Newtown High School's softball team, in the South-West Conference tournament quarterfinals on May 21, displayed all of what made it such a strong team throughout the regular campaign: Patience and power at the plate, solid pitching, and crisp fielding. It all added up to a 12-0 six-inning, run-rule victory over visiting Joel Barlow of Redding.

The Nighthawks, seeded second in the bracket, advanced to semifinals, and the No. 7 Falcons will await the start of state tournament play.

Pitcher Lauren Wilcox scattered four hits, struck out six batters, and didn't walk anybody. The fielders made the plays behind her, and Newtown's hurler had plenty of run support from the get-go.

The Hawks scored three times in the first inning as leadoff batter Haley Ryan started things with a swinging-bunt single just over the left side infielders, and Kamdynn Moroney delivered a two-out RBI double. After a Mackenzie Macchiarulo walk, Emily Bell worked the count full and drove in the second run with an infield single. Tess Mubarek capped the opening-inning scoring with another payoff-pitch hit.

The top of the second inning ended with catcher Mubarek picking a runner off first base.

The Nighthawks plated four runs in the third as Mali Klorczyk hit a sacrifice fly, and Moroney followed with a three-run home run over the left field fence.

Katie Laaksonen had a run-scoring single, and Klorczyk added a two-run single for a 10-0 lead in the fifth.

Newtown ended the game with a pair of runs in the sixth as Ryan singled home one and Sara Kennedy drove in the other with a bloop hit.

This was a rematch of last year's conference championship game, won by Newtown.

"It brought back memories," said Wilcox, adding that the Nighthawks played with a lot of intensity throughout the game.

Ryan, who reached base five times and scored a trio of runs, said team chemistry is part of what helped the Nighthawks go 17-3 overall and 12-1 in conference play this spring.

"Everyone meshes so well," Ryan said. "Everyone's so motivated to win."

"Our entire team is putting the ball into play," said Laaksonen, adding that the Nighthawks, because of their depth, put pressure on opposing team fielders with every at bat.

Bell concurs that it's a team effort, and notes that this collective approach can lead the Hawks to continued success.

"It makes it so much more fun when everybody is working together," Bell said. "It can't just be one person - it has to be everyone."

With strong pitching, fielding, and hitting - which posted ten double-digit performances in the regular campaign - the Nighthawks have reason to be confident.

"We can score some runs. You've got to have an ace to really shut us down. Even with that, we're going to score some runs," Newtown Coach Bob Guererra said. "It's fun to have all the pieces."

The Hawks hope they can put all the pieces in place to win another championship.