By Kim J. Harmon

MILFORD – Talk about a hot streak.

With their record sitting at 2-6, 1-3 in the South-West Conference, a string of three games in four days (two against a top-flight team in Jonathan Law) may have seem daunting indeed to the Nighthawks. Why, there is no telling there that record would be when it was over . . . 3-8? 2-9?

No, try 5-6.

Yes sir, with a thrilling win over Law on Friday at Newtown High (the game ends on a double-play line drive to Collin Anderson at first base), an 8-4 come-from-behind win over Stratford on Saturday, and then a 9-7, eight-inning win over Law on Monday, the Nighthawks have raised their record to a surprising 5-6, 3-4 in the SWC.

People are pumped.

“We’re playing about two-thirds of a good game every day,” said head coach John Larkins. We have been getting real consistent pitching and that has been the key factor.”

The streak (which ran into a wall on Wednesday against Notre Dame, with the Lancers earning an 11-7 win in 11 innings) started last Friday when senior co-captain Les Russell turned in his best mound performance of the season – scattering three hits, walking two, and striking out three – against a Law team that entered the game 6-3 overall record.

“The jury was out on Les Russell (pitching),” admitted coach Larkins. “There were some question marks on how often he would be able to throw and our biggest focus with him has been getting the ball down and letting our kids field the ball.”

Russell pitched an efficient ball game and only got into trouble in the sixth inning as Law, with Newtown ahead 4-1, scratched out a pair of runs. But lefthander Gregg Burkhart came in to finished off the Golden Eagles and earn the save.

Kevin Carolan lashed a hit to left field to drive in a run and Nick Savino added an RBI in the three-run second inning.

With that win under their belts, the ‘Hawks traveled down to Stratford on Saturday and had to rally from a 4-2 deficit to win. The ‘Hawks scored two runs in the first inning and held that margin, with John Fiscella pitching well, until the Red Devils scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to chase Fiscella.

Newtown went to freshman Ron Isler to relieve and all Isler did was shut Stratford down the rest of the way, striking out two batters and walking none. His performance allowed the ‘Hawks to come back with three runs in the top of the fifth and three more in the top of the seventh for the victory.

Russell led Newtown at the plate this time with a double and three RBI. Matt McCarthy tripled in a pair of runs while Carolan and Steve Bertè each went 2-for-4. Burkhart drove in a run.

Now with two wins in two days, the ‘Hawks traveled to Milford on Monday to get reacquainted with Jonathan Law and knew that it would be a much tougher go of it this time. Still, they maintained perspective.

“We need every win we can get,” said coach Larkins, “but we weren’t overly concerned about it. We went out there relaxed and played well.”

Down 3-0 after three innings, the ‘Hawks had to put on their rally caps again and scored three runs in the top of the fourth and two more in the top of the sixth to send the game into extra innings. In the top of the eighth, the ‘Hawks exploded for four runs and held off the Golden Eagles, who scored twice in the bottom of the frame, for the win.

Coach Larkins gave the ball to Carolan, a sophomore, for this game.

“(Law) is a fastball-hitting team,” coach Larkins explained, “and I knew Kevin would do well with his offspeed stuff. He started a little rough, but whenever it looked like he left the door wide open, he settled down and closed it.”

Carolan went the distance, allowing 12 hits while walking four batters and striking out seven.

Savino and Russell each doubled, with Russell and Anderson driving in three runs apiece. Savino added a pair of RBI.

The ‘Hawks took their three-game winning streak to the back field on Wednesday to face Notre Dame. On Friday, the ‘Hawks will travel down to Danbury to take on Immaculate and then on Saturday will face St. Joseph’s of Trumbull. Newtown will return home on Monday to face Bethel before traveling to Redding on Wednesday for an SWC game against Joel Barlow.