SOUTH MERIDEN – A couple of losses to Southbury in the recent Al Leonard Invitational Tournament was merely a bump in the road to the Newtown Babe Ruth Baseball 10-year-old All Star team.

The locals went on to win the District 5 Tournament and – for the second consecutive year – the Connecticut Babe Ruth State Tournament. With the state championship, Newtown earned a trip to the New England Regional Tournament in West Warwick, Rhode Island, this weekend.

The locals defeated Southbury, 6-1 (how is that for revenge), on Sunday in South Meriden to win the state title. It was a revised format, with Newtown winning three in the round-robin seeding portion and then two straight in the single-elimination round.

In the final, Brandon Rosenberg pitched five exceptional innings, striking out three batters, to lead the way. Daniel Lynch pitched an inning of scoreless relief. And in the field, Erik Hoffman made a running catch in the second inning that saved a run, fighting a tough sun in left field, and Ryan Schmidt, after losing a high fly ball in the sun at second base, threw to an alert Johnny Fracker who came over from third base to cover second, forcing the runner from first base.

At the plate, Rosenberger (2-for-3, two RBI) and Bryan Czel (double, RBI) led the way, which managed a total of only three hits against Southbury pitching on the day.

In the first game of the tournament, Newtown out-slugged Bethel, 19-11. Lynch (3-for-6, four RBI), Rosenberger (3-for-4, RBI), Mikey Tobin (4-for-4, two RBI), Czel (3-for-5, three RBI), Hoffman (2-for-3, two RBI), RJ Roman (2-for-4, two runs), Richard Andreotta (2-for-3, triple, two RBI) and Cody Williams (single) led the potent Newtown attack.

In a 14-4 win over South Meriden, Lynch (4-for-4, RBI that invoked mercy rule), Schmidt (2-for-3, double, RBI), Czel (2-for-2, three runs) and Sean Maher (2-for-3, double, two RBI) sparked the offense while Rosenberger, Roman, Maher and Lynch combined on the mound to shut down South Meriden’s offense.

In a 19-2 win over Hebron, Roman (4-for-4, four RBI), Fracker (2-for-3, two runs scored), Czel (2-for-3, four RBI) and Andreotta (double, three RBI) led the charge. Rosenberger, Roman and Maher pitched three shutout innings for the victors.

In the first game of the single-elimination round, the locals routed Cheshire, 10-0, in the third straight mercy rule decision. Pitching and power dominated this game with Roman hurling three scoreless innings and blasting a long two-run homer over the left center field fence in the first inning. Rosenberger (2-for-2, four RBI), Tobin (single, RBI) and Fracker (single, RBI) provided additional run support.

Newtown also turned a spectacular double play in the third inning that brought the crowd to its feet. With a runner at first, Cheshire’s No. 2 hitter lined a double to center that appeared destined to score Cheshire’s first run.

Czel (CF) and Schmidt (2B) had another plan in mind, however.

Czel chased the ball down and threw perfectly to Schmidt, who fired a strike to catcher Fracker. Fracker applied the tag, erasing the potential run at home and then threw to Rosenberger at third getting the runner attempting to take an extra base on the play.

In the New England Regional, the locals will face the Eastern Massachusetts champion at 12:30 pm on Saturday at Raina Field in West Warwick.

 

District 5 Title

The 10s captured the District 5 title with a 10-6 win over Southbury last week as Roman was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and five RBI. Lynch was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored while Fracker was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Czel added a double and an RBI. Rosenberger pitched three strong innings.

Newtown defeated Woodbury (18-1) and Southbury (11-5) to reach the title game.

In the win over Woodbury, Roman, Lynch, Maher and Williams combining on a one-hitter. Czel (3-for-4, triple, two RBI) and Lynch (4-for-5, triple, three runs scored) provided much of the offensive firepower. Fracker (2-for-3, two runs scored), Ryan Schmidt (2-for-2, three runs scored), Roman (2-for-3, three RBI), Rosenberger (2-for-4, four RBI), Hoffman (single, RBI) and Andreotta (single, RBI, run scored) added to the offensive explosion.

In the first win over Southbury, Roman (2-for-4, double, four RBI), Czel (2-for-3, RBI), and Fracker (1- for-2, two runs scored) led the offense. Rosenberger pitched three strong innings, giving up only one run, while Lynch and Maher combined to close out the win.

The week before, the locals lost a pair of games to Southbury and finished second in the Al Leonard Invitational Tournament in Bethel.

Newtown began the tournament by defeating West Norwalk, 5-1. Rosenberger and Roman each went 3-for-4 with three RBI between them to lead the offense. Czel (double, two RBI), Hoffman (2-for-4, run scored) and Brian Reed (single, RBI) also chipped in with key hits. Roman, Rosenberger and Maher shut down West Norwalk’s offense with six innings of strong pitching.

Newtown prevailed against Greenwich in the second game, 10-8. Rosenberger hit a long homer over the left center field fence and knocked in a total of four runs while Lynch (3-for-3, three runs scored), Schmidt (2-for-3, three runs scored), Roman (3-for-4) and Czel (3-for-3) contributed to the Newtown attack.

Roman and Williams kept Greenwich at bay with three scoreless innings between them on the mound.

The third game pitted Newtown against New Canaan and Newtown won its third in a row by a score of 10-0. Strong pitching performances by Roman, Maher and Rosenberger dominated this contest, shortened to five innings by the mercy rule. Tobin (2-for-3, double, RBI), Rosenberger (3-for-4, three RBI), Roman (3-for-3, four RBI), Andreotta (single, RBI), and Schmidt (three runs scored) provided the run support.

Southbury proved too much for Newtown in the fourth game, winning 14-4 and sending Newtown to the loser’s bracket. Rosenberger (3-for-3, three RBI) and Lynch (1-for-2, run scored) were the extent of the offense for Newtown.

After a forfeit by New Canaan in the next game, Newtown again moved on to face Southbury in the championship round, needing to beat them twice to capture the crown. After falling behind 5-0 in the first inning, Newtown rallied to take an 8-6 lead, but couldn’t silence the Southbury bats in the later innings, eventually falling 11-8.

Lynch (five walks, two runs scored), Tobin (three walks, three runs scored), Rosenberger (double, three RBI), Czel (1-for-3, RBI) and Williams (1-for-1, two RBI) sparked the offense.