Jason Hebner picked up where Kyle Roche left off. Hebner pitched Newtown High School's baseball team in the South-West Conference tournament championship game with a complete-game effort as the Nighthawks blanked Weston 5-0 in the semifinals at neutral site Bethel, on May 23. Roche threw a complete game in Newtown's 3-1 win over Masuk of Monroe in the quarterfinals on May 20.

Newtown, the seventh seed in the tourney, will play in the Wednesday, May 24 championship game against Bethel at a site to be determined. The game is expected to begin at 7 pm at either Bethel High or in Stratford.

Hebner had a no-hitter through four innings and finished with a three-hit performance. The left-hander issued three walks and struck out 11, including three in the sixth inning when Hebner worked around a one-out error, walk, and single to load the bases.

"He's a big-game pitcher. He's an ace and he's come up big all season. When we've needed him to come up big he's come up big," Newtown Coach Ian Thoesen said.

Newtown may be the seventh seed, but the Hawks have proven to be dangerous led by solid starting pitching.

"We've had some struggles this season and we're really turning it on in the playoffs," Hebner said. "There's a healthy competition between the pitchers."

The Hawks led just 2-0 when Hebner wiggled out of that bases-packed jam.

"That's when you've got to empty the tank a little bit and bear down and do what you need to do," Hebner said.

Todd Petersen singled, stole a base, and scored on Robert Lombardo's single to break the scoreless tie in the third inning. An error led to another run in the frame. Newtown padded its lead in the seventh, highlighted by a safety squeeze bunt play with Will Huegi putting the ball into play and pinch runner Harry Lucas beating a throw to home plate, and a two-run single off the bat of Hebner. Rob Murray had walked, and Petersen hit a bloop single down the right field line to set the table.