Amber Hurt a two-run single and Saydie Miller a two-run double in a five-run first inning. They surrendered a leadoff homer in the second, but that was the only offense Greenwood would muster. The Dragons then exploded in the third. An error brought home the first run. Jersi Gross drew a bases-loaded walk and Dye was hit by a pitch with the bags full, forcing in two runs. Katie Hirschy drove in another on a fielder's choice. Maddie Engle then hit a two-run double. Hurt's RBI groundout pushed home another run. Kylee Beranek, Kenna Tweedy and Miller followed with consecutive RBI hits, giving the Dragons a 15-1 lead. The Dragons sent 14 batters to the plate in the inning, had six hits, drew three walks and had a hit batter. They added four more runs in the fifth. Callie Cromwell delivered a bases-loaded two-run single. Cara Steele followed with a two-run double. Miller was one of four Dragons with two hits, as she was 2-for-2 with a run, a double and three RBI. Gross was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Dye was 2-for-3 with two doubles, three runs and two RBI. Tweedy was 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI. Engle was 1-for-2 with a double, three runs and two RBI. Hurt was 1-for-2 with a run and three RBI. Cromwell was 1-for-1 with two runs and two RBI. Beranek was 1-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI. Steele was 1-for-1 with a two-run double. Catherine Trebley was 1-for-3 and Lyndsay Goodin 1-for-1. Sadey Hughbanks allowed two hits and one run over three innings, striking out three, to earn the win. Kenna Tweedy and Tessa Mohr each pitched a perfect inning of relief with one strikeout apiece. The Dragons will head into the sectional championship game with a 24-4 record.