By Steve Bigham

Heather Morgan gunned down two runners, Cathy Byrne moved up the strikeout ladder, and Lindsey “Nails” Blomberg ran all the way home Tuesday afternoon at Treadwell Park as the Nighthawks edged Masuk, 1-0.

Kate Bouteiller ripped the game-winning hit in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring the streaking Blomberg from second base for the only run of the game. The win raised Newtown’s record to 3-4 in the South-West Conference and 5-5 overall.

The stymied Panthers fell to 7-4 in the SWC, 8-5 overall.

Blomberg, a sophomore, is aptly named “Nails” due to her Lenny Dykstra-like, tough-as-nails attitude. On the Bouteiller hit, Blomberg raced around third base and never looked back, barely beating the throw to the plate. It was a risky move, but one that Coach Paul LaFrancesca loves to see, especially with the 2000 Nighthawks, a team that needs to scratch and claw for every run it gets.

Blomberg is a reserve player who has emerged as a valuable asset as both a pinch runner and utility fielder.

“Her role is clear. She is definitely a spark plug,” her coach said Tuesday. “She didn’t make the varsity at her first tryout, but she fought hard to get on the team. She makes things happen.”

Tuesday’s game also saw a fine performance from catcher Heather Morgan, who threw out two would-be base runners and had thrown out four in a row entering Wednesday’s game at Notre Dame in Fairfield. Morgan has been more than an adequate replacement for starting catcher Jody Minalgo, who has been out all season with a back injury.

“She’s got one of the quickest releases in the league,” said LaFrancesca of Morgan.

Of course, the win over Masuk probably would not have been possible without another huge performance from pitcher Cathy Byrne, who tossed a one hitter and struck out 14 Masuk batters. One of those strikeouts (in the first inning) put her second on the NHS all-time strikeout list, passing 1984 graduate Kim DeCarlo, who finished her career with 511. Still ahead of Cathy is her sister, Samantha, who is due home from college next week. No doubt, Sam will be on hand to watch as her sister gives chase to her record of 599. Cathy had 523 whiffs heading into Wednesday’s game.

Bouteiller finished with two hits for Newtown, while Lauren McCusker collected one.

With Notre Dame, Bunnell and Immaculate also on this week’s schedule, LaFrancesca considered this week to be a pivotal one for his club. “This is the week we can turn it all around and be right in the thick of things,” he said.

At the midway point, LaFrancesca believes Newtown’s fate now lies in front of it. Three frustrating losses are history.

“We gave away the New Milford game and there were two one-run games we didn’t pull out,” the second-year coach said. “My mind goes back to those games, but we’ve just got to focus on each game as it comes the rest of the season. The team can accomplish anything it wants. I really believe this.”

On Saturday, Newtown defeated Stratford 5-0 on the road as Byrne struck out 15 batters (including her 500th all-time) and walked none, while Morgan threw out Stratford’s only two base runners in their futile attempts to reach second.

Newtown scored all the runs it needed in the fourth inning when Bouteiller and Caposella both singled and were driven home on Kristen Bandura’s double.

The Nighthawks scored another run in the fifth inning when Andrea Rustine singled, then, thanks to some nifty base running, made her way around to score. Newtown tacked on two more runs in the seventh on a McCusker walk, a Byrne triple and a Caposella single – her second hit of the day. Bouteiller also had two hits for the locals.

McCusker made an outstanding lunging one-handed stab at second base to rob Dianna Essig of a hit to end the fourth inning.

On Friday, Newtown dropped a 3-1 decision at home to Jonathan Law, despite out hitting the visitors, 5-3, and despite 14 strikeouts from Byrne. Newtown rallied in the final inning, but ended the game with the tying run on first base. Jessica Omasta led off the inning with a slow roller down the first base line that was booted by Stratford’s first baseman. Lauren Blomberg walked. Lindsey Blomberg then hit a fielder’s choice before Morgan’s single to short drove in Newtown’s only run of the game. With runners at the corners, the last two NHS batters both grounded out. Morgan, McCusker, Byrne, Jessica Omasta and Ashleigh Smarrella all collected hits for Newtown.

Newtown dropped a tough decision at New Milford last Friday, 5-3, after committing five errors during the Green Wave’s four-run sixth inning. Newtown led 2-0 and Byrne was working on a nine strike out, two-hit game when the team fell apart.

Byrne collected three hits in the loss, while Ashley Christopher and Caposella each had two.