The Newtown Hawks 12-and-under travel softball team may have had all the facets of its game – offense, pitching and defense – working like a finely tuned Rolex© watch in the Fairfield County Fastpitch Softball League (FCFSL) tournament but it was the offense that stole the show.

The numbers were amazing, incredible, unbelievable, astonishing … mind-boggling.

In six games last weekend, the Hawks out-scored their opponents 69-7 (being held under 10 runs just once … and just barely) and eventually captured the tournament championship with a 13-1 win over rival Darien.

See, players like Rachel Ruiz (.600 with two doubles and a homer), Kate Bowen (.590 with two doubles, two triples and a homer), Nicole Elias (.500), Paige Woodhouse (.416 with two doubles and a homer), Ashley Kuligowski (.380) and Ally Modzelewski (.352) tore the seams out of the ball and allowed the pitching staff – Bowen (3-0), Modzelewski (2-0), Colleen Cunningham (1-0) and Stephanie Sanchez (two saves) – to breeze through the competition.

And in the field, Modzelewski (two double plays at second), Kuligowski (another double play at second) and Ruiz (behind the plate) sparked a defense that also had solid efforts from Woodhouse, Amanda Nealy, Nicole Elias, Natalie Dunn and Sarah Ferris.

It all started with an 11-1 win over Westport last Friday. Bowen scattered two hits and whiffed 10 batters and went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple. Kuligowski and Modzelewski each had two hits as Kelly Burton and Ruiz had RBI singles. Ferris made a great catch at third.

In an 11-1 win over Stamford Blue, Modzelewski fired a two-hitter with six strikeouts as Elias went 2-for-2 while Sanchez, Burton, Bowen, Kuligowski and Ruiz all collected hits. Ruiz, Dunn and Kuligowski made spectacular plays in the field.

In a 12-2 win over Ridgefield, it was Cunningham’s turn to pitch and all she did was scatter two hits and strike out six batters and step aside so Sanchez could pick up the save. Elias and Ruiz each went 3-for-3 while Bowen (with a home run) and Kuligowski rapped out two hits apiece. Cunningham tripled and Woodhouse doubled.

In a 13-1 win over New Canaan, Modzelewski scattered two hits for the win and Sanchez picked up another save. Ruiz (gunning down an attempted base stealer) and Kuligowski (double play off a line drive) sparked the defense as Woodhouse went 3-for-3 with a homer and Bowen (with a triple), Ruiz and Kuligowski banged out two hits apiece.

In the semi-finals, the Hawks defeated the Fairfield Lights, 9-1, as Bowen fired a one-hitter. Modzelewski had eight errorless chances at second to spark the D. The explosive offense was held in check until the fifth inning when the locals scored four runs. Bowen and Ruiz had three hits apiece as Modzelewski laid down two bunt singles. Nealy had an RBI single and played a strong third base.

There was no stopping the Hawks now and in the championship game the locals broke open a relatively close game with eight runs in the seventh inning to crush Darien, 13-1. Bowen fired a two-hitter and fanned 14 batters. Elias, Cunningham, Ruiz (double and a homer), Kuligowski and Bowen had two hits apiece as Dunn and Woodhouse recorded RBI doubles.

Bowen earned a pair of team MVP medals during the tournament while Modzelewski, Cunningham, Ruiz and Kuligowski were also honored for their efforts.

U16

A tough loss against the Watertown Rapids in the opener of the Central Valley Fastpitch Softball League tournament last Saturday did not deter the Newtown Hawks 16-and-under travel team from working its way into the semi-finals.

There, a 3-0 loss to No. 1 seed Cheshire put a stop to the Hawks’ championship hopes.

The Hawks hit the ball hard, but were robbed of extra base hits by a superb Cheshire defense. Nicole Alberico, Sarah Greenfield, Annie Grills, Jacklyn Van Waalwijk, Amanda Schiffer and Mariale Renna all reached base but were left stranded as Cheshire’s defense would not crack.

Van Waalwijk, Katy Herwig and Ally Kirk each hit long blasts that were run down and caught by speedy outfielders. Rachel Nicolosi, Lisa Alberico and Ali Legros also hit the ball hard, but couldn’t get it through the defense.

Amanda Schiffer and Mariale Renna pitched well for the Hawks, allowing just five hits.

The Hawks advanced to the semifinals with a 9-2 over Southbury. An eight-hit, six-run sixth inning did the trick.

The locals opened the scoring in the first inning as Nicole Alberico singled to center, advanced on Rachel Nicolosi’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Van Waalwijk’s RBI. In the second, Lisa Alberico singled to right field, stole second base, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Legros and then came home on Nicolosi’s infield grounder.

