Nice Encore … Blackhawks’ Baseball Team Wins District Title Again

The Newtown Blackhawks’ U11 travel baseball team successfully defended their District 5 title with a victory in Oxford this past week. Newtown has won all 3 tournaments it has entered this season (11-1 record).

The district tournament summary is as follows:

Newtown 16, Middlebury 1 (4 innings): The Blackhawks wasted little time, picking up where they left off in last season’s tournament, as they scored 11 first inning runs and cruised to victory. The inning featured 16 batters, 8 hits, 4 walks and a sacrifice fly. Jaret DeVellis, Michael Parker, and Dave Matthews all scored twice in the inning. Alex Klang and Connor Miller had RBI doubles in the three-run third and Matt Maturo singled in two in the fourth. DeVellis and Michael Doyle each had 3 hits. DeVellis scored 3 times, and Maturo knocked in 3. On the mound, Parker, Zach Aumueller (2 innings) and Luke Rustici limited Middlebury to 5 hits and one walk.

Newtown 15, Southbury 5 (4 innings): Newtown played long ball by hitting a team-record 4 home runs to overpower Southbury. However, it was a defensive play in the top of the first that sparked the Blackhawks. With two outs, a run in, and a man on first, Southbury doubled to the fence in center. A perfect relay from DeVellis to Doyle allowed catcher Tim Krapf to apply a quick tag as the runner and ball both arrived together at home. In the bottom half, DeVellis led off with his first career home run over the centerfield fence. Doyle added an RBI single. In the second, Parker crushed a 3-run homer to dead right. In the third, Griffin Davis hit a sole shot to left, and Matthews doubled in 2 runs. In the 6-run fourth, Jack Proccaccini had a sacrifice fly to score Klang, and Aumueller scored on a wild pitch ahead of Matthews’ game-ending 3-run homer to left center. DeVellis was 4-for-4 with 4 runs scored, Parker 3-for-3 with 4 runs scored, and Matthews 3-for-3 with 5 RBI. Matthews pitched 3 innings to pick up the win.

Newtown 16, Oxford 5 (4 innings): For the second time in 3 games, Newtown erupted for a big first inning. This time, the Hawks sent 11 batters to the plate and scored 8 times. Runners consistently looked to take an extra base, which put the pressure on the Oxford defense. Parker had a 2-run single, Davis an RBI single, and Krapf a long sacrifice fly. The Blackhawks added 3 in the third on a double by DeVellis and a rocket off the bat of Matthews that sailed far over the right field fence. In the 5-run fourth inning, Miller singled and scored, and Rustici and Proccaccini added RBI singles. Rustici was 3-for-3 and scored 3 times, while Proccaccini was 2-for-2 and also scored 3 times. Matthews, Parker, Krapf, Proccaccini and DeVellis all knocked in 2 runs. Parker (2 innings), Aumueller and Rustici supplied the pitching, with Rustici striking out the side to end the game.

Newtown 11, Oxford 1 (Championship - 4 innings): The Blackhawks erased an early 1-run deficit with 4 in the bottom half of the first en route to winning the district championship. DeVellis led off with a double and was driven in by Parker. Matthews, Krapf and Maturo then went back-to-back-to-back for 3 solo home runs. DeVellis led off the second with a homerun to center. Newtown put the game away with a 6-run fourth. Matthews doubled in 2 and Rustici ended the game with a 2-run single to right. For the game, DeVellis was 3-for-3 with 3 runs scored. Krapf and Matthews had 3 RBI apiece. Matthews went the distance, allowing 1 run on 2 hits and striking out 5. Shortstop Proccaccini made a leaping catch in shallow left field to save a run in the first, and second baseman Doyle made a fantastic diving grab of a line drive in the fourth.

Overall Tourney Stats: For the tournament, Newtown scored in 13 of the 16 innings played and had a team batting average of .529. DeVellis delivered 12 hits (3 doubles, 2 homers) en route to batting a superlative .800. He also scored 12 times. Doyle batted .778 (7 hits), Proccaccini .714 and Parker .600. Matthews (3 homers) and Parker each scored 8 times with Proccaccini crossing the plate 6 times and Klang (on base percentage of 1.000) 5. Matthews drove in 10, Parker 7, and Krapf and DeVellis 6 apiece. On the mound, Parker picked up 2 wins, as did Matthews. Neither Rustici nor Aumueller gave up an earned run.

Newtown’s next stop will be in West Norwalk on July 25 for the start of the State Playoffs. The team is coached by Mike Maturo, Tim Doyle, and Jim Parker.