NEW PALESTINE — The Pendleton Heights High School baseball team split a doubleheader on the road with rival New Palestine Friday, May 11.
In Game 1, the Arabians downed the Dragons 9-7.
But New Palestine roared back to win the second game 8-1 behind a dominant performance from Jack Walker on the mound and at the plate.
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The doubleheader outcome, coupled with the way some of other games that evening ended up, helped the No. 2-ranked Dragons earn the Hoosier Heritage Conference title.
The Arabians put the Dragons in a deep hole in Game 1, with a 9-1 deficit after the Arabians’ half of the fifth.
Scoring for the Arabians were Gage Campbell with three, Walker Stull and Evan Douglas with two each, and Wyatt Douglas and Hunter Thompson with one each.
The Dragons plated five runs in the fifth to cut the deficit to three, but a well-timed Arabians double play ended the Dragon threat.
The Dragons were able to scratch together one run in the seventh inning but could not complete the comeback.
In the first inning of Game 2, both the Dragons and the Arabians scored a run, with the Dragons’ coming on Walker’s RBI double. Walker then took the mound and began racking up strikeouts. Despite allowing three hits in the first two innings, each out he recorded was a strikeout through the first four innings.
Sitting on 12 strikeouts in four innings, the Arabians attempted a lead-off bunt in the fifth inning. Walker fielded the tricky grounder and threw the runner out. He then got back to his strikeout ways and struck out the final two batters of the inning.
Due to pitch count restrictions, Walker had to come out of the game after the fifth inning. His final line for the night was five innings pitched, 14 strikeouts, and only three hits and one run allowed while picking up the win for his team.
Walker also gave his team some breathing room in the top of the seventh inning, driving in two runs with his second double of the night. Walker and relief pitcher Cameron Pitzer did not allow the Arabians a hit after the second inning, and the Dragons cruised to a late-night victory.
Wyatt Douglas scored Pendleton Heights’ lone run.
Prior to the doubleheader with New Palestine, The Pendleton Heights baseball team lost a Wednesday, May 9, home game to non-conference rival Anderson in a close one by a score of 4-3.
The Arabians visited Richmond in a non- conference game Monday, May 14, leaving with a 15-1 blowout victory. Pendleton Heights scored six in the third and nine in the fourth. The game was over after the fifth inning, during which Richmond scored its sole run.
Pendleton Heights traveled to Lapel Tuesday, May 15, where it lost, 5-4. The Arabians are set to play host to Brownsburg Wednesday, May 16, and then head to Delta Friday, May 18, for a conference doubleheader with start times of 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.
