Daily Reporter staff reports
New Palestine’s tennis team opened its season with a 5-0 win against Shenandoah on Tuesday.
Amelia Fleetwood beat Alex Conaday 6-4, 6-2 at No. 1 singles, while senior Lexi Miller won 6-3, 6-1 against Lema Wilson at No. 2. Junior Ivey Simmons won at No. 3 singles over Josie Conaday 6-2, 6-0.
The No. 1 doubles team of senior Katie Settergren and Josee King defeated Shenandoah’s Morgan and Madison House 6-0, 6-1. The Dragons’ No. 2 doubles team of senior Cassie Willhelm and freshman Lauren Didelot also won, topping Abby Carter and Carly Allen 6-1, 6-0.
New Palestine opens Hoosier Heritage Conference play at 4:30 p.m. Friday at home against New Castle.
Track and Field
New Palestine sweeps Greenwood
New Palestine’s track teams opened the outdoor season Tuesday by sweeping Greenwood.
The Dragon boys won 78-54, while the girls won 76-43, including taking first in 12 of the 15 events.
New Palestine had a 1-2-3 sweep in the high jump, led by Laine Schonauer (6-0). First-time jumpers Gavin Hausz and Gunnar Large finishing second and third.
Brady Walden and DuRon Ford had a 1-2 finish in the 100-meter dash, with Walden running 11.19.
Sam Voelz (50.59) and Spencer Corey were first and second in the 400-meter dash. The Dragons also finished 1-2 in the pole vault, with Grant Moeller (8-6) winning and Ethan Pennington finishing tied for second.
Other winners on Tuesday were Walden in the long jump (20-6), Chase Crowder in the 800-meter run (2:03.37), Ford in the 200-meter dash (23.65) and all three relay teams.
For the girls’ team, Lillie Cain won the shot put (36-1.5) and discus (112-8). Natalie Shanahan was also a double-winner in the 100- (16.97) and 300-meter hurdles (54.12).
Kaylin Casner won the 1600-meter run (5:39.9) and the 800 (2:32.03). Jordan Reid won the 100 (12.63) and 200 (26.38). The other victory went to Hailee Holberton in the long jump (14-3). The Dragons also swept all three relays.
New Palestine returns to action Thursday against Hoosier Heritage Conference rivals Shelbyville and Greenfield-Central.
Mt. Vernon splits with Yorktown
Mt. Vernon’s track and field teams split a meet with Yorktown at home Tuesday. The boys’ team topped the Tigers, while the girls were second. No scores or individual results were available.
Baseball
Southport edges past Mt. Vernon
Mt. Vernon’s baseball team fell to Southport on Tuesday, 3-2.
The Marauders allowed two early runs and couldn’t quite catch back up after scoring twice in the seventh inning.
Cooper Williams took the loss on the mound. He pitched four innings and gave up two runs, one hit and struck out two.
Dino Tharp led the Marauders at the plate with two runs batted in while going 2-for-3 on the day.
Mt. Vernon will play again on Friday in a doubleheader against Hoosier Heritage Conference foe Delta.
New Palestine eases past Batesville
New Palestine’s baseball team used five home runs to win its second game in as many days Tuesday, handling Batesville 12-0.
Two home runs each came from senior Keegan Watson and sophomore Colby Jenkins, who both finished with five RBIs.
The Dragons wasted little time getting started, tallying two runs in the top of the first inning. New Palestine added four in the third to extend its lead, and then scored three runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
Watson finished the day 2-for-2 . He also walked three times. Jenkins was 3-for-5 with four runs and five RBI. Senior Tyler Martin also hit a two-run home run in the win.
Junior Jacob Garrison pitched four innings and scattered three hits and a walk while striking out eight. Jarrett Jaques and Cameron Pitzer combined for four strikeouts in the final three innings.
The Dragons are now 2-0 on the season and play at Shelbyville Friday in a Hoosier Heritage Conference doubleheader.
Softball
Jones, Dragons top Southport
New Palestine freshman Michaela Jones hit a home run in her first varsity at-bat Tuesday en route to an 8-3 win against Southport.
The Dragons built a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and extended it with a two-run fourth and a three-run seventh.
Senior pitcher Elisha Barker was 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs. She also pitched a complete game, allowing four hits, three earned runs while striking out five.
Jones’ solo home run allowed her to finish 2-for-4 on the day with two runs. Junior Ashley Prange also homered. She was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Tatum Biddle was also 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, helping pace the team’s 13-hit attack. Mary Crumlin, Abby Davis and Emily O’Connor also had hits in the season-opening win.
