New Palestine High School

Cara Steele's grand slam keyed a seven-run sixth inning Monday, powering the New Palestine softball team to a 10-3 victory at Franklin. Steele had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with five RBI. She also doubled in a run to get things started in the first. Her grand slam broke the game open and put NP up 9-2. She helped key a 12-hit attack. Payton Dye was 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Claire Fitzgerald was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs. Lyndsay Goodin was 2-for-4. Saydie Miller was 1-for-4 with a run. Amber Hurt was 1-for-3 with two walks, a double, two runs and an RBI. Aby Thomas was 1-for-1. Morgan Hutchinson also walked twice, scored twice and drove in a run. Sadey Hughbanks had a solid game in the circle, scattering six hits and three earned runs over 6 1/3 innings, fanning six. Ava Lapenta recorded the final two outs. The Dragons jumped ahead 2-0 in the first, as Hurt and Steele both smashed back-to-back RBI doubles. Franklin scored a run on two hits in the bottom of the inning, and it appeared a tight game was on. Hughbanks faced the minimum over the next three frames. After stranding two runners in the third, the Dragons added one in the fourth, as Fitzgerald led off with a double, moved to third on a grounder and scored on Kenna Tweedy's RBI groundout to the right side. The Dragons again left two on in the fifth in an attempt to extend the lead. Franklin drew within a run on a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the frame, cutting the lead to 3-2. But that slim lead wouldn't last long, as the Dragons pounced in the sixth. Tweedy led off with a walk and Goodin singled her to third. Hutchinson drove Tweedy in while reaching on a fielder's choice. Dye then laced a single up the middle to plate Hutchinson. Miller followed with a hit and Hurt walked to load the bases. Steele then blasted the second pitch of her at-bat over the leftfield fence. The Dragons weren't done - Fitzgerald and Thomas started things again with back-to-back hits. Tweedy drove in the seventh run of the inning with a sacrifice fly. The Dragons improved to 11-4 with the victory. They are next in action Wednesday at Roncalli.