The Newtown Hawks 10U baseball team kicked off its Cal Ripken World Series adventure in Vincennes, Ind. on August 8. The opening day included skills competitions, pin trading with teams from across the country and world, and a parade through the town green to mark the start of tournament festivities.

Pool play began on August 9, with the Hawks taking on the host team in their tournament debut. Behind strong pitching and defense, they secured a 6-0 victory and were presented with their official World Series banner after the game.

The next day brought a new look and another win as the Hawks donned their New England jerseys to face the Midwest Plains qualifiers from Booneville, Mo. The team’s balanced offense and steady pitching led them to a 7-2 victory, keeping their momentum alive.

On August 11, the Hawks met Puerto Rico in a game where a few missed chances proved costly, ending in a 5-0 loss. The next day, they squared off against the Ohio Valley qualifier from Crown Point, Ind., in what proved to be one of their most competitive matchups yet. Despite a strong performance, the Hawks narrowly fell 5-4 to the powerful, home run-hitting team.

With pool play complete, the Hawks now turn their attention to bracket play, which is set to begin Wednesday, August 13.

Team members are Austin Rekos, Chase Pacuk, Luke Dobson, Parker Esposito, Grayson Kohlasch, Maverick Levy, Brayden Andrews, Joey Skura, Jacob Steeves, James Otis, and Jack Fregoe; and coaches are Joe Esposito, Bobby Andrews, Mark Skura, and Jon Steeves.