Baseball Team Doubles Up Warde, Edged By Bethel
Newtown High School's baseball team visited Fairfield Warde on April 6 came away with a 6-3 triumph.
The NIghthawks jumped out to a 3-0 in the first inning. After Warde climbed to within a run, Newtown put up another three-spot in the fifth.
Ben Harrison had two hits, including a triple, and drove in two runs, and Eugene Citrano had two singles and a run batted in. Todd Petersen had two singles, and Josh Taylor had a double and single - both scored two runs. Harry Eppers had a single. Taylor swiped two bases, and Petersen and Citrano also had steals.
Shea Talbot went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs, two of which were earned; he struck out five and walked four. Taylor went an inning and two thirds of shutout, two-hit ball.
Newtown visited Bethel on April 9, for the first of four nonconference games against South-West Conference foes the Hawks will see again in games that count in the SWC standings later this spring. Newtown again scored a half-dozen runs, but this time it wasn't enough in a 7-6 setback to the Wildcats, the team Newtown defeated in last spring's conference championship game.
The Nighthawks jumped out to a 4-0 first-inning lead, only to see the Wildcats answer with a five-spot in the bottom half of the frame. Bethel took a 6-4 lead in the third. Newtown scored runs in the fifth and seventh before the Wildcats walked off with the victory in the bottom of the seventh.
Luke Melillo had a single and two RBI, Rob Murray had two hits and an RBI, and Citrano knocked in a run. Eppers doubled, and Petersen had a hit and two runs scored. Two Bethel errors helped Newtown score a trio of unearned runs. Eric Casagrande, Harrison, Melillo, and Petersen all had stolen bases. Sam Smith gave Newtown 2.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief.
The Hawks carried a 2-2 record into a Wednesday, April 11ÃÂ visit from New FairfieldÃÂ at 4:15 pm. Newtown will visit Masuk of Monroe on Friday, April 13; first pitch is set for 4:30 pm.