The 12U Hawks baseball team again represented Newtown in New England in the Cal Ripken World Series, this time in Branson, Mo. The Hawks started off pool play with a dramatic walk-off win over Cooper County, Mo. on August 7. Hudson Levy lofted a sac fly to the outfield to score Owen Leighton, giving the Hawks a hard fought 4-3 victory. Austin Luczak started on the mound and struck out five over three innings of one run ball.

On day two, August 8, Newtown dismantled the Owensboro, Ky. team by a score of 12-1 in a game that was shortened when Owensboro used an ineligible pitcher. Leighton pitched an abbreviated complete game, surrendering only a single run on three hits. Leighton added a run and two RBI at the plate while going 1-for-1 and working two walks.

Newtown ran into some trouble while facing Crown Point, Ind., eventually falling 8-2 while only mustering five hits in an August 9 clash. Going into August 10 action, Newtown needed a win and a bit of good fortune to reach the championship bracket, which is made up of the top 12 teams from the US.

The Hawks eventually defeated Hot Springs, Ark. 11-8 after jumping out to an 11-0 lead in the second inning.

While the final result was never really in doubt, the number of runs surrendered put Newtown in a position where their advancement to bracket play was not guaranteed. After the remainder of the day’s games were played, Newtown emerged as the No 11 seed and advanced to the single-elimination championship bracket.

Newtown lost in its elimination bracket opener on August 11, but left the World Series having experienced some success as well as the opportunity to face some of the best competition in the country.