New Palestine High School

Courtney Study pitched a three-hit shutout Monday, leading the New Palestine softball team to a 4-0 victory over Mt. Vernon in the opening game of the Class 4A New Palestine sectional. The Dragons (22-4) advance to face Muncie Central in Wednesday's 5:30 p.m. semifinal. Study allowed just three baserunners in the game, on singles in the first, second and sixth innings. No Marauder advanced past second base. The Dragons generated nine hits and a lot of traffic on the basepaths, as they also drew five walks, but cashed in on a series of two-out rallies. They took the lead in the top of the first. Allie Blum drew a one-out walk. With two outs, Paige Ernstes singled her into scoring position and Sydney Oliver ripped a single up the middle to plate Blum and give the Dragons a 1-0 lead. The Dragons left two runners on in the second inning and one on base in the third before extending their lead in the fourth. Katie Hirschy led off with a double and scored on pinch hitter Kayla Bain's line-drive single up the middle. Aglaia Rudd followed with a double, plating a run after a throwing error, to put the Dragons up 3-0. After leaving two runners on in the fifth, the Dragons added a run with two outs in the sixth. Rudd was hit by a pitch and scored on Alyssa Mumaw's long double to the centerfield fence. Study was in command, retiring 14 consecutive Marauders before allowing a two-out single in the sixth, then retiring the next four in a row to end the game. Rudd and Oliver led the Dragons' nine-hit attack. Rudd was 2-for-4 with a double, while Oliver was 2-for-2 with an RBI. Mumaw was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Ernstes was 1-for-3. Hirschy was 1-for-3 with a double and a run. Reese Rosenbaum was 1-for-3 with a double, while Bain was 1-for-1 with an RBI.