Lightning Baseball Highlights

18U Connecticut Senior Baseball League Lightning baseball highlights from this past week are as follows:

Lightning 3, Milford 1: Behind the golden pitching arm of Colton Sposta, the Newtown Lightning pulled off its second consecutive upset, beating a Milford team comprised of varsity players from Milford’s Law and Foran high schools. It’s been quite a run for the Lightning, who beat Danbury’s team of Abbott Tech varsity players in the previous game. Against Milford Saturday at Newtown High School Field, the Lightning was overpowered for the first three innings by flame-throwing right-hander Brian Jackson who struck out seven of the first nine Newtown batters. In the fourth inning, Newtown’s Will Arndt walked and stole second before Ben Stoller ripped a single through the left field hole to break up the no-hitter. Stoller stole second, and Mike Lobosco walked to load the bases. John Lebinski walked to give Newtown a 1-0 lead. Tim Jorgensen slapped an RBI force out that scored Stoller, and Scott Cunningham drilled an RBI ground single up the middle to bring home Lobosco and give Newtown a three-run lead. Sposta yielded an unearned run in the fifth inning and then retired the final six batters for the win.  He was helped by left fielder Cunningham who made a diving catch to retire the leadoff hitter in the final inning. Sposta and Jackson finished with complete-game three hitters. Sposta struck out eight and walked only one, while Jackson whiffed 10.

Watertown Two 3, Lightning 0: The Lightning, sponsored by VFW Post 308, was shut out for the first time this season Sunday at Fairfield Hills Field by Waterbury High School varsity lefthander Kevin LaRosa. The Lightning’s only hits were by Will Arndt, who drilled a single to left; Ben Stoller, who smashed a single up the middle, and Alex Saviano, who legged out an infield single. Newtown’s Gary Braun pitched his second consecutive complete game. Facing a team comprising all Watertown High School varsity players who won the Naugatuck Valley League’s Brass Division in May, Braun scattered seven hits and struck out six. He was aided by a strong defense anchored by center fielder Mike Lobosco who tracked down a long fly to right center to prevent an extra-base hit in the third inning. In the seventh inning, the Lightning made a few fine defensive plays to keep the inning scoreless. Third baseman Saviano brilliantly barehanded a dribbler and threw a high, off-balance throw to first baseman Stoller, who stretched wide, then reached high and managed to keep a toe on the bag for the out. Stoller, who made eight putouts during the game, saved a run two batters later by scooping a weak throw out of the dirt for the final out.

After eight games this season, Stoller leads the team with a .368 batting average. Lobosco is second at .353, and Arndt is third at .294. Stoller leads the team in hits and on-base percentage (.520), while Arndt leads in runs scored and stolen bases. Braun leads the pitching staff with a 2.57 earned-run average, has two complete games and has yielded only one walk in 14 innings. The team’s workhorse, Colton Sposta, also has two complete games and has struck out 23 batters in 21 innings while recording a 4.29 ERA.

The entire season’s been a wake-up call for the spunky Newtown club who are facing a full squad of high-school players nearly every game. The top-notch competition resulted from the preseason merger of two leagues, the Candlewood Valley and Housatonic Valley, into a new Connecticut Senior Baseball Summer League.

For years, many Newtown players left the Senior Babe Ruth program to seek stronger competition in other leagues and programs, according to league organizers who not that it’s now come full circle.

With the entry of powerful Housatonic teams including the state’s top team, Shelton, three powerful Naugatuck and Watertown teams, strong Milford and Torrington squads — and varsity-infused Danbury and Ridgefield teams — the Senior Babe Ruth program has bounced back to a competitive level that is arguably the state’s best, organizers say. Several college varsity players, as well as college freshmen who played high school varsity last year, have also joined the league.