New Palestine High School

The New Palestine softball team fell behind by three runs before swinging a bat Thursday, but used a five-run third inning to seize control of the game and first place in the Hoosier Heritage Conference. The Dragons defeated Shelbyville 6-4 Thursday to improve to 4-0 in the HHC. The Dragons are now 11-2 on the season after their seventh straight victory. The Dragons surrendered three runs on four hits in the top of the first, but pitcher Courtney Study limited the Golden Bears to three hits and four baserunners the rest of the game. She set the Bears down in order in the second, third and seventh innings. The Dragons got on the board in the second when Paige Ernstes led off with a homer to center. The Dragons then took control of the game by stringing five hits together in the fourth. Sydney Oliver's one-out single got it started. Aglaia Rudd's double put two runners in scoring position. Allie Blum singled in a run, followed by a two-run double by Alyssa Mumaw to give the Dragons a 4-3 lead. Reese Rosenbaum extended the inning by reaching on an error, allowing Mumaw to score. Maddie Engle then doubled to plate Rosenbaum and extend the lead to 6-3. Shelbyville scored in the fifth on a single and a two-out double, but Study pitched around a sixth-inning walk and retired the Bears in order in the seventh to seal the victory. Each team had seven hits. Study allowed four earned runs and one walk to earn the win. Seven different Dragons had hits. Mumaw was 1-for-3 with a double, a run and two RBI. Blum was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Rudd was 1-for-3 with a double. Ernstes was 1-for-3 with a solo homer. Engle was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Ella Holman also had a hit. After playing four games in four days, the Dragons are off until Monday, when they host Franklin at 5:30 p.m.