Dragons advance, setup rematch with Roncalli

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INDIANPOLIS — The rematch is set.

A year after falling to eventual state champion Roncalli in the sectional semifinals, 4-0, the Class 4A fourth-ranked New Palestine Dragons will get another chance.

The Dragons defeated Perry Meridian, 8-4, on Tuesday night during the Sectional 11 semifinals at Franklin Central High School to advance into tonight’s final at 7 p.m.

Top-ranked Roncalli (28-0) defeated host Franklin Central (9-16) in Tuesday’s second semifinal, 5-1, to setup the title-game match-up.

New Palestine lost to Roncalli on the road during the regular season on April 30 by a 15-5 margin.

Against the Perry Meridian Falcons, the Dragons’ offense charged out early, building a 2-0 lead in the first inning and later a 3-1 advantage.

The Falcons plated a run in the fifth, but a three-run bottom of the fifth for New Palestine increased its lead 7-2 and later 8-4 in the sixth off an Aglaia Rudd RBI double.

Rudd finished the night 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI. Grace Paquette went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI.

Maddie Engle went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Alaina Miller had won hit and two runs scored. Allie Blum scored two runs and posted a single. Katie Hirshy was 1-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.