By Kim J. Harmon

There was a time (as it only just last week?) when head coach Jay Edwards was left wondering if the Newtown High School softball team – losers of three of their previous four – would ever win another game.

He didn’t have to wonder very long.

Since last week, the Lady Nighthawks – embarking on a brutal schedule precipitated by a bevy of rainouts – have won four times (Kolbe-Cathedral, Foran, Staples and Stratford) while losing just once (Pomperaug).

With the regular season nearly over and the playoffs a cinch, the ‘Hawks are 13-5 overall and 11-4 in the South-West Conference.

It would have been a nifty six-game winning streak the ‘Hawks had crafted had they been able to knock off Pomperaug on Tuesday (Senior Day), but Lisa Morgan, who allowed just three hits, was out-dueled by Ashley Kuchta, who allowed just four hits.

Veronica Adams scored the only run of the game in the top of the first and, thanks to Newtown’s only error, it was unearned.

But the ‘Hawks did experience a strong week with those four wins, starting last Thursday with a 15-0 decision over Kolbe-Cathedral in which Rebecca Narel went 4-for-4 with three RBI. Erin Murdoch tripled and Caitlyn Elf drove in a couple of runs while Morgan allowed just one hit and struck out 11 batters.

Last Saturday, the ‘Hawks had to face the prospects of a doubleheader and put together a 1-0, nine-inning win over Foran and then a 7-6 non-conference win over Staples.

In the win over Foran, Morgan allowed just one hit (which came in the first, off the bat of Katie Choromanski) but she would have pitched all day had Megan LaFlamme not singled home Narel in the bottom of the ninth with the only run. Morgan had a big hit in that frame, pushing Narel into scoring position at third base, and thwarting a strong performance by Foran’s Katie Sayball, who scattered seven hits and whiffed 12.

Narel got the start in the second game and earned the first varsity win of her career. She scattered 12 hits along the way, but was the beneficiary of a strong offensive showing by her teammates as Christina Wolf singled and tripled and Ashley Ferris doubled and drove in a run.

On Monday, Morgan was back on the mound – under the lights at DeLuca Field in Stratford (a game that was previously scheduled for home) – and was just as sharp as ever. She scattered six hits and struck out eight batters to earn her ninth shutout of the season. And she had to be that sharp, as the ‘Hawks managed just two hits (one, a double by Narel) and scored the only run in the first inning on a throwing error.

The ‘Hawks were scheduled to play New Fairfield on Thursday in their SWC regular season finale, weather permitting.

The SWC quarterfinals will open on Tuesday, May 27, at the home of the higher-ranked team (with Newtown aiming for a No. 2 or No. 3 seed) with the semi-finals to follow on Wednesday, May 28, and the finals on Friday, May 30.

The last two rounds of the playoffs will be at DeLuca Field in Stratford.