FORKED RIVER, New Jersey – A couple of wins, a couple of losses.

The Newtown Hawks U14 travel softball team finished the 2004 season on a fine note, competing in the ‘A’ bracket of the Summer Storm Invitational Tournament in Forked River, New Jersey, last weekend.

The Hawks defeated Toms River White (3-0) and New Jersey Ford Township (13-1) while losing to the No. 62 nationally-ranked South Jersey Breakers (3-1) and Toms River Gold (6-5, in extra innings) to finish 19-8.

In the win over Toms River White, Stacy Broughton, Jen Blauvelt and Mariale Renna combined on a no hitter and only allowed four runners to reach base the entire game. Joanna Barry and Kelly Tenney played solid defense supporting the no-hitter.

Rachel Nicolosi banged out a couple of singles, stole a base and scored a run to lead the offense. Barry smacked a double while Melissa Fracker and Broughton each singled.

In the loss to the Breakers, Renna had a strong performance on the mound, allowing just four hits and striking out five while going the distance. The Hawks tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth inning when Fracker walked, stole second and came around to score on Blauvelt’s single to center field.

The Hawks were only able to produce two hits of off the strong South Jersey pitching.

Val Nezvesky with three assists and Jaclyn Van Waalwijk with two put outs played well defensively for Newtown.

In the win over Ford Township, the Hawks pounded out 13 hits as the entire line-up contributed at the plate. Katie Schmidt had a single and scored twice, Nicolosi had three hits (including a double to deep right center field) and three runs scored, Van Waalwijk singled and had two RBI, Nezvesky banged out three hits, Barry reached base four times, Broughton had a double and two RBI, Blauvelt singled and scored, Fracker singled and scored twice and Nicole Alberico drove in a run.

Blauvelt and Broughton combined for the win on the mound, allowing just one hit and only four batters to reach base. In the field, Alberico made one put out and had two assists at second base.

In the loss to the Toms River Gold, the Hawks finished up the 2004 season in exciting fashion. Down by two runs, the Hawks battled back in the fourth inning. Nicolosi led off with a single, setting the stage for Tenney’s home run blast to left center field, which tied the score at 2-2.

Terrific pitching on both sides dominated the next two innings as Renna kept the Lightning bats quiet in innings five and six. In the top of the seventh, the Hawks took the lead, 4-2, as Barry reached base on a hard hit ball to third, advanced to second on an over throw and later scored on Broughton’s single to center. Blauvelt then singled and later scored on Renna’s single to right center.

In its final at-bat, Toms River scored twice to send the game into extra innings.

International tie-breaker rules place a runner at second to start an inning and that’s where the Hawks place Nicolosi. She advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice by Van Waalwijk to give the Hawks the lead.

But in the bottom of the eighth, Toms River finished off the Hawks with a pair of runs to grab a 6-5 win.