New Palestine High School

Holden Hughes pitched six strong innings and the top of the order produced for the New Palestine baseball team Tuesday as the Dragons won the series opener 3-1 at Mt. Vernon. The two teams continue their two-game series Wednesday at NPHS. The Dragons improved to 7-3 (2-2 HHC) with their fourth straight victory. Hughes scattered six hits over six innings, allowing one earned run and striking out seven. Gavin Neal allowed one hit and struck out a pair in the seventh to nail the game down and earn the save. Four of the Dragons' five hits came from the top of the order. Neal was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI from the leadoff spot. Kingston Hedges was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI, and Jacob Morris was 1-for-4. Ethan Nunnally had the Dragons' other hit. The top of the order produced to start the game. Neal led off with a single on the game's first pitch. He moved into scoring position on a balk, and then scored on Hedges' double to right. With one out, Hedges stole third and scored on an errant throw to give the Dragons a 2-0 lead. That extra run would prove big on a day where runs would be hard to come by. MV turned two singles and an error into a run in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead to 2-1, but Hughes retired the next two batters to end the inning. He pitched around two singles in the second and one each in the third and fifth, as well as a sixth-inning walk. The Dragons added an insurance run in the seventh, as Colin Workman led the inning off with a walk. He moved into scoring position on Brogan Reveles' sacrifice and scored on Neal's single to right. Neal came on in the seventh and allowed a leadoff single, then sandwiched two strikeouts around a flyout to earn the save.