When the baseball game ended the scoreboard told the story: 13-0. Another lopsided outing; this one two days after an 11-1 blowout. What to do? Newtown High School Coach Matt Memoli decided having his team members run laps around the field against set times as he clocked them with a stopwatch was in order.

This wasn’t punishment for losses. Oh, no. In fact, Newtown was on the winning end of both of those one-sided games — the 11-run outburst at Weston on April 29, followed by the baker’s dozen eruption in a triumph over visiting Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport on May 1. Newtown, with the drubbing of Kolbe, won its sixth consecutive game to improve to 8-3 overall.

So why the laps?

“The better these kids are showing they are, the more we’re going to ask of them,” Memoli said. “We’ve got to keep pushing them so they don’t get complacent.”

Memoli’s logic is this: The little things such as running out a pop fly (maybe the batter will reach if the ball gets dropped), running the bases alertly, being in position, and staying focused, will make a difference in close games — potentially in the postseason when a lot is on the line and one miscue can mean the end of the season.

“It’s just part of baseball,” senior Michael Parker said. “You’ve got to be mentally tough in the big games to throw the right pitch or get the big hit. He’s not doing it to punish us.”

“You’ve got to believe in it,” senior David Matthews added. “It gets us better every day. Doing the little things right is what matters.”

Although Weston and Kolbe are two of the struggling lineups, the South-West Conference has a lot of parity, Memoli notes. “I feel like what makes a difference at this point is who’s mentally tough,” he added.

The Nighthawks maintained their winning ways with a 19-3 shellacking of visiting Joel Barlow of Redding, an eight-win squad, on May 5. Newtown has also beaten perennially tough squads Pomperaug of Southbury, Masuk of Monroe, and Bunnell of Stratford.

“When we’re able to beat these teams I have to keep pushing these guys more, and more, and more,” Memoli said.

The idea of pushing the players after some of their games, asking them to meet time standards despite how fatigued they are getting, will help with their mental toughness, the coach believes. It’s also a way to keep team members accountable; Memoli says he has no problems with physical errors, but wants to keep his players sharp mentally; he doesn’t like to see even a hint of loss of focus and effort during games.

“If we keep continuing doing everything right at practice, taking care of the small things, then the bigger things will take care of themselves,” said the coach, alluding to his squad having success in the SWC and state playoffs later this spring.

Memoli has been thrilled with the work ethic his players have displayed all in all thus far. “I’m definitely pleased. These guys come out and they work their butts off,” he said.

Against Kolbe, Newtown pitcher Alex Klang went the distance, allowing only three hits and striking out five batters in his seven innings of work. Matthews tripled, doubled, and drove in three runs; Charlie Huegi doubled and drove in three; and Sam Czel knocked in a pair.

In the win at Weston, Matthews led the offensive attack with a home run as part of his 3-for-4 day at the plate. Matthews drove in six runs and scored a pair in the triumph. Huegi had two doubles, a run batted in, and three runs scored. Jake Oliger had a double, RBI, and two runs scored. Julian Dunn contributed two singles, an RBI, and came across home plate with a run. Parker, Czel, and Jaret DeVellis each had a hit and run scored. Mason Melillo drove in a run, and Jack Procaccini added a hit.

Newtown has put together double-digit run performances four times this spring. “It’s great to see the bats come alive — it’s a big team effort,” Matthews said.

Meanwhile, the pitching held the opposition to two or fewer runs in five consecutive games culminating with the shutout of Kolbe.

On the mound against Weston, Jason Hebner tossed five strong innings, scattering five hits and didn’t allow a run; he had a pair of strikeouts and no walks. Luke Rustici threw two innings, allowing a run on four hits. Rustici fanned one batter and did not issue any walks.

 “We’re just clicking right now. Hopefully we can continue it into next week,” Parker said following the win over Kolbe.

Newtown came into the week scheduled to play three games in four days against SWC foes Joel Barlow, Stratford, and Bethel. The Hawks got off to a great start with that victory over Barlow which was highlighted by a 12-run sixth inning. Pitcher Austin Kasbarian was the beneficiary of all of this offense; he allowed three runs on six hits and struck out seven batters.

Parker, Dunn, and Huegi all drove in three runs. Parker had a triple, and Dunn and Huegi both contributed two hits. Czel was 3-for-4, including a double, with a pair of runs batted in. Matthews had a double as part of a three-hit performance, drove in a run, and scored twice DeVellis had a double, RBI, and three runs scored Dylan Tyrrell drove in a run and scored two. Melillo had two hits, an RBI, and a run scored.