New Palestine High School

The New Palestine baseball team exploded for nine runs in the top of the eighth inning Thursday to beat No. 3 Cathedral 11-2. The Dragons won for the 11th time in 13 games and improved to 16-7 with the victory. The Dragons never trailed in the game, taking a lead in the first and again in the sixth only to see Cathedral answer. In the eighth, they made sure there was no Irish answer. Blaine Nunnally started the frame with a one-out single. Ben Hirschy followed by drawing a walk as Nunnally stole both second and third during the at-bat. Nic Deering squeezed and Nunnally beat the throw home. Brock Whitaker was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a second out, Adam Rickey drew a walk to force in a run. Wyatt Mathies followed with a line-drive single to left to drive in a run. Wes Stiller then added a two-run single to right. Jacob Morris reached on an error, allowing two more runs to score. Nunnally then finished the frame with a two-run homer to left to cap the nine-run inning. The Dragons took an early lead in the first when Mathies walked and scored on Morris' single. Cathedral tied the game in the third. In the sixth, the Dragons re-took the lead when Morris singled to lead off. Pinch-runner Rigg Mahurin moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch and throwing error. Cathedral answered in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff double and sacrifice fly. Michael Thorpe was solid on the mound, throwing a complete game. He allowed five hits, one earned run and struck out three. The middle of the order led the Dragons' nine-hit attack. Stiller was 2-for-5 with a run and two RBI. Nunnally was 2-for-5 with two runs - both in the eighth - and a two-run homer. Morris was 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Rickey was 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Mathies was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Thorpe was also 1-for-4. The Dragons are next in action Monday at home against Scecina.