By Steve Bigham

A year ago, the Newtown High School girls’ softball team started the season 0-7 before rallying to win seven of its last 13 games to finish 7-12 overall. Its late-season turnaround included a four-game winning streak to close out the season with a 7-7 ledger in the South-West Conference.

Second-year coach Paul LaFrancesca is hoping the win streak will carry over to the 2000 season which begins Friday afternoon at Brookfield in a non-league matchup. A strong jump out of the gates could make all the difference.

“We averaged three to four errors a game to start the season last year. Our nemesis was one bad inning every game,” Francesca said earlier this week. “If we play sound defense, our pitching is as good as anybody in our league. Players just need to relax and do what comes natural at the plate. Last year, players were happy to be there. Now I need them to be hungry. I want them to turn the happy into hungry. If we do that, we can win 12-15 games.”

Once again, this youthful NHS softball team will be built around the pitching of senior Cathy Byrne, who will attempt to break her sister’s all-time school strikeout record of 599. Byrne, who has compiled 394 K’s for her career, will need to strikeout out 205 batters this year in order to do it.

“Cathy is one of the toughest competitors you’re ever going to meet. She’s a great motivator and leader of the girls. Her teammates love this girl. She gets tons of support and she gives it back to them,” LaFrancesca said.

Byrne was dominant on the mound last year, finishing the season with a 1.91 earned run average. However, untimely errors often spoiled her solid performances a year ago.

Sophomore Jody Minalgo, Byrne’s battery mate from a year ago, is out indefinitely with a fractured bone in her back. The coach expects to see her back in uniform before the end of the season.

“She was going to be our cleanup hitter,” LaFrancesca said. “She was our best offensive player a year ago.”

That hurts especially when you consider the Nighthawks only hit .257 as a team in `99.

Without Minalgo’s pop, LaFrancesca will turn to junior shortstop Kate Bouteiller, who will bat third after hitting at a .344 clip a year ago.

“She’s our most consistent bat. We’re now looking for her to drive in some runs,” the coach said. “Last year was her first year at shortstop. She had a rough start but came on strong, committing only one error in the last eight games.”

Byrne will bat cleanup after hitting .393 and knocking in 16 runs a year ago.

The head coach is still looking to finalize his leadoff situation and senior second baseman Lauren McCusker, a returning starter, who has shown vast improvement, is the leading candidate. She’ll be counted on to set the table for the Boutellier/Byrne bats. McCusker may also see some time at third base.

The leading candidate to bat second is sophomore Heather Morgan, who will fill in at catcher in the absence of Minalgo. Morgan is one of several hitters who will be counted on to replace the production of Amanda Morici, who graduated last June after hitting .419 and driving in a team high 19 runs.

Batting fifth will be sophomore first baseman Kristin Caposella. As a frosh, Caposella got injured and never got the chance to finish the season. Also the team’s backup pitcher, Caposella is very talented and confident and can play anywhere.

“She’s got maybe the most power on the team. She’s one of those big bangers that can hit into gap,” LaFrancesca said. “She’s a huge X factor for us this year.”

Junior Amanda Marsillio, last year’s first baseman, is still recovering from a knee injury suffered during basketball season. The Nighthawks also lost Emily Hutchison and Thyra Wilson to graduation.

Senior left fielder Kristen Bandura returns after a tough year at plate last year. Bandura started the season as Newtown’s cleanup hitter, but ran into some misfortune in the batter’s box. A very good outfielder, Bandura is looking to have a breakout season.

Batting seventh will be sophomore center fielder Jessica Omasta, who batted a solid .265 as a freshman. LaFrancesca reports her bat looks great in the preseason and she is expected to have a bust out year.

Senior right fielder Andrea Rustine will bat eighth and is capable of hitting the ball with as much power as anyone on the team. She is now working on her consistency. She has a strong arm and the coach expects a big year from her.

Sophomore third baseman Lauren Blomberg will round out the lineup. Blomberg is another player that could really make some noise this spring after putting in a lot of time in the off season.

“Her game is showing the merits of that hard work. She’s got a good with glove and she handles the bat real well,” LaFrancesca said.

Rounding out the team is sophomore Ashley Christopher, who will see action at both second base and in the outfield. The much-improved lefty slap hitter will see time this year as a utility player. Sophomore Jaime Lindquist made the team after switching over from track and field.

“She’s obviously adding speed to our team. She will see action in outfield and could be late-inning defensive replacement. She could pressure the starters,” LaFrancesca said.

Another sophomore is Lindsey Blomberg, a late addition to the team after showing promise on the junior varsity squad.

Junior Ashleigh Smarrella will see action at first base and in the outfield. She is a little raw, according to her coach. She started playing later than most, but she’s got some talent that can definitely be developed, LaFrancesca said.

Two freshmen - Brittany Hutchison and Nicole Mangarella - will also see time on the varsity squad. Hutchison will see action at shortstop and in the outfield, while Mangarella will fill in at second and in the outfield.

DATE      OPPONENT      H/A

April 7         Brookfield                   A

April 8         Pomperaug                  H

April 10       Brookfield                   H

April 13       Staples                        A

April 17       Stratford                     A

April 18       Pomperaug                  A

April 22       Bunnell                       A

April 24       New Fairfield               H

April 26       New Milford                 A

April 28       Jonathan Law              H

May 2          Masuk                         H

May 3          Notre Dame                 A

May 5          Immaculate                  A

May 8          Bethel                         H

May 10        Joel Barlow                  A

May 13        MADD Tourney      TBA

May 15        Foran                          A

May 17        Weston                       H

May 18        Kolbe                          H

May 22        SWC quarter-finals

May 23     SWC semi-finals

May 25     SWC finals