Renegades Claim Title, Battle In Regionals

The Newtown Renegades won the Cal Ripken 9U Connecticut State Tournament in New Milford, recently. The Renegades beat the previously undefeated New Milford team twice to take the title.

New Milford was undefeated and Newtown had one loss going into the championship game of the double elimination tournament. There was no second chance for the Renegades. They had to win the first game and force a second to decide the championship. Newtown won the first game, 10-0, and prevailed 12-4 in the second game to capture the title. Highlights are as follows:

Renegades 10, New Milford 0: Facing New Milford’s top pitcher in the first game of the tourney, the Renegades grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning after Josh Taylor slammed triple and scored on a passed ball. In the bottom of the third inning, New Milford had the bases loaded with no outs when first baseman Connor Haywood snagged a line drive and stepped on first base for the double play. Starter Joey Rios then struck out New Milford’s cleanup hitter to end the threat.

With a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, Matt Bradbury led off with a walk. With two outs, Josh Taylor hit a single driving in Matt Bradbury. John Godino walked and Shaine Luzietti hammered a double, bringing in Taylor and Godino. The Renegades’ offense added another couple of runs in the fifth inning, and in the top of the sixth inning, Godino led off with a single. Tristan Andrew was inserted as a pinch runner and Luzietti drew a walk to put two base runners on for Tom Tavar who hit a hard ground ball to bring in another run. CJ Demers singled and Matt Bradbury doubled, tacking on another run. In the bottom of the sixth inning, outfielder Will Swift made a running grab.

Starter Joey Rios went four innings with four strike outs. Reliever Godino pitched two shutout innings to seal the victory and force the second – and deciding – game.

Renegades 12, New Milford 4: Fresh off their victory an hour earlier, the Newtown Renegades came out swinging in the final game. Starter Josh Taylor kept New Milford off the scoreboard for the first two innings. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Renegades’ lead off hitter Demers, who was on base throughout the game, led off with a single. Rios doubled, bringing Demers in and Taylor singled to drive in another run giving the Renegades an early 2-0 lead.

In the top of the third inning, the New Milford offense heated up, scoring three runs on two outs to take a 3-2 lead. The Renegades came back in the bottom of the inning with a lead off double by Rios getting things going. Connor Haywood followed with another double and scored on a single to center by Godino, giving the Renegades a 4-3 lead.

In the top of the fourth inning, New Milford scored to tie the game. Demers led off the bottom of the inning with a single, Rios was hit by a pitch, and Haywood walked. Taylor brought in a run with a sacrifice fly to right. Godino took first base after a catcher’s interference, loading the bases for Luzietti who hammered a ball to center field for a bases-clearing double, giving the Renegades an 8-4 lead. The Renegades held New Milford scoreless in the top of fifth inning. In the bottom of the inning, Tavar led off with a single that sparked a four-run rally to pad the lead.

After a lead off walk in the top of the sixth inning, Godino forced the New Milford batters to hit three straight ground balls for the final three outs of the game, securing the win and the state title.

The Renegades then moved on to compete in the Cal Ripken New England Regional Tournament and reached the semifinals before getting eliminated. Game highlights are as follows:

Dedham, Mass. 6, Renegades 3: In the first round of the tourney, Rios pitched four innings, holding Dedham to two runs while striking out five. Haywood slammed the lone extra base hit for the Renegades with a double in the fifth inning.

Renegades 14, Cranston, RI. 4: In the second round, all of the Renegades’ bats were swinging in this match-up. Rios and Haywood each went 3-for-4 with a double, while Josh Taylor went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. Matt Bradbury tripled and Shane Luzietti doubled, while John Godino went 2-for-2. Andrew knocked an RBI single, and Will Swift drove in the clinching run with a single in the bottom of the fifth inning. Taylor and Godino combined for a strong effort on the mound. They were backed by solid defense, highlighted by a 5-3-4 double play in the first inning. Third baseman Godino fielded a ground ball and threw to first baseman Haywood for the force. Haywood then threw to second baseman Dillon Robinson who tagged the runner out.

Renegades 13, Marlboro, Mass. 8: In the third round, the Renegades’ offense was punctuated by a series of extra base hits. Matt Bradbury went 3-for-4 with a triple. Rios went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple. Haywood went 2-for-2 with a double. Taylor tripled, and Dillon Robinson doubled. Rios, Taylor, and Godino combined on the mound for the win.

Renegades 11, South Plymouth, Mass. 4: In the fourth round of the Cal Ripken 9U New England regional tournament, the Newtown Renegades beat South Plymouth, Massachusetts, 11-4, Tuesday in Hebron. The Renegades’ offense was highlighted by a series of hard hits through and over the South Plymouth infield. Demers went 3-for-4. Rios went 2-for-3 with a double. Haywood went 3-for-3 with a double. Taylor went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple. Robinson and Tavar each stroked a single.

The Renegades’ defense was solid throughout the game, highlighted by right fielder CJ Giacin’s two grabs to end South Plymouth scoring threats and an outfield assist from Andrew who threw out a runner at second base. Rios, Godino, and Swift combined on the mound for the win.

The Renegades improved to 3-1 in tournament play. Newtown earned a date with Seacoast, NH in the fifth round of the double elimination tournament.

New Hampshire 10, Renegades 4: In the semifinal round of the regional tournament, the Newtown Renegades lost to Seacoast, NH, as strong pitching and solid defense held the Renegades to just six hits. Rios had two base hits, while Taylor, Godino, Robinson, and Swift each singled. Aggressive base running kept the Renegades’ infield working. Third baseman Luzietti snagged a pop fly in foul territory for an out in the second inning. Taylor, Swift, and Rios combined on the mound for the Renegades.