Unbeatable … Newtown High Softball Team Perfect Through First Five Games

By Andy Hutchison

Members of the Newtown High School softball team could not have asked for a better start to the 2010 season. The Nighthawks carried a 5-0 record, which included a no-hit performance by Kate Bowen (see related story) into a weeklong break from game action.

Oh, and the weeklong break that went through this past Wednesday, that was spent in Florida for the team’s trip to Walt Disney World for some scrimmages, team bonding, and — of course — fun in the sun with Mickey Mouse.

As Coach Bob Guererra put it following a 15-3 win over Stratford on April 15, the day before the team flew south: “This are going well. All the kids are happy. … Right now the group is playing well, they’re singing. We leave for Florida tomorrow. Life is good in Newtown.”

The Newtown coach said this is the best start to a season the team has ever had. “It’s an awesome start,” he added.

Newtown blanked visiting Bunnell of Stratford 10-0 on April 14 as Bowen tossed a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts and got plenty of offensive support, including two runs batted in by each Monica Macchiarulo and Jessica Gibbons.

The Nighthawks then toppled Stratford, also at Treadwell Park, 15-3 in a game that was called in the bottom of the fifth because of the 12-run mercy rule.

Bowen, the day after her no-hitter, was the designated hitter and cracked a grand slam when she grounded a ball sharply through the infield and between Stratford’s right and center fielders. Ally Modzelewski had a bases-loaded triple to bring in three more runs. Rachel Ruiz and Nicki Elias each had three hits in the triumph.

“Everybody’s hitting the ball really well,” said Ruiz, whose Nighthawks produced 49 runs in their first handful of games. “I’m sure if we keep up what we’re doing we’re going to have a great season.”

“It feels good to go to Disney with five wins,” said pitcher Emma Herring, who got her first varsity start in the pitcher’s circle and struck out ten batters in just five innings against Stratford.

The Nighthawks, on Thursday, were hoping to pick up where they left off in their return on Thursday when they were slated to host Bethel (after The Bee went to press).

Newtown will visit Brookfield on Friday, April 23, and host Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport on Monday (3:45 at Treadwell).