Members of Newtown’s Cal Ripken 10U baseball team are feeling as if they are on top of the world. They are, after all, headed to the World Series. The Renegades captured the New England Regional Tournament championship with four consecutive wins, culminating with a come-from-behind 8-7 edging of Dedham, Mass in the championship game on July 27. The tourney was held at Cranston, RI’s Ricci Field, July 20-27.

With the triumph, the Newtown sluggers are headed to the 10U Cal Ripken World Series in Ocala, Fla, August 10-17.

Throughout the tournament, the Renegades had contributions from throughout the lineup. Jared Dunn was 7-for-10, including two home runs, and knocked in nine runs. Joey Rios was 7-for-11 with a homer and seven RBI. Josh Taylor had three hits, including a homer, and seven RBI. Joey Rios struck out 14 batters in nine innings pitched. Rios was named the tournament Most Valuable Player.

Tournament game results are as follows:

Newtown 16, Hartford, VT 6: In the first round of the tournament, the Renegades jumped out to an early lead over their opponents from Vermont, scoring 15 runs in the first three innings. The Renegades brought in seven runs in the first inning behind RBI singles from Jared Dunn and Luke Galer, and RBI doubles from Josh Taylor, John Godino, Jack Street, and Dillon Robinson. In the second, Connor Haywood had a run-scoring double and Dunn had a two-run homer. Dunn compiled four RBI on three hits in the victory.

Newtown 8, Berwick, Maine 5: In the second round of the tournament, Berwick jumped out to an early lead, but was unable to hold down the Renegades. Berwick grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Renegades were quick to respond with a two-run single from Taylor. Berwick tied the game in the second, but that was no match for the Renegades who held the lead after scoring three runs in the fourth on an RBI double from Matt Bradbury and an RBI single from CJ Demers. The Renegades tacked on another two runs in the fifth. A single by Dunn to score Haywood ignited the offense. Jack Street had a single that drove in Liam Murphy. The Renegades’ offense was sparked by Bradbury and Street, who teamed up for five hits and two RBI. On the mound, Joey Rios shut down Berwick, allowing just two hits and one earned run while striking out six, and not allowing a walk, over four innings.

Newtown 11, Seacoast, NH 9: In the winners’ bracket final, the Renegades and Seacoast traded runs for most of the contest; there were four lead changes in the game. In the top of the first, the Renegades grabbed a 4-0 lead on an RBI double from Haywood that scored Demers and a towering three-run home run from Dunn that scored Rios and Haywood. The Renegades scored two more in the second inning on an RBI double from Rios that scored Demers and a sac fly from Haywood that plated Bradbury. With Seacoast up 9-8 in the top of sixth inning, Taylor blasted a three-run home run that scored Haywood and Dunn to give the Renegades the lead. Rios took the mound in the bottom of the sixth to shut down Seacoast and secure the win.

Newtown 8, Dedham, Mass 7: In a championship game, the Renegades overcame a 5-1 deficit to claim victory. Rios racked drove in four runs on three hits — a single,  double, and two-run home run. Dedham managed just two hits off of Rios, who allowed no earned runs, walked two, and struck out five during three innings of work on the mound. Dedham jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first. The Renegades scored in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single by Dunn before Dedham scored two more. The Renegades scored three in the third inning behind a two-run home run from Rios that scored Bradbury, and plated another three in the fourth inning to take the lead. With the score tied 7-7 in the bottom of the fifth, Taylor walked and Street brought him — and what turned out to be the winning run — home on a double.