UPDATE: Saturday's SWC quarterfinal at Newtown will be played at noon versus an opponent to be determined.

Newtown High School’s softball team has piled up its share of victories this spring but the Nighthawks also are aiming to earn some redemption in possible rematches with South-West Conference rivals in the postseason.

Newtown is slated to host a quarterfinal-round South-West Conference Tournament game on Saturday, May 18 (at noon against an opponent to be announced); Coach Megan Goyda said the Nighthawks are the No. 3 seed.

The Nighthawks entered into the middle of the week with regular-season games winding down behind only top seed Masuk of Monroe and Brookfield.

“I think we’re in a really good spot,” Goyda said. “I think we’re trending up both mentally and physically. I think we have a lot to prove — still some redemption games if we get there.”

Goyda is referring to possible rematches with Masuk and Brookfield, even a New Milford squad the Hawks defeated despite not playing their “A” game, should NHS and some of these foes advance and match up in the tourney.

Newtown continued its trend of winning big or being involved in nail-biters to close out the final week of the regular slate.

The Hawks played their second nail-biting, pitching-dominated contest with nonconference foe Shepaug Valley this season (the first meeting was a 1-0 setback on the road back in early April). Newtown again fell just short as bunts and some fielding troubles again came into play in a 2-0 Hawk loss.

Newtown pitcher Addy Cordova and counterpart Amelia Jacob (University of South Florida commit) were locked in a scoreless pitching duel into the fourth inning until two Spartan bunts, one with two outs, led to the first run of the game. The Spartans added another run on a clean single and couple of bunts and fielder’s choice. Cordova allowed only three hits and one of the two runs was unearned; she walked one and struck out seven. Jacob, meanwhile, allowed just three hits and fanned 17 batters, all but four outs recorded via the strikeout.

“She’s one of the best pitchers in the state, hands down,” Goyda said.

Which is why the Hawks scheduled not one but two contests against the Spartans with hopes of getting accustomed to facing strong pitching before the postseason where the teams with top throwers tend to be the ones that advance deep into the conference and state brackets.

Gilly Boughan doubled and Julia Berry and Olivia Doersch singled for the Hawks. This was the seventh Newtown game decided by one or two runs this spring. A couple of fielding errors and fielder’s choice cost the Hawks but credit Shepaug Valley for putting pressure on the NHS players by putting the ball into play.

Newtown scored in double digits for the seventh time in a 16-0 win over Weston, also at Treadwell, on May 13. Lila Accousti, Maddie Thoesen, and Berry all homered; Berry and Caitlin Milks hit triples; and Bri Pellicone and Berry doubled. Berry had three hits and five runs batted in and Accousti had three hits and three RBI. Cordova and Rheya Litke combined on a three-hitter with nine strikeouts.

Then came another double-digit triumph with a regular season-ending 10-0 victory at Bunnell of Stratford on May 14. Gabby Ansman homered, doubled, and drove in two runs; Thoesen had a pair of doubles and scored twice; and Valeria Gutierrez doubled and knocked in two runs. Berry, Accousti, Cordova, Sophia Caruso, and Rachael Casagrande all drove in runs. Thoesen pitched and allowed just three hits and two walks while compiling 13 strikeouts.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.