There seems to be an unwritten rule in sports that if the tournament is in your name, and it’s being played on your fields, then you just have to find a way to win it . . . which is pretty much what the Newtown Babe Ruth 12-year-old All Stars did this past week in the Newtown Invitational Tournament at Glander Field.

The 12s won three games in a row – the last an 8-2 decision over Bethel – to capture the tournament title.

The game was tied 2-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth when Newtown strung together seven hits in a row – Matt Berquist (double), Andrew Chimileski, Brian Duffy, Steve Vichiola, John Larson (double), Max Rojo and Seth Hull – to score six runs and pretty much salt the game away.

Newtown had scored one run in the first inning (on a Rojo single that scored Vichiola) and another run in the fourth (on an Alex Dolan single that scored Alex Meisel). Rojo and Dolan finished with two hits apiece. Seven different players scored runs in this game, with Vichiola coming across the plate twice.

Meisel and David Modzelewski teamed up on the mound for the victory, with Meisel going the first two innings and Modzelewski nailing down the win with four innings of brilliant work in which he facing only 13 batters, allowing one hit.

For the tournament, Vichiola batted .642 and Hull hit at a .600 clip.

Newtown opened the double-elimination tournament with an 11-1 win over New Milford, but then suffered a 6-4 loss to West Norwalk.

Then the 12s started their run – first beating Bethel, 4-3, and then exacting some revenge on West Norwalk with a 4-1 win to lead up to the final.

In the 4-3 win over Bethel, it was a strong pitching performance from Meisel, Hull and Modzelewski which spelled the difference. That, and a two-run home run by Gary Andrews that capped a four-run, second-inning explosion.

Hull led off that second inning with a double. Modzelewski followed with a one-out triple and Dolan came up with a single before Andrews’ blast. Newtown was held to just three hits the rest of the way and held on for the win.

In the tournament semi-finals, Newtown had to square off with Norwalk again and this time came out on top by a 4-1 count. Meisel pitched the first four innings of the game and then gave way to Modzelewski and Hull, who closed it out in the fifth and sixth innings.

The 12s scored one run in the first inning on a walk to Larson and consecutive singles by Rojo and Hull. The 12s then added another run – the actual game winner – in the third on singles by Vichiola and Hull.

Two more insurance runs came in the sixth inning as Vichiola and Rojo both singled and Larson earned a walk.

The 12-year-old All Stars were Steve Vichiola, John Larson, Max Rojo, Seth Hull, Alex Meisel, David Modzelewski, Alex Dolan, Ben Striano, Roy Schueneman, Gary Andrews, Matt Berquist, Andrew Chimileski and Brian Duffy.