Saturday wrap: NP softball wins in Ohio; MV sweeps Rushville; EH baseball splits

New Palestine's softball team traveled to Ohio Saturday afternoon and posted two solid victories to improve to 5-0 on the season. 

The Dragons beat Tecumseh of New Carlisle, Ohio by a 14-1 score. Kaylin McMurray was the winning pitcher. The Dragons scored 11 runs in the first two innings. Audrey East was 3-for-3 with three RBI, Adie Lorsung had two hits, drove in two runs and hit her first varsity homer.

Alexa Cavin had two hits, two walks and three runs, while Julie Moore had two hits.

The Dragons then knocked off host Springfield (OH) 3-0 behind a shutout from Lizzie Garrison. Lizzie Garrison struck out eight batters to get the pitching victory, improving her personal record to 3-0 on the year. Clare Myers had two hits and scored two runs. Erin Lehman had two hits and an RBI.

The Springfield game saw the Dragons meet up with an old friend -- Springfield coach Pete Cook was the Dragons' mentor when the team went to the 2003 State Finals, with NP coach Ed Marcum as his assistant in both volleyball and basketball.

NP is now 5-0 on the year and travels to Roncalli Monday.

Mt. Vernon sweeps Rushville: Mt. Vernon swept Rushville in two games.

MV won the first game 15-5 in five innings. Ambry Turpen homered and drove in two runs. Maggie McLean was 4-for-4. Emiliy White was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Ellie Balbach singled doubled twice, scored twice and drove in three runs. Tara Franklin also had two hits, a run and an RBI for the Marauders. Emily White drove in two runs with a single and a double. Turpen allowed six hits and struck out six in five innings of work.

In the second game, the Marauders won 13-2. Balbach, Turpen and Rachel Houck all homered on the day, with Balbach going 4-for-4 with a double and four RBI. Houck was 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBI to go along with her homer. Kylie Lyons and Turpen had two hits each. Turpen drove in three runs.

Balbach allowed five hits and struck out seven to get the pitching victory.

The Marauders will host Yorktown on Tuesday.

Baseball

Eastern Hancock splits with Shenandoah: The Royals split a Saturday-afternoon doubleheader with Shenandoah, with the visiting Raiders winning the opener by a 9-1 score, and EH winning the nightcap 9-5.

In the opener, Evan Fout had three hits and Cody Wallace drove in Fout with a double, but the Raiders scored in six of their seven at-bats, leading 2-0 after an inning, extending it to 3-0 in the third before EH scored in the bottom of the frame, then adding a run in the fourth, two each in the fifth and sixth and an additional run in the seventh. Four Raiders -- Johnny Slivka, Caleb Laurie, John Fritz and Brandon Griggs -- had two hits each.

Wallace allowed one earned run in four innings of work, but took the loss. Fritz scattered seven hits to get the win for Shenandoah.

In the second game, the Royals used a five-run third inning to pull ahead after Shenandoah built an early 4-1 lead. EH never looked back after taking a 6-4 edge, adding a run in the fourth and two more in the sixth.

Wallace was 3-for-4 with a homer, two runs and three RBI. Justin Dunlavy had two hits and also drove in three runs. Evan Fout was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Kyle Kramer and Connor Kramer had two hits each.

EH used three pitchers, with Kyle Kramer allowing two earned runs in three innings to get the win, allowing three hits and striking out five. Coston Brown and Cole Fout contributed to a pitching attack that allowed eight hits.

EH is now 2-2. The Royals next play Tuesday at home against Randolph Southern. Their April 14 doubleheader at Knightstown will be broadcast by HancockCountySports.com!