By Kim J. Harmon

KEENE, New Hampshire – It was the defining moment of the season.

Down 10-0 to Burlington, Massachusetts, after the first two innings, no one could have blamed the Newtown 11-year-old All Stars for thinking that this was going to be another disastrous trip to the Cal Ripken New England Regional Tournament.

The thoughts had to have been there.

“I give these kids a lot of credit,” said coach Keith Suhoza, who guided the 11s to championships at the District and State levels. “We could have broken down right there, but they refocussed and started playing their kind of baseball.”

As Steve Marks and Mike Tibbetts shut Burlington down for the rest of the game, it gave Newtown a chance to recover and despite ultimately losing that first game, 11-1, the 11s won their next two games and – after getting eliminated, 6-5, by Keene – finished fourth in New England.

“We’re very proud of that,” said coach Suhoza.

Newtown played brilliant defensive baseball a couple weeks ago in capturing the Cal Ripken state championship, but in the first two innings of the New England Regionals had a very unlikely breakdown. The 11s spotted Burlington a whopping seven runs in the first inning and then three more in the second to fall into a 10-0 hole.

“After that,” said coach Suhoza, “it was our kind of game.”

Marks and Tibbetts allowed just one run over the next four innings, but the Newtown offense could just muster one run of its own – on a Scott Suhoza single that scored Tibbetts.

Last year, as 10 years old, Newtown was out of the New England Regionals in two quick games. But another year older and lot more stubborn, the locals were not about to go through that again and stayed alive with a 3-0 win over Winchester, Massachusetts.

Defense in this game was flawless – even spectacular. Brian Shimko made two running catches in rightfield in the first inning to set the tone. With plays like that and pitching like the kind provided by Marks and Ryan McGrath, it’s no wonder that Winchester’s only threat came in the third inning when a runner made it as far as third base.

Newtown did all of its damage in the fourth inning. Marks blasted a home run to put Newtown ahead 1-0. Kevin Cahalane walked, then stole second and third. Tibbetts followed by smacking an infield grounder and – on an errant play at the plate that allowed Cahalane to score – reached second. Tibbetts stole third base and scored on a sacrifice fly by Aron Fay.

“It’s amazing,” said coach Suhoza. “At 11 years old, they are so mature on the field.”

So, Newtown lived to fight another day. But they were hardly through. The 11s kept their dream alive with a 3-1 win over Londonderry, New Hampshire – a win fueled by great defense as well as a towering home run by McGrath.

In the first inning of this game, Suhoza, Joe DeVellis and McGrath all singled to load the bases, but Newtown was unable to score.

In the second inning, however, the 11s got on the board. Brian Cullinan walked, but was erased on a fielder’s choice grounder off the bat of Tibbetts. Tibbetts later stole second and scored on a hit by Joe Bowen. Bowen reached second on the throw home and then stole third, scoring on a squeeze bunt by Suhoza.

Newtown led 2-0 after the inning and McGrath made it 3-0 in the third with his first home run.

Londonderry’s only run came in the fifth inning on a walk and a pair of hits. But it was all it could come up with against a strong pitching tandem of Marks, McGrath and Tibbetts. Through the first three innings, Marks and McGrath only allowed two baserunners.

Defensively, Cahalane made the play of the game at third. He managed to knock down a bullet, then recovered enough to get the ball and make the throw to first for the out.

Newtown’s time in the New England Regionals lasted just one more game, however, as the 11s were eliminated, 6-5, by Keene, New Hampshire. Despite three titanic home runs by Keene, the 11s were right there at the end still fighting for a trip to the finals.

Three different Keene players blasted home runs – on a changeup, fastball and curveball, respectively – to defeat Newtown.

“I have never seen power like this,” said coach Suhoza. “It was an incredible display of power.”

Newtown actually took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first in this game. Suhoza and DeVellis both had hits and even though Suhoza was later cut down at home, DeVellis scored on a McGrath single and McGrath scored on a Shimko single.

Keene scored one run in the bottom of the first and then took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer.

In the top of the fourth, Marks singled and then went to third on a Shimko single. Tucker Kass followed with a fielder’s choice grounder that erased Shimko, but scored Marks with the tying run. But in the bottom of the frame, Keene took the lead back, 4-3, on a 300-foot solo home run.

A two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth put Keene ahead, 6-3.

Undaunted by the display of power, Newtown very nearly pulled off the comeback in the top of the sixth inning. Marks and Shimko singled to put two runners on and then Brian Conroy singled home Marks with Newtown’s fourth run. Later, a fielder’s choice scored Shimko and a walk loaded the bases.

But with Newtown just one run away from tying the game, Keene came up with some nice defensive plays to close the door.

“We had every opportunity to win this game,” said coach Suhoza, “but it just wasn’t meant to be. We were aggressive, we dared them to make the plays – and they made them. But it was a nice experience for the kids. Every kid got to play and every kid made a contribution.”

Now it’s a matter of resting up over the fall and winter – and then trying to do it all over again as 12 year olds.

Tournament Notes

As part of the opening ceremonies, there were fielding, bunting, hitting and baserunning competitions.

In the fielding event, each player had to catch five towering pop ups and then make the throw to home. Joe Bowen was the individual winner and Newtown (Bowen, Shimko, Kass and Tibbetts) was also the team winner.

In the bunting event, Fay finished second in the individual category while Newtown (Fay, Suhoza and Sean Ryan) finished second as a team.

The 11s took third in the baserunning and fourth in the hitting events.