By Kim J. Harmon

SALEM – When Steve Marks caught Ryan Ball looking on a first pitch strike . . . and then blew some high cheddar by him on the next pitch, there came an overwhelming sense that the Newtown 12-year-old All Stars were in the groove.

Oh, they were all right.

Marks caught Ball looking on the third pitch and Newtown was well on its way to hammering Danbury, 10-0, in a four-inning game to capture the Cal Ripken state championship – the third state championship in a row for this team.

It’s called a three-peat.

Two days before, Newtown had crushed Danbury, 12-1, in the finals of the winner’s bracket and no doubt had visions of that game traipsing around inside their noggins as they took the field on Thursday night.

But somehow they remained focussed.

“The kids are just hungry,” said head coach Keith Suhoza, who guided the group to championships as 10- and 11-year-olds. “They just want to win. Even now, they know they’re still not done.”

Newtown certainly had the look of champion when it took the field for the top of the first inning. And then it proceeded to play like a champion.

u Steve Marks not only pitched three innings of one-hit baseball, striking out four batters, but at the plate he was 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and five RBI. Add to that a beautiful defensive play on a hard hit ball back to the box in the top of the second inning.

u Third baseman Brian Cullinan made two brilliant defensive plays: In the top of the first, he made a fine short hop pickup and throw for the final out and in the top of the second, made another short hop pickup, looked a runner back to third, and then spun 180 degrees for a pinpoint throw to Tucker Kass at first.

u In the top of the third, shortstop Ryan McGrath made a dazzling diving grab of a line drive up the middle for the final out.

u Centerfielder Joe Devellis put on a clinic on the art of hustle – legging out a fly ball to centerfield and reaching second when the fielder lost the ball in the sun and then alertly taking third on an infield grounder.

 

“They are really focussed on their goals,” said coach Suhoza. “They are machine-like . . . it’s incredible. You see it out there – their faces change, their attitudes change, they do their jobs and then they are kids again.”

The All Stars were so focussed on their goal of winning a third state championship that they didn’t really need any help from Danbury – but got it anyway. After Marks retired the side in the order in the top of the first, Devellis earned a two-base error on the centerfielder and Brian Shimko earned an error on the shortstop to score the first run of the game. Things got more legitimate after that as McGrath singled and stole second and then – along with Shimko – scored on a double by Marks.

Marks ended up stealing third and later scored when Mike Tibbetts (who had gotten a free pass) was caught in a rundown between first and second.

In the top of the second, Marks allowed a leadoff single to Brendan McEwan, but then induced Greg Tarsi and Russ Sirko to ground out before whiffing Chris Cerminaro.

In the bottom of the frame, Scott Suhoza led off with a single, but was erased on a double-play grounder by Kass. With two outs, Devellis and Shimko banged back-to-back singles and McGrath was walked to load the bases. Marks followed with a lashing line drive to the opposite field (right to the edge of the leftfield line) that cleared the bases and gave Newtown a 7-0 lead.

Marks continued to be unhittable in the top of the third. Although he walked a batter, he fanned Tyler O’Rourke and Ball and watched as James O’Keefe lined out to McGrath near the second base bag.

Then the locals put the game away.

In the bottom of the fourth, Tibbetts earned a lead-off walk and Tommy Gaboriault (in for Kevin Cahalane) punched a ball right through the wickets at shortstop. Suhoza was walked to load the bases and then Devellis – with one out – singled in the first run. Shimko singled in another and then McGrath forced one in when he was walked.

Danbury avoided further damage when Marks grounded into a double play.

Newtown went into the top of the fourth knowing it was just three outs away from a mercy-rule win and another state championship.

Sean Ryan – in relief of Marks – quickly whiffed Angelo Saba for the first out. McEwan singled, though, then took second on a passed ball and third on a wild pitch. But Ryan caught Tarsi looking at a third strike and induced Sirko to ground out to end the game.

Newtown breezed through the state tournament (with a 10-2 win over New Canaan, a 3-0 win over South Meriden, a 12-1 win over Danbury and then the 10-0 win over Danbury) and coach Suhoza felt their experiences in the District 4 Tournament helped.

Newtown advanced to the state tournament only after two tough wins over Bethel.

“It was nice to be tested,” said coach Suhoza, “and show that we could pull through.”

And now the All Stars earned a trip to the New England Regional Tournament – which will, fortunately for the all the parents who made the three-hour roundtrip ride to Salem four times this past week, be held in Danbury starting Saturday, July 28.

 

The 12-year-old All Stars are coached by Keith Suhoza, Matt McGrath and Ed Marks.