HAMDEN – The Newtown Hawks U14 travel softball team entered its first Babe Ruth State Tournament last weekend in Hamden and walked away with second-place honors – reaching the tournament championship series.

The Hawks opened with an 8-3 win over Hamden. They started the scoring on a blistering single by Krystal Ferris, driving in Rebecca Narel (who had walked earlier), and then increased the lead to 4-1 on singles by Ashley Ferris, Krystal Ferris, Emily Nezvesky and a triple by Cat Williams.

Later, the Hawks boosted that lead to 8-2 on hits by Narel, a bunt by Amie Walston, a couple of walks to Sarah Holroyd and Lauren Cascia, and a triple by Christie Caruso. Two great catches by the Hamden left fielder robbed Cascia of two long drives, both with the bases loaded.

The infield play of Christina Wolf, Caruso, Ashley Ferris and Cascia shut Hamden down.

The Hawks then battered Norwalk, 13-1. Ashley and Krystal Ferris started things off in that game with doubles to left and Cascia followed with one of her own to make the score 2-0. In the second, Wolf and Caitlin Thursland walked and Walston laid down a bunt to load the bases. Caruso and Narel followed with line drives and, after a Norwalk error, the score was 6-0.

Newtown added runs in the third and fifth innings, extending the lead to 8-0.

The defensive play once again kept the opponents nearly silent. Caruso and Ashley Ferris played well at shortstop and third base, respectively, and Wolf sparkled at second base. Narel, Krystal Ferris and Cascia also sparked the D.

In the sixth inning, Newtown pulled away. Jessica Nicolosi ripped a single and then Narel and the Ferris sisters were all issued walks. Cascia followed with a bases-clearing triple and Wolf singled her in to reach the 13-1 final score.

In Game 3, the Newtown offense was finally held at bay – by Terryville. Newtown put up a 2-0 lead on a run-scoring single by Caruso (following a triple by Nicolosi) and a bunt by Nicolosi, but Terryille tied the scored with two runs in the sixth and went ahead with two more in the seventh.

Newtown was stopped with the tying runs on base and Terryville held on for the 4-2 win.

The Hawks dropped into the loser’s bracket, but defeated Stamford, 6-2, for the right to play Terryville in the championship series. Ashley Ferris ripped a run-scoring single to open the game and then, with Newtown down 2-1, the Hawks scored five times in the third inning on singles by the Ferris sisters, Nezvesky, Nicolosi and Caruso. Narel drove in Caruso with a sacrifice and, meanwhile, shut down Stamford from the mound with eight strikeouts and no walks in her third complete game.

But now in the championship series, the Hawks were faced with unenviable task of having to beat Terryville twice. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to do it even once as Terryville pinned a 12-5 loss ton Newtown.

Terryville scored seven runs in the first inning to set the tone.

Cascia, Narel and the Ferris sisters singled to plate two runs in the third inning, but Terryville scored two runs of its own in the bottom of the frame. Nicolosi singled, Walston and Caruso walked, and Narel doubled to pull the Hawks to within five, 9-4, in the fourth inning.

Terryville, though, would score three more runs to salt the game away.

Nezvesky, Emily Blewett and Cascia would all stroke singles in a last gasp effort to close the gap – but to no avail. On the mound, Narel pitched five complete games, amassing 18 strikeouts while walking just three batters in the entire tournament.

The U14 Hawks were coached by Rich Narel, Kathy Blewett and Connie Caruso.