Newtown High School's softball team, when it has come out on top of late, has done so in emphatic fashion, scoring in double digits in each of their last six victories. The Nighthawks also continue to struggle against their tougher opponents, and headed into their final three regular-season games with a record of 9-8 overall and 6-4 in South-West Conference play.

In the first game of a two-opponent doubleheader at Treadwell Park on May 4, the Nighthawks blanked Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport 12-0 in a game shortened to four and a half innings due to the 12-run differential mercy rule. Freshman pitcher Shanna Adam had her first varsity experience and made it a good one by allowing just one hit and striking out six in her five innings of work.

The Nighthawks scored nine runs in the opening inning. Leadoff hitter Mackenzie Macchiarulo had two doubles in the opening frame and finished the game with three hits, a run batted in, and three runs scored. Tess Mubarek had three singles and three runs scored; Kamdynn Moronoy blasted a two-run home run, belted a two-run double, singled, finished with four RBI, and scored twice; Megan Goyda had two singles, a triple, and two RBI; Shannon Cheh had two singles and a run batted in; and Erin Burns added a two-run single.

Kolbe has won only once this spring, but the players certainly proved team members can have a good time regardless of an outcome. The Kolbe players cheered during the postgame huddle in the outfield and a couple players did cartwheels, leading to Newtown team members doing the same. A quasi dance-off of sorts ensued, and players from both teams gathered to exchange phone numbers and pose for a group photo at home plate.

With the win, which followed a 16-0 blanking of host Weston the day before, the Hawks clinched a state playoff berth.

Against Weston, Macchiarulo, Moroney, Cheh, Kaysie Fisher, Emily Bell, and Jackie Moccio all had multi-hit games and factored into the offensive outburst. Moroney drove in four runs, Goyda and Cheh each knocked in three, and Fisher and Kayla O'Grady both drove in two.

The Hawks defeated Stratford 23-0 at Treadwell Park on May 10.

Newtown's two most recent losses were a 10-1 setback to FCIAC team Ridgefield in the second half of the split doubleheader and an 11-0 loss to host Pomperaug of Southbury, which is unbeaten in SWC play, on May 8.