Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the third inning, Newtown High School's baseball team got its offense going and plated five runs, three of which came with two outs, and never looked back, en route to an 11-6 victory over visiting Watertown, on a chilly and blustery April 5 afternoon-turned-evening.

This nearly three-hour contest featured a little of just about everything - there were a combined 19 hits, 11 walks, and six errors, and lots of long at bats; when all was said and done, 298 pitches were thrown.

Working the count proved to be crucial in the pivotal inning. With the score tied 3-3, Luke Melillo fouled off pitch after pitch before working a one-out walk to load the bases. One out later, Jack Miller came through with a tie-breaking, two-run single when he fought off a pitch and powered it the opposite way, into right field.

Melillo came across with the sixth run on a double steal as Miller swiped second and Melillo broke for home as the Watertown catcher threw to second.

"We've got to utilize our speed. We've got a lot of talent here," said Newtown Coach Ian Thoesen, who serves as third-base coach and sent the runners.

Todd Petersen had two stolen bases, and Melillo, Miller, Rob Murray, and Heran all swiped a base.

"I saw the sign and I just booked. [Melillo] read it well on third and so it worked out," said Miller, adding that it was nice to contribute in a big spot with his two-run hit. "It feels really good."

Newtown's five-run rally started with a Petersen walk and Josh Taylor single. Ben Harrison followed with an RBI single, and Eugene Citrano reached on a fielder's choice/error to that plated another run.

The Nighthawks added to their 6-3 lead with three runs in the fourth and a run each in the fifth and sixth innings.

"The flood gates opened. I told these guys 'I know we can hit,'" said Thoesen, whose team accumulated a dozen knocks and capitalized on five Watertown errors.

Watertown came to bat in the seventh trailing 11-3 and chased relief pitcher Kyle Roche, who was solid in 4.1 innings - he allowed two earned runs on four hits, struck out four, and walked two - after starter Orlando Swift was pulled in the third inning; Swift had fanned four batters but walked five. Swift retired all four batters he faced in relief of Roche in Newtown's season-opening 2-1 loss to Ridgefield on March 31. Connor Haywood pitched the final two-thirds of an inning, allowing one run on two hits, issuing a walk, and fanning a batter.

Harry Eppers went 3-for-4, with a double, and drove in two runs. Harrison, Citrano, and Miller also knocked in two runs apiece, with Harrison and Miller each contributing two singles. Petersen had two hits, an RBI, and three runs scored; Melillo had a hit and two runs scored; and James Heran had a hit, RBI, and run scored. Taylor and Harrison both scored runs as seven different Hawks crossed home.

Defensively, left fielder Melillo had the highlight with a throw home to catcher Harrison, nabbing a base runner attempting to score in the fifth.

"Everyone hit. Everyone contributed. It was a good game," Petersen said.