New Palestine High School

New Palestine softball coach Ed Marcum became the seventh coach in state history to reach 500 wins Saturday as the Dragons softball team swept Jennings County in a doubleheader. The Dragons' 13-1 six-inning victory in Game 1 was Marcum's 500th career victory over a 20-year career, which has included six state championships. The Dragons then won second game 15-0 in five innings. NP scored in all 11 innings in the sweep. In the opening game, the Dragons slammed five homeruns and had nine extra-base hits among their 14 hits. Katie Hirschy hit two solo homers. Allie Blum was 3-for-3 with a homer, two doubles, three runs and two RBI. Paige Ernstes homered and drove in two. Reese Rosenbaum was 2-for-2 with a homer and two RBI. Sydney Oliver was 3-for-4 with a triple, a run and four RBI. Maddie Engle tallied a double and a run. Ella Holman was 2-for-4 with a run. Courtney Study earned the pitching win, allowing one earned run and three hits over four innings, striking out two. Sadey Hughbanks struck out three in two hitless innings of relief. The Dragons jumped ahead 1-0 after an inning, added three runs in the second and single runs in the next three frames before scoring six in the sixth to trigger the mercy rule. In the second game, the Dragons mashed 18 hits in the shutout victory. Ernstes and Payton Dye both homered in the contest, as the Dragons jumped ahead 5-0 after an inning, added a run in the second and five more in the third. A run in the fourth and three in the fifth brought a swift conclusion to the contest. Ten of the Dragons' 18 hits went for extra bases, including seven doubles. Oliver was 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and four RBI, giving her six hits and eight RBI on the day. Blum was 3-for-3 with three runs, two RBI and a double. Ernstes was 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and four RBI. Jersi Gross was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs. Saydie Miller was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Hirschy was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Rosenbaum was 1-for-2 with a double. Dye was 1-for-1 with a two-run homer. Nyla Lewis was 1-for-2 with a run. Cailyn Hurst was 1-for-1 Hurst earned the pitching win, allowing two hits over four shutout innings, striking out five. Hughbanks allowed one hit in an inning of relief. The Dragons are now 13-1 on the season. They next play Monday at Eastern Hancock.