Coming off a state championship last spring, Newtown’s 10U Hawks baseball team took advantage of its chance to repeat on home turf. The Hawks defeated New Canaan in the winner-take-all game after New Canaan handed Newtown its first defeat in the double-elimination Cal Ripken State Tournament at the Glander Fields Complex on July 11.

“It’s been fun,” said Coach Chris Evans, adding that the championship was expected given last year’s run to the pinnacle. After breezing through the tourney and into the championship round an 8-3 setback to New Canaan, forcing a decisive game and rematch that same day did not concern Evans and company.

“They’re our main competitor — always. We knew it would be a fight,” Evans said.

New Canaan forced the second game behind its ace pitcher but Newtown had its top starter — Austin Luczak — ready to throw with everything on the line and Luczak shut down New Canaan through five innings as the Hawks built a commanding lead en route to a 5-3 win.

Evans is pleased with the way his team works hard in practice and competes day after day. The Hawks were dominant in the early-going in state play.

After an undefeated round of pool play, the Hawks began the state tournament against Easton/Redding in a revenge game from the Al Leonard tournament. Newtown got off to a lightning-fast start by batting through the order before making their first out on the way to plating nine runs in the first inning. Luczak and Filipe Costa pitched a combined two-hitter, and Newtown won 11-1 in a mercy-rule, five-inning no contest. Chris Fairbairn led the way on offense, going 2-for-3 with three runs batted in.

In the second game, Newtown took on Beth-Wood (Bethany and Woodbridge) with Jackson Christos starting on the mound. Christos pitched three innings, surrendering one earned run on two hits. Luczak and Costa had three RBI each, and Hudson Levy, Hudson Matta, and Braxton Kuzma each added two RBI. Chris Evans worked four walks and scored three runs. Newtown ultimately won 16-2 after four innings.

In the third game, Newtown faced their perennial arch-rival New Canaan, with ace Luczak matching up with the Rams’ ace. Luczak surrendered only two hits, but walks errors and hit batters resulted in a high pitch count and a 2-0 deficit. With a runner on third base and no outs in the top of the third inning, Jackson Christos came on in relief. On the first pitch, Luczak fielded a ground ball and threw a laser from short to home for the first out. The very next pitch resulted in a double play to end the inning and end the last real threat from the Rams as the Hawks tossed two pitches and got three outs. Christos went on to throw four innings of shutout ball, and the offense came alive to secure the win. Jacob Christos scored the first run on a close play at home, opening the offensive floodgates. Luczak and Costa had timely hits to drive in the decisive runs resulting in a 5-2 victory and a spot in the finals. Quinn Garvin scored the fifth and final run after hitting a double to deep center field that would have cleared the fence in almost any other park in the state, Newtown coaches noted.

After New Canaan defeated Brookfield to advance to the finals in the double elimination tournament, the stage was set. Newtown had to win one game, or New Canaan had to win two straight for the title. New Canaan took the first game 8-3 after some uncharacteristically sloppy defensive play by Newtown, though Hudson Matta and Mason Cote managed to stem the bleeding in relief to keep spirits high.

In the second game, Luczak returned to the mound to avenge his outing in the first tournament meeting between the teams. Luczak was absolutely dominant through five innings, surrendering one run on only two hits. Newtown started the scoring in the third inning when Owen Leighton hit a triple to right field. Braxton Kuzma followed with an RBI single and then later raced home on a wild pitch to put the Hawks ahead 2-0.

In the sixth inning, New Canaan trailed 5-1 after a fantastic outfield snag by Hudson Levy, and runs batted in by Chris Fairbairn and Luczak. However, New Canaan led off with two hits that chased Luczak from the mound. Jackson Christos came into the game in relief and gave up one hit and another hitter reached on an error resulting in two runs. Christos then limited the Rams to weak infield contact and secured the three outs to close the game and cement another championship.

The Hawks are not advancing to defend their New England regional title from last year, as they already accepted an at-large bid to the Cal Ripken World Series in Crown Point, Indiana. The team will be conducting many fundraising ventures to help with the cost of the trip to proudly represent Newtown on a national stage.

“We’re looking forward to it. We have a lot of support from the town — the fans, the parents, grandparents,” Coach Evans said.

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