The second-seeded Newtown High School baseball team came from behind for a 2-1 walk-off extra-inning victory over visiting and No. 15 Naugatuck in the Class LL state tournament’s second round, on May 30.

Pinch runner Brett Melchionno scored all the way from first on a bloop single to shallow left-center field off the bat of Luke Melillo in the bottom of the eighth inning. Melchionno was pinch running for Shane Demers, who had walked, and hustled home to push the Nighthawks into the Saturday, June 1 quarterfinals.

Newtown will host No. 10 Amity of Woodbridge at a time to be determined.

Trailing the Greyhounds 1-0 in the sixth, the Nighthawks tied the score when Melillo worked a bases-loaded walk.

Sammy Smith led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to left center, Todd Petersen walked on five pitches, and pitcher Josh Taylor helped his own cause by putting down a perfect bunt, up the third baseline, for single to load the bases.

Newtown failed to take the lead on a squeeze play, but Taylor and the Nighthawk defense kept the Greyhounds at one run.

Newtown catcher Matt Bradbury picked off two base runners, including one off second, prior to a Naugatuck double, saving a run.

Petersen made a diving grab of a line drive, with a runner on, in the top of the eighth. Left fielder Harry Lucas charged in and made a sliding catch to end the top of the eighth.