Inn At Newtown Wins U15 Babe Ruth Championship

The Inn at Newtown completed a strong second half of the season by winning two straight playoff games to capture the U15 Babe Ruth Baseball crown. The Inn defeated KenoGraphics 11-5 on June 18 to win the title.

Against Keno, Ryan Schmidt picked up the win on the mound. He tossed two innings and had four strike outs. Schmidt also drove in three runs with a triple to deep left center in the decisive fifth inning. Daniel Lynch pitched three strong innings, accumulating seven strikeouts along the way with his devastating curveball. Lynch kept the Inn in the game until the bats got going in the later innings. He also scored the first two runs of the game for the champs. Tom Santaniello earned the save, pitching the final two innings for the Inn.

Lynch got the Inn on the board in the first inning by drawing a walk, stealing second and third and scoring on a wild pitch. Drew Robinson plated Lynch in the fourth with a line drive single, getting the Inn within 4-2.

Sean Kennedy (traded from Keno to the Inn in the preseason) started the Inn’s fifth-inning rally with a liner to left that fell in for a single. Ian Kirner and Ryan Cassidy (who drove in a run) followed with two more singles and with runners on second and third, Erik Hoffman delivered a huge blow by doubling to left field to drive in the tying and go-ahead runs.

After walks to Matt Madden and Bob Mascher, Mason West drove in two more runs with a single to make the score 7-4. Brandon Capaldo then drew a walk and Lynch delivered again with a single to drive in the eighth run for the Inn. That brought up Schmidt with the bases loaded and he promptly drove the ball over the left fielder’s head to clear the bases for a 10-4 lead.

For Keno, Canaan and Colby Brown had strong games at the plate, both going 2-for-3. Johnny Fracker was strong on the mound for Keno, pitching three innings of one run ball while striking out five.

In the opening game of the playoffs, the Inn prevailed over Savings Bank of Danbury 10-5. Lynch (3-for-3, triple), Kennedy (2-for-3), Schmidt (2-for-3, double, triple) and Madden (2-for-3) all had strong games at the plate.

Lynch picked up the win with three shutout innings and eight strikeouts. Santaniello and Robinson closed out the game with four effective innings and a combined five strike outs along the way. Evan Barreto (single, run), Mike Shannon (2-for-3) and Alex Saviano led Savings Bank of Danbury at the plate.