NEW PALESTINE — Heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, New Palestine was in an unexpected pitchers’ duel with visiting Whiteland.
Then, the Dragons did what they so often do. Their bats caught fire.
Up just 2-1 and held to three hits through three innings, the Dragons (16-1) plated 10 runs in an explosive fourth inning of a 12-1 win Friday at home.
The Dragons offense put what was a one-run game out of reach with eight extra-base hits in the fourth frame alone.
Back to back doubles by Mackenzie Jones and Tatum Biddle started the inning, but Whiteland pitcher Delanie Gourley struck out the next two batters to maintain the one-run lead.
That’s when the Dragons took over. Down to one out left in the inning and with runners on second and third, a triple from Jaylin Calvert, double from Ashley Prange and home run from Emily O’Connor opened the game up. With the bases empty, sisters Michaela and Mackenzie Jones hit back-to-back doubles to plate another run.
Biddle singled in a run and pinch-hitter Macy Miller hit a two-run homer before Kendal Calvert grounded out to end the frame. New Palestine pushed across nine runs with two outs, and sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning.
A 2-1 game suddenly was 12-1.
“We just kind of stayed with it, and that’s the great thing,” New Palestine coach Ed Marcum said.
“We can go along and score just one or two runs, and then all of a sudden just explode.
“I think we got a little more focused. They played us pretty well there and we only scored a couple of runs, but we came out knowing it was time to get to work.”
New Palestine had gotten on the board on the first pitch Prange saw in the opening inning.
The senior crushed her 11th home run of the season over the trees in center field, putting the Dragons up 1-0 early.
That lead quickly was doubled after a walk to Michaela Jones and a steal by courtesy runner TeTe Hart. Mackenzie Jones hit a line drive into left field, scoring Hart and putting the Dragons up two after an inning.
Whiteland (3-13) got their first hit in the fourth inning, a leadoff double by freshman Macy Cornelius. After a sacrifice bunt and an infield flyout, the Warriors got on the board and cut the deficit in half with an Addie Csikos RBI single.
That inning accounted for all of the Warriors’ hits. Sophomore Kaylea Bullock threw a two-hitter for the Dragons and only allowed four total Warriors to reach base. She had four strikeouts in shutting down Whiteland.
“I thought she pitched great. She’s had a great week for us,” Marcum said of his pitcher. “She came in the last couple of nights against Greenfield, and shut the door on them, and then did the same thing at Pendleton. Mac’s pitched quite a bit this week and I felt Kaylea deserved to start. She did a great job.”
Whiteland hit several balls hard, but the Dragons defense was sturdy backing Bullock.
New Palestine had no errors in the game and is averaging less than one fielding miscue per contest. Whiteland had two errors, both in the deciding fourth inning.
“Even if they do hit, I have a great team behind me,” Bullock said. “It’s great to know that I have that, defensively and offensively.”
Bullock improved to 5-0 on the season, with a 2.85 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 39 innings.
“It’s really great that I get to start. I think it’s good for me,” Bullock said. “I like how our saying this year is ‘championship mindset,’ and I just think about that when I’m on the field. It helps me get through games.”
Having the power of the Dragons offense behind her doesn’t hurt. New Palestine upped its season total to 48 home runs, now just nine shy of their own state record with two weeks remaining in the regular season.
The Dragons were led offensively by Mackenzie Jones, who went 3 for 3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Prange came into the game second in the state in both home runs and RBIs, and added one long ball and two more RBIs to her totals in a 2 for 3 day at the plate.
Calvert was 2 for 3 with a triple and two RBIs, Tatum Biddle was 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI, and O’Connor and Miller both added a pair of RBIs for New Palestine.
