Newtown High School's softball team goes into the South-West Conference playoffs on the road and with unfamiliar underdog status this spring. The Nighthawks are the No 5 seed and will look to pull off a mild upset of No 4 Notre Dame Prep of Fairfield, a team it lost to 3-2 in eight innings during the regular slate, when the teams meet in the SWC quarterfinals at Sacred Heart University Saturday at 10 am.

"I'm excited," Coach Megan Goyda said. "We've proven some games we have some fight — nothing to lose and everything to gain."

Newtown wrapped up the regular season with a 14-4 loss to visiting Masuk of Monroe on May 13, followed by a trio of easy wins (24-0 over Bassick of Bridgeport at Seaside Park on May 15, 13-0 at Joel Barlow of Redding the next day, and 12-0 over visiting Harding of Bridgeport on May 18). The highlight of the stretch run was a milestone accomplishment for Gabby Ansman, who collected her 100th career hit in the win over Bassick.

The Nighthawks committed four errors which led to seven unearned runs, assisting a potent Masuk offense that didn't need any help and got six extra base hits, including a triple and home run, among 15 hits in the game.

Gabby Ansman singled and drove in two runs, Gillian Boughan had two hits and a run batted in, Olivia Doersch had a hit and RBI, and Emma Clyne, who doubled, and Reagan Schenzer both collected hits and runs scored for the Hawks.

"At the end of the day catching and throwing burned us," Goyda said.

Newtown put up five runs in each of the first three innings, four in the fourth, and five more in the fifth to mercy-rule Bassick behind 15 hits and nine Bassick errors. Mia Napolitano and Adriana Miodonka combined on a no-hitter with two walks and 11 strikeouts. Ansman doubled twice and drove in six runs to power the offense as part of her big 100th-hit day.

The Barlow game was another run-rule decision in five innings. The same pitching tandem tossed a two-hitter with seven strikeouts. Schenzer tripled and Ansman and Lila Accousti doubled. Elena Burdo had a pair of hits and led NHS with a trio of runs batted in.

An eight-run first sparked Newtown's third consecutive five-inning triumph in the victory over Harding. This time Napolitano and Miodonka combined to allow three hits and fan eight batters with no walks issued. Ansman and Boughan both doubled. Napolitano had a hit and three RBI and Addy Cordova and Boughan each drove in two runs.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.