Thunder Rumbles To State Title

Members of the Newtown Thunder 10-year-old Cal Ripken Baseball team won the state title for the second year in a row, coming from behind to edge Brookfield 7-6 in the pinnacle game at Danbury’s Roger’s Park on July 17.

The win was very much in doubt until an impressive late-game rally by the Thunder. Members of the team were wondering what went wrong. Things were going according to plan just a few hours ago. They had beaten a strong Brookfield team 6-2 on July 15 and were sitting on top of the winner’s bracket. One more win and the Thunder would repeat as the Connecticut State Champions. But here they were with just two outs left in their season, trailing 6-2 to the same Brookfield team. Brookfield had stayed alive with a 5-4 win in the first meeting of the day between the teams in the championship round of the double elimination tourney.

Some life was created in the top of the fifth when Newtown scored three runs with the help of some key hits. Colby Olson knocked in the first run with a single up the middle. Benny “The Boomer Dieckman” had two strikes against him but put the ball in play and earned an RBI on a groundout to short. Ben Harrison walked and Ryan Kost hit a single to load the bases. Sam “The Bull” Grossano then slashed  a hit up the middle to score another run and cut the lead to one.

Lucas O’Brien, who pitched three innings in the morning, was called into keep the Brookfield Bandits at bay. O’Brien kept them off the board in the fifth and but the Thunder was still down a run with three outs left in the season.

Jason Hebner started the sixth inning with a smash to center to lead it off. However the stellar outfield play from the Brookfield team continued and the center fielder made the catch look easy.

Down to two outs, the Thunder rally began with a solid single from Adam Bergeron, who’s bat has come alive the second half of the season. Colby “Clutch” Olson, who has torn it up in the tournament, ripped another single to put two on. Up stepped Nick Venezia. Nicky lived up to his nickname “The Quick” as he put the ball between the pitcher and third and just legged out an infield hit to load the bases. Ben “The Hammer” Harrison stepped up and the infield was in to cut down the tying run at home plate. Harrison, who had been playing as the catcher for 11 innings in 90 degree heat, fell behind in the count, 0-1 and the Brookfield pitcher tried to sneak a changeup past him. But Harrison muscled the ball which found its way into right field to tie the game.

Ryan “King Kong” Kost batted next. One of two new players this year for the Thunder, and a key addition, Kost ripped a grounder toward first. The hard hit ball was stopped by Alex Johanesen, the first baseman for Brookfield, but not before Colby Olson scored from third for a 7-6 Thunder lead.

Brookfield needed to score in the bottom of the sixth to stay alive. Newtown second baseman Connor Barrett gave the team a motivational message as the players took the field for the final half inning. “Three outs to go and we go to New Hampshire” he screamed.

After walking the first batter, O’Brien got the second hitter out on strikes. Shortstop Adam Bergeron made a play for the second out, and the last batter stepped in and whacked a hard grounder toward second. Barrett who had made several key plays at second by throwing his body in front of the ball, made the snag and just nipped the runner at first base for the final out.

The Thunder will play Vermont in Londonderry, NH in the first round of the New England Regional Tournament.