Championship Bound … NHS Softball Team Reaches First Title Game Despite Being No-Hit

By Andy Hutchison

STRATFORD — There’s no doubt about it … The Newtown High School softball team is really good. But almost every championship team needs a little luck along the way and sometimes catching a break is as better than being good.

The Nighthawks are not about to argue. They caught a couple of big breaks en route to a 1-0 win over Simsbury in the Class LL State Tournament semifinals at DeLuca Field on Tuesday night. Newtown, despite not getting a base hit for the first time all year long, reached Saturday’s championship game thanks, in part, to a hit batter and a couple of errors. Aggressive base running, strong pitching, and clutch fielding plays were also pivotal in the victory.

Pitcher Kate Bowen was hit by a pitch in the first inning. She stole second and advanced to third on a wild throw. Another throwing error in an attempt to catch Bowen at third enabled her to race all the way home with what would turn out to be the game’s only run.

“Today we were lucky and we got away with one — and we’re very pleased,” Newtown Coach Bob Guererra said.

The Nighthawks, winners of the South-West Conference Tournament, will play in their first state championship game.

“We’re ecstatic. This is a great win — it’s a great win for us,” Guererra added. “Hey, listen — we gutted it out. We put a little pressure on them in the first inning, they coughed it up a little bit and we hung in there all the way around.”

Bowen was strong in the pitcher’s circle, as always, surrendering only three hits. Her counterpart, lefty thrower Kathleen Conway, was dominant with 13 strikeouts and allowed only Bowen to reach base. It turned out that was the only base runner Newtown would need to keep their perfect season going and push the team to within 21 outs of a state championship.

Newtown, the No. 1 seed in the tournament, advances to play No. 2 Westhill of Stamford Saturday, June 12, at 7 pm right back at DeLuca. No. 5 Simsbury, meanwhile, will have to settle for a heart-breaking loss to end a solid campaign in which the team won 17 regular-season games.

Simsbury threatened to score in the first inning when Julie Dennen tripled and attempted to score on a sacrifice bunt. Bowen fielded the ball and tossed to catcher Ashley Kuligowski for the out. The Nighthawks made two errors of their own, but Bowen worked out of trouble when she had to and the defense, all in all, was sharp.

“We played just about a flawless defensive game when we had to, which was huge,” Guererra said.

“This is exciting, getting to the championship game,” Bowen said. “Hopefully we can keep it going.”

The Nighthawks, following a first-round bye, beat Stamford 10-1 in the second round of the tourney on June 2. Bowen tossed a two-hitter with 12 strikeouts as the Hawks jumped out to a 10-0 lead after three innings of play.

Jessica Gibbons had an RBI single and Rachael Ruiz smacked a two-run double for a 3-0 first-inning lead. In the second, Megan Gibbons had a two-run single, Jessica Gibbons knocked in a run with a single, Colleen Cunningham drove in a run with a groundout, and the Hawks added another run on an error for an 8-0 cushion. Newtown added a pair of runs in the third as Monica Macchiarulo, Kuligowski, and Bowen all had extra base hits in succession.

In the quarterfinal round win over West Haven on June 4, it looked for a while as if Newtown might not advance to the semis. The Hawks fell behind 2-0 before coming back with four runs — all with two outs — in the fifth and added another four in the sixth to pull away in an 8-2 triumph.

In that turning point fifth inning, the Hawks got an RBI double from Natalie Dunn to trim the deficit to 2-1. Ally Modzelewski bunted for a single and a run scored on an errant throw, tying the game at two apiece. Macchiarulo singled to drive in the go-ahead run and, following a Kuligowski walk, Bowen doubled to make it 4-2 Newtown. In the sixth, Dunn, Macchiarulo, Modzelewski, and Bowen all had RBI doubles. Bowen allowed eight hits and struck out five in the win.