Softball Team Has High Hopes—

Hawks Begin Title Defense With New Pitching Arrangement

By Andy Hutchison

A year after their South-West Conference championship run, and climb, to the Class LL State Tournament title game, the Newtown High School softball team’s coaches and players again have high expectations for success. The biggest changes the Nighthawks, and their opponents for that matter, will have to deal with come in the pitching circle — both in the pitcher and the circle, namely its distance from home plate, itself.

Newtown graduated four starters, including lights-out hurler Kate Bowen. What’s more, everyone in Connecticut high school softball now faces the challenge of adapting to the pitching circle being three feet farther from home plate than in the past.

Newtown Coach Bob Guererra notes that Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference officials have implemented a new rule in which pitchers will now stand 43 feet from home plate, back from 40, which will change the game slightly. Guererra said the new distance is in line with collegiate softball and he is interested to see the outcome.

“I think, across the board and around the league, you’re going to see a lot more scoring,” said the Newtown coach, pointing out that batters will have more time to react to pitches. “There’s going to be an impact on the defense — small ball. I think it’s going to be more of an exciting game for everybody, but it may produce a lot more gray hairs for every coach.”

Emma Herring, a junior, who got in some varsity innings last spring, will take over as the new pitcher at NHS. Newtown’s senior captains are third baseman Megan Gibbons, shortstop Natalie Dunn, and first baseman Colleen Cunningham. Other key returnees include Jess Gibbons, who will move from center field to catcher, and outfielder Monica Macchiarulo.

The Nighthawks, who had an unbeaten regular and post season all they up until a 4-2 loss to Westhill of Stamford in the state title game, enter into 2011 expecting to at least contend for conference and state titles again this time around. The graduates leave big shoes to fill, but Guererra is impressed with the returning talent and optimistic for another strong campaign.

“I don’t think the expectation changes from year to year,” he said. “I still want to, hypothetically, win every game. I want to make the state playoffs and when we get to the state playoffs I want to be a force.”

The Hawks are scheduled to begin the season against Holy Cross in a nonconference game on Friday, April 8, at 3:30 pm at home. NHS will host Pomperaug of Southbury the next day at 2 pm. St Joseph of Trumbull, from the FCIAC, will visit on April 12, and rival Masuk of Monroe visits on April 13 as the Hawks open with four consecutive games on the home turf.