Riding an amazing 10-game winning streak, the Newtown Reds captured the fall baseball championship last Sunday at Walnut Tree Field.

The Reds, comprised of 12- and 13-year-olds playing their first season on a 90-foot diamond, beat a gallant Newtown Royal Blue team, 8-2. The Royal Blue reached the championship game by upsetting Newtown Blue, 9-4, on Saturday.

The Reds jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead. Eric Terhaar, who walked and moved to third base on a wild pitch and a steal, was driven in by a groundout by Kyle Wilcox. Mike Scharfenberg and Michael Allwein singled before Ben Stoller was drilled on the arm with a fastball to load the bases. Ryan Daignault walked to score Scharfenberg.

Royal Blue came back with a run when Chad Magoulas ripped a single to score Andy Kelley, who had walked, stolen second and moved to third on an error. Reds shortstop John Hull made a spectacular play to end the inning, gloving a ball in the hole on the outfield grass and throwing a strike to beat a runner to first.

The Reds opened a big lead in the third inning, scoring five runs to take a 7-1 lead. Hull walked, and Terhaar singled, before Wilcox smashed an RBI single to score Hull. Terhaar scored on an error, and Scharfenberg drove Wilcox home with a single. Stoller knocked in Scharfenberg with an RBI grounder up the middle, and Allwein scored on an error.

Wilcox threw a shutout second inning.

In the next inning, relief pitcher Hull came in with the bases loaded and no outs, and didn’t let a runner score. He struck out the first batter and then a groundball was hit to third baseman John Lebinski, who stepped on third and threw home to catcher Allwein, who tagged out the runner for a double play.

Hull also got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth inning. He threw to home for a force out and then struck out the next batter looking.

Royal Blue scored one run in the fifth inning when Kaleb Rowe smacked a single to left center, scoring JP Blanco, who had singled. It was Rowe’s second single of the game. Blanco also pitched well in relief, limiting the Reds to one run and one hit over three innings.

Reds reliever John Lebinski shut out the opposition without a hit over the final two innings.

The Reds scored a final run in the sixth inning. Allwein singled and Stoller walked, but both were cut down on the bases by fine Royal Blue fielding plays, including a strike from center fielder Troy Larsen to third baseman Rob Andreotta. The Reds’ Ryan Daignault then singled, stole second, and advanced to third and home on wild pitches.

It was quite a season for the Reds, who started the year with a 2-3-1 record before finishing the season at 12-3-1.

U15

 

The Newtown Babe Ruth Fall Baseball U15 division closed out the 2007 season last weekend with a single-elimination tournament.

Newtown #1 came away with the tournament title with wins over Newtown #2 (5-3) on Saturday and Newtown #4 (3-1) on Sunday.

In the top of the seventh inning on Sunday, Herlof Sorensen blasted a two-out bases loaded bomb to deep center field that cleared the bases. Sorensen ended up with a stand-up double and what turned out to be the game winning hit.

Newtown #1 trailed 1-0 heading into the seventh and final inning. Rob Blanc and Michael Coates kept the game close with excellent pitching. After the Sorensen blast, Kyle Packer came in and closed the seventh.

Mark Agugliaro, Joey Maggio and Blanc scored the runs. Other team members contributing to the wins were Ryan Cassidy, Ryan Truchsess, Connor Blanc, Nick Wolf, Adam Morehouse and James Rebman.