NEW PALESTINE — A record of 23-5 and a co-championship of the Hoosier Heritage Conference sounds like a great year, but the 2022-23 New Palestine softball season ended with a bit of an empty feeling.
With a 5-3 loss to Pendleton Heights in the New Palestine Sectional championship game last season, New Palestine had a shorter than usual postseason.
The program has won six state titles, including consecutive crowns from 2017-19. They had another strong group in 2020, but the season never started due to COVID-19.
The Dragons were paired in the same sectional as back-to-back state champion Roncalli and phenom pitcher Keagan Rothrock in 2021 and 2022.
Last season looked to be back on pace for a potential long tournament run, but the Arabians changed those plans.
“We had a very good season, but you got to play your best when it’s needed most,” New Palestine head coach Ed Marcum said. “We just couldn’t seem to get the big hit when we needed it. To Pendleton Heights’ credit, they played great. We’ve got to be a little more prepared maybe, or be ready to accept the challenge.
“Every year I do a different slogan and this year it’s, ‘Tournament Mentality’ that’s what we’re going to need all year. … We’ve got the talent, we’ve just got to be mentally tough.”
The Dragons graduated first-team all-state catcher Aglaia Rudd and another top hitter in second baseman Alyssa Mumaw along with Sydney Hughbanks and Kayla Bain. All four are playing collegiately. Rudd (Purdue Fort Wayne) and Mumaw (Southern Indiana) are playing at the Division I level. Hughbanks and Bain have remained teammates at D-III Mt. St. Joseph in Cincinnati.
With just four grads, Marcum has plenty of talent returning from last year’s 23-win team.
Senior shortstop Allie Blum was a second-team all-state choice in 2023. She hit .447 and led the Dragons in runs (39), home runs (9), RBI (40) and stolen bases (16). She has signed to play at the University of Kentucky.
Paige Ernstes is another left-side infielder and SEC-bound player. An All-Hoosier Heritage Conference choice a year ago, she’s headed to Mississippi State. The Dragons’ third baseman was second to Blum in homers with six, second to Rudd in doubles with nine and hit .443.
Sydney Oliver is another returning All-HHC choice. A stellar outfielder for the Dragons, she has the top returning batting average, hitting .486 as a junior. She also was co-leader in triples with Blum with three. Oliver has signed to play at the University of Indianapolis.
Marcum has seven seniors this year and all should be strong contributors.
Courtney Study is back as the team’s No. 1 pitcher.
Study, who doubles as a softball/track and field athlete, went 17-2 last year with a 2.82 earned run average.
Outfielder/infielder Ella Holman is another Division I signee. Headed to Dayton, she hit .324 last season.
Reese Rosenbaum, is a four-year varsity player bound for IUPUI after this year. She is moving into the catcher’s spot with Rudd’s graduation. She hit .327 with a pair of homers and 13 RBI last year.
Another standout defender is senior outfielder Nyla Lewis, who also added a .270 batting average.
“Seven seniors, I think, is the most I’ve had,” Marcum said. “It’s a really good group, experienced. I expect not only talent, but a lot of leadership from them, too.”
It won’t be just the seniors expected to help lead the way.
First baseman Katie Hirschy is a junior committed to Kentucky. She hit six home runs and drove in 18 last year.
Last year’s starting center fielder Maddie Engle, committed to Indiana University as a catcher, can play multiple positions. She hit well as a sophomore, with a .301 batting average, five home runs and 27 RBI.
Jersi Gross played some outfield and filled a big role as a courtesy running for Rudd. A speedy slap-hitter, she hit .364 a season ago and will move to second base this season.
Sophomores Sadey Hughbanks (5-3, 1.80) and Cailyn Hurst add to the team’s pitching depth.
Junior Kylee Beranek, sophomore Saydie Miller and freshman Payton Dye are others that will try to work their way into the lineup.
“We talk about [a state championship] every year,” Marcum said. “We’re very fortunate that we have a program that can talk about it every year. Anytime you’re talking about a state championship you have to have some breaks, and some good things happen when you’re playing those games. We’re excited. We have phenomenal young ladies that are really fun to be around.”
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2024 New Palestine Softball Schedule
Date;Opponent;Time
March 18;at Eastern Hancock;5:30 p.m.
April 4;at Avon;6 p.m.
April 9;vs. East Central;6 p.m.
April 10;vs. Franklin Central;6 p.m.
April 11;vs. Hamilton Southeastern;5:30 p.m.
April 12;at Carmel;6 p.m.
April 15;vs. Westfield;6 p.m.
April 16;at Yorktown;5:30 p.m.
April 18;at Mt. Vernon;6 p.m.
April 19;vs. Zionsville;6 p.m.
April 22;at Noblesville;5:30 p.m.
April 23;vs. New Castle;5:30 p.m.
April 24;at Center Grove;5:30 p.m.
April 25;at Shelbyville;5:30 p.m.
April 29;at Franklin;5:30 p.m.
May 1;at Roncalli;5:30 p.m.
May 2;at Greenfield-Central;6 p.m.
May 4;at Jennings County;11 a.m.
May 8;vs. Fishers;5:30 p.m.
May 9;vs. Pendleton Heights;6 p.m.
May 11;vs. Munster;11 a.m.
May 11;vs. Crown Point;1 p.m.
May 13;vs. Plainfield;6 p.m.
May 16;at Connersville;6 p.m.
May 17;vs. Delta;6 p.m.
