Newtown High School’s softball team, the No. 11 seed, shut out the visiting and No. 22 seed Norwalk Bears 4-0 in Class LL state tournament first round action on June 1. The Hawks blanked host and No. 6 Amity of Woodbridge 1-0 in the second round, on June 2. Newtown will host No. 14 Trumbull in the quarterfinals on Saturday, June 5, starting at 4 pm.

In the win over Norwalk, pitcher Sydney Adolfson scattered five hits and struck out nine batters, including fanning the side in the fifth inning.

Newtown scored twice in the opening inning as Ashley Hubner and Bri Pellicone singled, Maddy Twitchell hit a sacrifice fly for a run, and a second run scored on an error.

It remained 2-0 until the fifth when Pellicone delivered a two-out double to score a run. Rachel Casagrande started the frame with a full count single and Hubner followed with an infield single. Casagrande was caught too far off second base and tagged out sliding back to the bag. Pellicone doubled to deep center field to make it 3-0.

The Hawks added to their lead in the sixth. Adolfson doubled to left center leading off. Caroline Gardner walked to put two runners on with no outs. Morgan Melillo lined into a double play, but Sarah Kick came through with a clutch, first-pitch, two-out single to right center to plate Newtown’s fourth run.

Solid defense was turned in by Casagrande in center field and Katie Goyda in right field. The NHS infield was strong with second baseman Hubner making a running catch in shallow right and first baseman Kick making a game-ending grab in foul territory. The highlight defensively came in the fourth: a nicely-turned double play started by shortstop Pellicone with a sliding grab and throw to Hubner, who relayed to first.

“It’s good just to beat a team you’re supposed to beat. You’re ranked higher, have home field,” Newtown Coach Joanna Closs said. “From here it’s just bonus.”

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