But the Hawks broke open the game in the sixth inning. Herwig singled, Kirk reached on an error, Van Waalwijk walked, Greenfield singled and Grills followed with a long double to the gap in right center. Jacklyn Van Waalwijk and Legros followed with singles to round out the scoring.

Renna went the distance in the circle, allowing just three hits against a strong hitting Southbury team.

Kate Kelleher contributed with a nice catch in left field.

The Hawks finished up the 2005 summer season at 13-11, finishing tied for first in the CVFL with a league mark of 7-4. The team was coached by Rich Van Waalwijk, Cosmo Alberico and Steve Nicolosi.

U14 Force

If you ask them, the Force will take Red over Black any day of the week.

The Newtown Force 14-and-under travel team rallied to defeat the Cheshire Red Wildcats, 9-3, and then lost to the Cheshire Black Wildcats, 5-2, in the semifinals of the Central Valley Fastpitch League (CVFL) tournament last week.

In the three seed games, the Force lost to the Stratford Seahawks (12-2), beat the Prospect Panthers (7-1) and defeated the Southington Lightning (13-1).

The Force will finish off the 2005 season with tournament action in Lowell Massachusetts next weekend.

In the Cheshire Black game, the Force was unable to score until the top of the 7th inning ... but it was too little, too late.

Jo Barry and Laura Newberry each singled in the first, Katie Schmidt  had a single in the fourth,  Nora Lynn Shimko and Megan Sajovic each singled in the sixth  and in the seventh Kelly Tenney tripled, Elissa Robertson doubled to bring in one run, and Newberry singled to bring in another.

Sajovic pitched a solid game with Robertson shining at second (four putouts).

Against the Cheshire Red, Sammi Nemchek and Stacy Broughton combined on a four-hitter.

That was the key as the Force did not start to break open the game until the fifth inning. Tenney walked and later scored after sacrifice bunts by Robertson and Kaila Harrington.

In the sixth, Nemchek singled, Shimko sacrificed, Sajovic walked, Barry tripled to bring in two runs, Schmidt walked, Tenney doubled to bring in another two runs, and Robertson singled.

And in the last inning, four more runs crossed the plate as Melissa Fracker singled,  Broughton and Nemcheck sacrificed, Shimko doubled in a run, Sajovic walked, Barry tripled in two more runs, and Schmidt rapped an RBI single.

Defensively, Fracker made two great catches in right field and Harrington had two put outs and 11 assists at first base.

In the loss to the Stratford Seahawks, the Force collected just three hits (a triple by Shimko and double by Barry being the biggest).

In the win over Prospect, Schmidt belted a three-run triple, Harrington tripled in a run, Tenney doubled in a run, and Fracker had an RBI sacrifice.

Broughton pitched a three-hitter with three strikeouts.  Tenney and Schmidt had good defensive games.

And against Southington, Sajovic fired a three-hitter with five strikeouts and then went 3-for-3 at the plate. Tenney was 3-for-4 with a three-run triple while Shimko had a two-run double and Harrington went 3-for-4 with two singles and a double.

Annemarie Davis, Broughton, Fracker, Schmidt, Barry, and Newberry (2) all had singles.

U14

A valiant effort in the Fairfield County Fastpitch Softball League (FCFSL) went for naught as the Newtown Hawks 14-and-under travel team dropped three games and was eliminated. A win over Stratford was a shining moment for the Hawks as Kristen Brassard pitched well.

The Hawks were lead by their tri-captains – Katie Kirrane, Christine Beck and Marley Koschel. Kirrane was solid in every area – pitching, defense, hitting – as the athletic Beck hit consistently and aggressively all season while playing excellent defense on the left side of the infield. Koschel was an intense competitor, a leadoff hitter who drove teams crazy with her speed and tenacity.

Alyssa Robinson also pitched effectively and kept the Hawks in many games in the circle or at the plate as she belted several long balls for RBIs. Rachel Marcucilli did a majority of the catching this year and threw out eight runners attempting to steal. Kaitlan Marsden also contributed consistently all year with her athleticism in the field and at the plate, playing effectively at third base and shortstop and making great plays time and time again.

In the outfield, Carolyn Gingras was a study in consistency as she made only one error all year. And at the plate, she was a solid hunter with seven bunt singles and three sacrifices. Besides Carolyn, Zoe Osimonti displayed excellent outfield play and her quickness proved effective in both the field and on the bases.

Kristen Brassard played solidly in the outfield as well as providing valuable pitching late in the season. And Paige Fleming, Emily Krewson, Erin Fish, Christie Fogelstrom and Ashley Soucar all provided key plays during the season.

This is the squad that reached the semifinals of the recent Connecticut Babe Ruth Tournament in Weston. The locals defeated a tough travel team from Terryville with flawless defense, timely hitting and strong pitching from Kirrane

The girls finished the regular season at 6-5.