Newtown High School’s softball team won with the long ball and lost in large part due to small ball in a pair of mid-April contests, then posted its second shutout victory of the spring. The Nighthawks pushed their winning streak to three games with a 12-2 triumph at South-West Conference foe Weston on April 13; Madison Thoesen homered in the first inning and Brianna Pellicone went deep in the second frame to lead the charge.

Thoesen also singled and scored two runs against Weston; Pellicone doubled, singled, and scored three times; Maddy Twitchell had an RBI single; and Caroline Gardner and Sophia Caruso both had singles and each drove in a run. A handful of Weston errors helped the Nighthawks tack on runs.

The Nighthawks hosted FCIAC team Norwalk on April 16 and fell 5-3 in extra innings. Back-to-back bunts sparked a two-run Norwalk rally in the fourth inning and helped the Bears to a win the Nighthawks believed was within their grasp. An error and walk set up Liv McEveney’s tie-breaking two-run double just inside the first base line in the top of the eighth inning.

Pitcher Sydney Adolfson helped her own cause with two singles, a run scored, and run batted in. With Newtown leading 2-0, a bunt single and bunt that resulted in an error set the table for Norwalk with no outs to begin the top of the fourth inning. A two-run single tied it and Adolfson limited the damage by inducing a fly out to first base and striking out two batters. The Nighthawks took a 3-2 lead in the fifth on what proved to be a costly run. Pellicone doubled and scored on a single by Twitchell, who suffered an injury running the bases. Her replacement, Noelle Marrazzo, was robbed of a hit by Norwalk’s second baseman in the seventh inning.

Closs is pleased with her team’s offense.

“We hit the ball well. Even in this game we hit the ball well — just at people,” Newtown’s coach said. “Definitely less strikeouts which is good to see. We’ve got to just keep plugging away. We’ve got a lot of important conference games coming up and we hope to win them.”

The Nighthawks resumed SWC action with a visit to Pomperaug of Southbury on April 18 and got back on the winning side of things. Adolfson allowed just one hit and struck out 18 batters in Newtown’s 4-0 win.

NHS improved to 5-3 overall heading into Wednesday’s game with Bethel (read about the game in the April 29 print edition of The Bee). The Hawks will host New Fairfield Monday, April 25 at 4 pm.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.