NEW PALESTINE — One game.
That’s all that stands in the way of a championship repeat for the New Palestine Dragons.
A year after their record-breaking offense won the fourth softball state title in school history, the Dragons are one step away from number five.
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All that stands in their way is one of the best pitching and defensive teams in the state.
The Dragons, ranked No. 1 in Class 3A almost the entire season, boast the state’s best offense. The South Bend St. Joseph Indians, ranked No. 4 in Class 3A to end the season, are a top 10 defense in Indiana.
It’s a championship clash between the team that scores more than any other in Indiana — New Palestine averages 12.8 runs per game — against a team that almost nobody scores against — South Bend St. Joseph allowed a total of 47 runs this year, or 1.6 per game.
“I know their pitcher is good,” New Palestine coach Ed Marcum said. “You just look at the statistics and she’s averaging like a strikeout and a half per inning. That tells you that she brings it pretty good and has good stuff. We’ve already discussed that we’re going to have to be patient and make sure we hit our pitch.
“I think it’s going to be a really good game, a game where we’re going to have to execute and have a lot of good at-bats.”
The Indians rely on sophomore Lauren Sandor on the mound. Sandor has a 24-4 record on the year and has pitched 170 of the team’s 196 innings played. She has a 0.90 ERA and 249 strikeouts on the season, with 39 walks. She’s a first-team all-state selection this year.
Those are gaudy numbers, reminiscent of the only team to defeat New Palestine this season, Class 4A’s Center Grove. There are a lot of statistical similarities between those teams, as the Trojans have the state’s ninth-best ERA and sixth-fewest runs allowed, while the Indians are 11th in ERA and seventh in runs allowed.
But Sandor and the Indians haven’t faced an offense like the Dragons. And they haven’t faced a schedule anywhere near the level of difficulty the Dragons or Trojans have.
They certainly haven’t faced a team ranked in the top 10 in the nation. The Dragons currently are ranked No. 5 in the nation in the MaxPrep’s computer rankings and No. 9 nationally in the Xcellent 25 human poll.
While the Indians have impressive pitching and defensive numbers, the Dragons are the class of Indiana when it comes to offense. New Palestine leads the state in home runs by a whopping 23, averages the most runs per game and has the third-highest batting average in Indiana.
New Palestine is led by Gatorade State Player of the Year Ashley Prange, herself a first-team all-state selection and a Miss Softball finalist. Prange holds the state record for most home runs in a season, most home runs in a career, and has broken her own record for most RBIs in a season this year, currently sitting at 70.
The championship game will feature six all-state selections, with four coming from New Palestine and two from South Bend St. Joseph.
The Dragons have another first-team all-state selection with a big bat in Jaylin Calvert. Michaela Jones is a second-team selection, and Tatum Biddle is a third-teamer. The Indians have a third-team selection of their own, Megan Welsh, who also is an Indiana All-Star.
New Palestine has an experience advantage, with a lot of players who have been here before, including five who started in last year’s state championship game. Prange, Emily O’Connor, Michaela Jones, Emma Tucher and Tatum Biddle all started in last year’s game, and TeTe Hart, a starter now, was a substitute in that game.
One person who didn’t play in the game last year is current Dragons starting pitcher Mackenzie Jones. Jones was the Dragons’ No. 2 last year and didn’t get a chance to get in the title game.
But this is her year and her chance. And she’s ready for it.
“I’m really determined to get there and take advantage of every opportunity,” Mackenzie Jones said. “Just to soak in the moment. It’s a lot of pressure but at the same time it’s a really good blessing, too.
“I want to make sure I don’t take it for granted and make sure that I’m doing my job.”
Mackenzie Jones has been dominant this postseason, just as Sandor has. Both the Indians and Dragons have allowed a total of two runs against them this postseason.
The Dragons offense, though, has scored 65 runs in five tournament games.
South Bend St. Joseph has scored 39 runs in six tournament games.
For their part, the Dragons are trying to treat this the same way they’ve treated every other game this season — focusing on playing New Palestine softball.
“Every game is big for us. I’ve heard coaches say that certain games don’t really matter,” Marcum said. “Every time we step on the field, I expect us to do our best. Every game is big. Then we get to postseason, and obviously it’s bigger, but we’ve approached every game the same way. We’ll try to approach this week the same.”
It’s a big stage. Bigger than any of the other Dragons state championship games because it’s hosted at Bittinger Field at Purdue University, which Marcum said is “probably going to be about as good as it can get for high school level.”
Marcum said he’s excited as a coach to get to lead a team into a game at his alma mater. He’s excited for his players to get a chance to play on that kind of field, a major step up from the usual high school fields that host state softball championships.
The chance to defend their state title, with the opportunity to repeat as state champions, makes it all the more special for the team.
“I think the team is really excited to possibly repeat,” Rieley Widmann, the Dragons senior first baseman, said. “I feel good going into it. The team is ready. We’ve been working hard in the weight room from winter to now. We’re excited. It’s always been our mindset since the start of fall season when we got out on the field for pre-workouts.”
