The Newtown Renegades 10-year-old baseball team competed in pool play of the Cal Ripken World Series in Ocala, Fla., August 10-14 and finally saw its magical season come to an end. The Renegades, coming off their New England Championship, fell 18-1 to South Lexington, Ky., on August 10, and dropped a 12-3 decision to West Raleigh, N.C., on August 12. The Renegades rebounded with a 9-7 win over Okeeheelee, Fla., on August 13.

Newtown’s sluggers had a crucial game against Visalia, Calif., on August 14. A spot in the single elimination round was on the line, and Visalia score five second-inning runs en route to a 9-1 win. Charlie Eppers had Newtown’s lone run batted in, and Jack Street doubled and earned the team’s player of the game honors.

The South Lexington game was a four-inning, mercy-rule contest in which Newtown’s opponent put 11 runs one the scoreboard in the second inning to seize control. CJ Demers earned Newtown’s player of the game award.

Against West Raleigh, Newtown erased a 2-0 deficit with a pair of runs in the second inning, but saw its counterparts respond with four runs in each the third and fourth innings to pull away. In the second, Connor Haywood and Jared Dunn singled to set the table, and both of the runs were scored on wild pitches. Newtown’s other run came in the fifth when Demers doubled, and a West Raleigh player committed an error. Joey Rios made some tremendous diving plays in center field and took home Newtown player of the game honors.

In the Okeeheelee game, Newtown mustered just two hits but capitalized on 13 walks and nine wild pitches to win a seesaw battle. Rios and Josh Taylor both worked three walks, and Rios and Matthew Bradbury each crossed home a trio of times. Haywood and Luke Galer had Newtown’s hits.

The Renegades scored twice in the bottom of the first; Taylor walked to force in a run and the second came home on a wild pitch. Okeeheelee scored three times in the second, but Newtown responded with two more to retake the lead in the bottom of the third. Haywood’s sacrifice fly knotted the score at three apiece, and Rios came home on a wild pitch to make it 4-3. Newtown scored a pair of fourth-inning runs on errors to grab a 6-3 lead. Okeeheelee bounced back with a four-spot in the fifth for a 7-6 edge.

The Renegades scored three runs on wild pitches in the fifth then hung on. Okeeheelee loaded the bases in the sixth and final inning but couldn’t manage a comeback as Taylor escaped trouble. Taylor earned the team’s player of the game award.