NEW PALESTINE — Ed Marcum can finally get some quality sleep again.
For nearly five weeks, the New Palestine head softball coached has admittedly spent most nights tossing and turning.
On Monday, his unbeaten Class 4A fourth-ranked Dragons graciously put his mind at ease, winning big, 15-1, over visiting 4A No. 14 Noblesville in five innings.
“That was good because I’d been having some sleepless nights trying to figure out why we weren’t scoring runs at home,” Marcum said.
“Obviously, I didn’t expect to come out and put up an eight spot on the board in the first inning today, but that sure makes things a lot more fun. I thought we came out really focused.”
Prior to this past weekend, the Dragons (13-0) were averaging a modest 4.25 runs per game through four contests at home on their new field turf softball diamond.
Obviously, it was enough to win, but it was also a stark contrast to the team’s 11.0 runs per contest through six road games, which included a trio of run-rule victories.
On Saturday, the Dragons showed promise, though, defeating 4A No. 8 Decatur Central 3-0 and later run-ruling Seymour, 11-1, during New Palestine’s home invitational to extend their winning streak to 12 straight.
For lucky win No. 13, the Dragons upped their home average to 6.57 runs through seven games and 9.30 overall this season.
Oddly enough, New Palestine didn’t hit a single home run against Noblesville (7-4). Instead, they posted four extra-base hits and had eight different players reach base via contact while nine drove in at least one run apiece.
“I really felt good at warm ups, the way we hit at warm ups. I thought, we’d play well, so that was a lot of fun to see,” Marcum said. “That’s kind of how it has been. Different night, different people stepping up. Some of the people I’m expecting to have big years haven’t really turned it on yet, so their time is coming.”
Senior Kendal Calvert, an IUPUI recruit, kept her hot streak going, finishing 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI double during the Dragons’ four-run bottom of the third.
Calvert, one of the team’s holdovers from the 2019 3A state championship squad, caught fire against Seymour, going 1-for-1 with four RBI, two runs a walk and a home run — her first of the season.
A scrappy leader with both the bat and her glove, Calvert reached base three times, including a first-inning walk as New Palestine sent 12 hitters to the plate en route to a quick 8-0 lead against Noblesville.
“We’re always fighting hard. It’s always a team win, and that’s pretty awesome,” Calvert said. “We talked about starting out early, just being confident out at the plate. Who cares who’s pitching, just do your thing.”
The Dragons’ thing is getting on base.
Against Noblesville, they posted a .515 on-base percentage and carry a collective .435 on the season so far.
Three Noblesville errors gave the Dragons ample opportunities in the bottom of the first and they capitalized.
Two runners scored on a throwing error, another on a passed ball and one more on a failed pick-off attempt.
Junior Grace Paquette (2-for-4) recorded the first RBI with a single to right field, and freshman Allie Blum (2-for-3) drove in a pair with a no-out, two-run triple.
Junior Alaina Miller, an Illinois recruit, went 1-for-3 with a two-out RBI triple also in the first inning to put New Palestine ahead decisively. Senior Lexi Campbell (1-for-4), an Akron commit, connected for the team’s second double in the bottom of the fourth.
Noblesville was charged with four errors and each eventually led to Dragons’ runs.
Sophomore Aglaia Rudd went 2-for-3, freshman Sydney Oliver was 1-for-2 with an RBI single in the bottom of the second, and senior Kinsey Mitchell, an Indiana recruit, went 2-for-4 and an RBI single in the third.
Junior Alexa Holman had an RBI sacrifice fly to left field in the bottom of the third that made it 14-0 before Mitchell’s final hit pushed the lead to 15-0.
“It’s really awesome, especially because I felt a lot of people thought we weren’t going to be as good this year. So, I think it’s really awesome that we’ve been able to show everyone, ‘Hey, we’re still here,’” Calvert said.
“There’s so much to prove, so we want to prove to everyone that even though we don’t have as many home run hitters, it’s going to be a team win every time and we’re going to fight it out.”
Dragons’ starter Sam Booe worked 3.0 innings for the win, improving her season record to 6-0 behind two strikeouts and two hits allowed. The University of Louisville commit has a 1.64 ERA this season with 52 strikeouts in 38.1 innings pitched.
Junior Katie Kottlowski relieved Booe in the top of the fourth, going 2.0 innings with two hits surrendered and an earned run after a strong 6.0 inning performance against Seymour on Saturday.
Kottlowski struck out four batters this past weekend and retired the last 18 hitters she faced.
“Katie was unbelievable against Seymour. The first two got on with little hits, then she locked in, but that’s what Katie does. She gets those ground balls, and that’s really good for our defense to give them a chance to work,” Marcum said.
The work never ends for Marcum’s Dragons, who have five games total this week through six days.
Today, they travel to Hoosier Heritage Conference foe New Castle (2-9, 0-3 HHC), then host 4A No. 7 Center Grove (12-3) on Wednesday, followed by a home HHC game on Thursday against 4A No. 10 Shelbyville (14-1, 4-0 HHC) and then a date with 4A No. 1 Roncalli (12-0) at home on Saturday.
The Dragons are 1-0 in the HHC as one of three unbeatens in the league along with Greenfield-Central and Shelbyville.
“It’s a big week,” Marcum said. “Conference (today), then of course, Center Grove, and Shelbyville is playing really well. Then, we come into Saturday. Everybody is looking to Saturday, but we’re just focusing on where we’re at, trying to get better and then whatever happens Saturday, we’ll go from there.”
