New Palestine High School

The New Palestine softball team strung together hits Friday to snap a two-game skid with a 5-2 victory over Franklin. They scored two runs on four hits in the first inning and added two key insurance runs on three hits in the sixth, with a balanced lineup. Eight different players had hits for the Dragons in the contest. Sadey Hughbanks and Courtney Study combined on a solid game in the circle. Hughbanks earned the win, allowing five hits and two earned runs over four innings, fanning three. Study faced the minimum in three innings of relief to earn the save, striking out the final batter to end the game. She allowed one hit - and that batter was retired on the bases. The Dragons pounced quickly, as the first five batters reached. Aglaia Rudd, Allie Blum and Alyssa Mumaw all led off the game with singles to right, the third plating a run. Paige Ernstes followed with a run-scoring double to right, putting the Dragons up 2-0. Kayla Bain followed by drawing a walk to put two runners on. The inning ended with a line-drive doubleplay. The Dragons added to their lead by staging a two-out rally in the second. Jersi Gross reached on an infield hit and scored on Rudd's double that one-hopped the left-centerfield fence, pushing the edge to 3-0. Franklin rallied with a solo homer in the third and a run in the fourth to cut the lead to 3-2. Study took over in the fifth and retired the Grizzly Cubs in order. In the sixth, she surrendered a one-out single, but the runner was called out for leaving the base too early, and Study coaxed a grounder to second to end the inning. In the sixth, the Dragons again strung hits together. Bain led off with an infield hit. Sydney Oliver followed with a line-drive double into the left-centerfield gap, plating Bain. Maddie Engle followed with an RBI single to push the lead to 5-2. Another line-drive doubleplay - the Dragons' third of the game - ended the threat, but it provided key insurance runs. Study retired the Grizzly Cubs in order in the seventh, striking out the last batter on a 3-2 pitch. The Dragons outhit Franklin 9-6. Rudd was 2-for-4 with an RBI and one of the Dragons' three doubles. Blum was 1-for-3 with a run. Mumaw was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Ernstes was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Bain was 1-for-1 with two walks and a run. Oliver was 1-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI. Engle was 1-for-1 with an RBI. Gross was 1-for-2 with a run. The No. 6 Dragons improved to 12-4 with the victory. They next play a doubleheader Saturday at Jennings County.