Newtown 9s Compete In State Tourney

Newtown’s 9-year old baseball team took the long road to the State tournament but has made the most of the opportunity. After coming through the winner’s bracket in the District tournament, Newtown lost two in a row to Southbury. The second game was a 5-4 heartbreaking loss that came in the bottom of the eighth inning. It looked as if the season was over but Newtown got a call and was selected to play in a game against New Milford for the wild card spot in the State Tournament. Newtown prevailed 8-3.

New Milford scored one run in each of the first two innings to take the lead. Ben Harrison and Connor

Barrett started the third inning with back-to-back doubles. Barrett stole third and scored on a ground ball by Lucas O’Brien to tie the game. In the fourth inning Newtown broke the game open with five runs on four walks and a long single by Jason Hebner. The highlight of this game was the pitching of O’Brien who tossed a complete game. As the game wore on, O’Brien got stronger, giving up only one more run and securing the victory.

Newtown opened State Tournament play against BethWood on Saturday and won 7-0. Colby Olson pitched five shutout innings and did not walk a batter. Ben Dieckman came in and slammed the door in the sixth inning to close out the game. Connor Barrett led off the first inning with a single, stole second and scored on a ground ball by Adam Bergeron. Newtown opened up the lead in the third when Jason Hebner and Adam Bergeron walked and were driven in on a stand-up triple by Olson. Olson then scored on a single by Ben Harrison. In the fourth, Barrett and O’Brien singled and Hebner walked to load the bases. Bergeron drove in another run with a ground ball and Olson hit a sac fly to bring in another run.  Sam Grossano also contributed with a single.

In the second round of the state tournament Newtown faced rival Southbury and won 8-3. O’Brien again took the mound. Southbury scored one unearned run in the first inning and at the end of four innings the score was still 1-0. In the fifth inning RH Clark fouled off several pitches and worked a walk. Connor Barrett followed with a single. O’Brien hit a sac fly to score Clark. Jason Hebner walked, Adam Bergeron doubled, Colby Olson tripled and Ben Harrison singled. Sam Grossano walked and Clark had another double to break the game open. O’Brien started the sixth with a triple and scored on a single by Hebner to end the Newtown scoring. O’Brien’s pitching was backed up by great defensive plays by Will Heugi in left field and Sam Grossano at third base.

Newtown advanced to the finals of the winner’s bracket against West Norwalk at Mitchell Park in Bethel on Tuesday and won 15-1 in 3 ½  innings of play. After one inning Newtown was a

head 3-0 and in the bottom of the second inning the bats came alive as Newtown scored 12 runs to put the game away. Eight runs crossed the plate before an out was made. Colby Olson pitched the four innings for Newtown which will face the winner of the West Norwalk and Bethwood on Thursday at 5:30 pm in Bethel.