Not many observers predicted regional title

PLAINFIELD — There were no tears shed in the New Palestine dugout after Saturday’s 8-3 loss to Roncalli in the Class 4A semistate championship.

After all, perhaps only the teenagers that took the field that afternoon and the adults coaching them believed that this particular team could get as far as they did.

The Dragons fell short of their third state finals appearance since 2003, as the Rebels cooled NP’s sizzling postseason run in Plainfield.

On this day, Shawn Lyons’ squad did something it rarely did all season — beat itself on the mound. Dragon pitching issued 10 free passes (eight walks, two hit batsmen) and allowed the leadoff batter to reach in five of the seven innings.

“It just wasn’t a typical New Pal baseball day for us,” said Lyons, who finished his first season as head coach with a record of 25-7. “We got behind the eight ball. We battled and we got back to where we could see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

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