NHS Softball Keeps Winning—

Nighthawks Stay Sharp After Walt Disney Trip

By Andy Hutchison

Newtown High School’s softball team picked up where it left off. The Nighthawks went to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., for a school vacation bonding and skill-building trip with a 5-0 record in hand. They came home a week and earned a 3-0 win over visiting Bethel on April 22 and a 5-0 blanking at Brookfield on April 23 to improve to 7-0.

The Nighthawks played small ball in the win over Bethel, using bunt singles to set up all three runs. In the third inning, Ally Modzelewski and Monica Macchiarulo both legged out bunt singles and Ashley Kuligowski later plated both base runners with a clean single to left for a 2-0 lead. The Nighthawks tacked on a run in the sixth. Kate Bowen singled into the outfield, Megan Gibbons had a bunt single and, one out later, Rachael Ruiz blooped one into right, which allowed Bowen to score, but resulted in an out on a force play at second. It was more than enough offense for Bowen, the team’s top pitcher, who struck out 13 batters in the win as the Nighthawks remained perfect.

Part of Newtown’s success can be attributed by the fast emergence of freshmen, including Macchiarulo, the team’s leadoff hitter, who boasts a 471 batting average, and Jessica Gibbons (348 average). Kuligowski is hitting 360, Megan Gibbons 320, Ruiz 417, Modzelewski 389, and Colleen Cunningham 429. Bowen leads the team with 12 runs batted in and has allowed only three earned runs in 42 innings.

“I’ve been on this team four years and we haven’t had a start like this,” Kuligowski said.

The Nighthawks kept their momentum going with a win over Brookfield right from the get-go. Macchiarulo was hit by a pitch leading off and, one out later, Bowen smacked her third homerun of the campaign.

It was still 2-0 in second inning when Bowen worked in and out of trouble. She escaped a bases loaded jam by inducing a pop out and soft line out, and getting a strikeout. The Nighthawks proceeded to pad their lead in the top of the third with three more runs. Bowen doubled, Gibbons singled, and Cunningham had an RBI single. The other two runs came across via a wild pitch and error.

Bowen picked up another complete game shutout, her third in row, by fanning ten batters and scattering seven hits.

“We’re off to an excellent start. We’re delighted with what has transpired at this point, but there’s a lot of work to be done and many difficult games ahead of us,” Assistant Coach Lin Hertberg said.

The Nighthawks were scheduled to play a split doubleheader on Thursday — at Notre Dame-Fairfield and home versus Holy Cross, one of those potentially tough games (after The Bee went to press). Also still on the schedule are games with Pomperaug of Southbury, New Fairfield, and Lauralton Hall.

The Nighthawks worked on improving their skills when they went to Florida. Newtown played six scrimmages in five days, taking on teams from New York and Maine.

“The Florida trip is always a great bonding thing for the young kids,” Newtown Head Coach Bob Guererra said.

Guererra added that teams can simulate gamelike situations in practice, but said scrimmages are really the best well to effectively develop and hone skills.

“There’s nothing like scrimmaging to either show your defects or expose your strengths,” Guererra said.

The coach said it was an opportunity for the coaches to reinforce fundamentals such as the importance of batters running hard on fly balls and fielders backing up bases. It was also an opportunity for the team to make mistakes without them being costly.

“Everyone got a chance to get hits and everyone got a chance to play in the field,” Ruiz said.

“And everyone got a chance to play positions they don’t normally play,” Natalie Dunn added.

In addition to the scrimmages, there was plenty of nonbaseball activity and a nice change of pace for the Nighthawks.

“It was fun. We did a lot as a team this year,” said Dunn, explaining that the team members worked together in a scavenger hunt, among other activities.

“At lot of bonding — a lot of team bonding,” Ruiz added.