The Dragons take on the Indians at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the third of four championship games of the day.
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What: IHSAA Class 3A Softball Championship
Who: New Palestine Dragons (29-1) vs. South Bend St. Joseph Indians (25-5)
When: Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Bittinger Stadium, Purdue University, 1324 McCormick Road, West Lafayette. Note: Due to road closures/construction on McCormick Road south of the athletic complex, all attendees should plan to arrive using Cherry Lane from the east or McCormick Road from the north.
Tickets: $10. Can be purchased at New Palestine’s main office through Friday, or can be purchased at the stadium on game day.
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(Note: Numbers are per game averages)
;New Palestine;South Bend St. Joseph
Batting avg.;.451;.376
Runs;12.8;7.3
Hits;13.6;10.8
HR;69;11
Team ERA;2.48;1.43
Strikeouts;146;260
Players to watch include:
New Palestine
Ashley Prange: .596 avg., 17 HR, 70 RBIs
Michaela Jones: .556 avg., 10 HR, 42 RBIs
Jaylin Calvert: .467 avg., 9 HR, 43 RBIs
Mackenzie Jones: 2.70 ERA, 51 K, 23 BB
South Bend St. Joseph
Megan Welsh: .485 avg., 4 HR, 32 RBIs
Grace Quinn: .425 avg., 14 RBIs
Kassidy Meiszberg: .390 avg., 22 RBIs
Lauren Sandor: 0.90 ERA, 249 K, 39 BB
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Date;Opponent;Result
4/5;New Castle;(W) 18 – 0
4/11;@ Franklin Central;(W) 11 – 5
4/12;Hamilton Southeastern;(W) 19 – 8
4/17;@ Yorktown;(W) 15 – 8
4/18;Zionsville;(W) 16 – 2
4/19;@ Mt. Vernon;(W) 13 – 4
4/20;@ Eastern Hancock;(W) 15 – 2
4/21;Seymour;(W) 7 – 2
4/21;Seymour'(W) 19 – 5
4/24;Southport;(W) 10 – 0
4/25;@ Center Grove;(L) 3 – 2
4/26;@ Shelbyville;(W) 13 – 3
4/28;@ Roncalli;(W) 10 – 0
5/1;Cathedral;(W) 22 – 3
5/2;Pendleton Heights;(W) 12 – 5
5/3;@ Greenfield-Central;(W) 10 – 0
5/4;Whiteland;(W) 12 – 1
5/9;Fishers;(W) 17 – 5
5/11;@ Connersville;(W) 20 – 0
5/12;Crown Point;(W) 9 – 5
5/12;Carmel;(W) 6 – 0
5/14;Greenwood;(W) 9 – 8
5/16;@ Indian Creek;(W) 12 – 0
5/17;Indianapolis Lutheran;(W) 10 – 1
5/18;Delta;(W) 13 – 0
Sectional
5/22;Connersville;(W) 18 – 0
5/23;Indian Creek;(W) 11 – 0
Regional
5/29;Edgewood;(W) 16 – 1
Semistate
6/2;Tri-West Hendricks;(W) 8 – 0
6/2;Corydon Central;(W) 12 – 1
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Date;Opponent;Result
4/6;Indianapolis Bishop Chatard;(W) 12 – 2
4/6;Indianapolis Bishop Chatard;(W) 7 – 4
4/11;Northridge;(W) 5 – 3
4/12;@ South Bend Adams;(L) 1 – 0
4/13;Munster;(L) 7 – 6 (9)
4/19;Glenn;(W) 21 – 0
4/20;Mishawaka;(W) 7 – 0
4/21;@ Edwardsburg;(L) 5 – 4 (8)
4/23;@ South Bend Riley;(W) 14 – 0
4/24;@ New Prairie;(W) 17 – 2
4/25;Bremen;(W) 5 – 1
4/26;Elkhart Central;(W) 4 – 0
5/1;@ Mishawaka Marian;(W) 5 – 0
5/2;@ Jimtown;(W) 10 – 4
5/4;South Bend Clay;(W) 16 – 0
5/5;Coloma;(L) 10 – 5
5/5;Lakeshore;(W) 2 – 0
5/5;Watervliet;(W) 3 – 0
5/8;@ Penn;(L) 2 – 0
5/10;South Bend Washington;(W) 12 – 1
5/12;@ Niles;(W) 5 – 0
5/12;@ Niles;(W) 13 – 3
5/15;South Bend Adams;(W) 2 – 0
5/17;Buchanan;(W) 5 – 0
Sectional
5/22;South Bend Washington;(W) 13 – 0
5/23;Mishawaka Marian;(W) 7 – 1
5/24;New Prairie;(W) 7 – 0
Regional
5/29;Twin Lakes;(W) 2 – 1
Semistate
6/2;Fairfield;(W) 3 – 0
6/2;Knox;(W) 7 – 0
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