UPDATE: NHS will take on Notre Dame in the SWC semifinals on Tuesday, May 23, at Stratford's DeLuca Field; first pitch is at 7 pm.

Newtown High School's softball team, the top seed in the South-West Conference Tournament, defeated visiting New Fairfield 14-0 in a five-inning, mercy-rule triumph in the quarterfinals, on May 19.

Leadoff batter Julia Berry set the table with a 3-for-3 performance — all singles, She also walked, stole two bases, and scored four times.

Addison Cordova, Gabby Ansman, and Rachel Casagrande all smacked doubles.

Newtown jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, went ahead 4-0 after two, and built a 7-0 lead in the third before blowing the game open with a seven spot in the fourth.

In the three-run third, Cordova and Ansman delivered back-to-back extra-base hits for a 5-0 lead, Berry beat out an infield single to drive in a run, and Maddie Thoesen added an RBI single.

Pitcher Sydney Adolfson shut down the Rebels with strong performance from the circle, allowing one hit and striking out 11.

The Nighthawks advance to the semifinals and will play Notre Dame-Fairfield on Tuesday, May 23, at Stratford's DeLuca Field at 7 pm.