How do you carry a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning only to lose that same game 1-0?

Seems impossible, right? Well — it happened.

Newtown High School’s baseball team led host Masuk of Monroe 1-0 in a May 8 game when lighting halted play. Newtown was only three outs away from this being an official game when it was stopped and, because it was not official, had to be made up from the start.

Wipe the slate clean and fast forward to May 13 and the teams again engaged in a pitcher’s duel. This time the full seven innings were played and Masuk came out on top 1-0.

Wes Keayes was pitching a shutout and Newtown scratched out a third-inning run when Travis Rekos singled, Collin Gevry sacrifice bunted to advance the runner, Jonathan Moseman singled to put runners on the corners, and Kieran Garrity hit a sacrifice fly when the teams met on May 8.

After the lightning (and subsequent rain) washed that all away the restart featured Garrity on the hill. The lefthander was victimized only by an unearned run in the fifth inning. A hit by pitch that grazed the batter, stolen base and overthrow to second on the steal, followed by a sacrifice bunt plated the lone run.

Garrity allowed just one hit and struck out six batters in five frames. Jacob Bulkley went two innings, also allowing one hit, and working out of a second and third jam in the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, the Panthers worked around a one-out walk by Jamie Piccuillo and single by Keayes to hang on.

“It is what it is,” Newtown Coach Ian Thoesen said of these bizarre circumstances and, for Newtown, the unfortunate outcome. “We played well. Wes had his ‘A’ game. It’s just unfortunate but those are the rules.”

“We got lucky with the weather,” acknowledged Masuk Coach Brian Hourigan, noting that it was a big win for his team given how tough Newtown is. Hourigan noted that Newtown’s 6-10 overall record is a deceptive one given the team played some tough out-of-conference games early in the spring.

Newtown bounced back from a 4-1 loss to New Milford on May 7 and a 9-1 setback to Brookfield on May 10 with a 12-5 win over Notre Dame Prep on Senior Day, May 12. The Nighthawks jumped out to a 4-0 lead after one inning, tacked on a run in the second, and answered a four-spot by the Lancers in the third with six runs in the bottom of that frame.

Garrity, Piccuillo, and Keayes all drove in two runs. Moseman, Lucian Place, Danny Leyva, and Jack Carta also had runs batted in. Garrity homered and scored three runs, and Place and Moseman each doubled and scored a pair of runs.

On the mound, Piccuillo allowed six hits and five runs, three earned, and struck out seven batters. Carta tossed three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out a pair.

“It was great — Jamie came out and threw very well. He pitched great and we hit the ball.” Thoesen said.

Seniors who were recognized: Keayes, Moseman, Gevry, Ayden Paulos, and Leyva.

The Nighthawks carry a South-West Conference record of 6-5 into their final few SWC games as they battle for playoff positioning.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.