Trailing 5-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Newtown Middle School baseball team staged a rally against Jockey Hollow – but it fell just short.

Ryan Tita got things going with an RBI single and then scored on an RBI single by Brian Czel to pull the Lions to within one. But Czel was thrown out trying to stretch his single into a double and then a grounder snuffed the rally.

The Lions dropped to 3-3.

RJ Roman had a couple of hits and an RBI to spark the locals while Tita drove in two runs. Oliver Powers went 2-for-3, Ken Toal drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Will Arndt swiped two bases. Cody Williams, Powers and Czel combined on the hill for a solid effort.

In recent action, the Lions pounded Middlebury, 14-3, as Curtis Droniak pitched six solid innings, scattering four hits while walking two and striking out nine. Roman banged out three hits while Czel went 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored. Tita was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and three runs scored and Powers drove in three runs with a base hit.

Matt Datin and Jack Kneisel helped spark the offense while Derek Krewson did a fantastic job behind the dish.

In a 6-2 win over Swift Middle School of Watertown, Williams went the distance on the mound, scattering five hits while striking out nine. Kyle Packer ignited the offense with a two-out, bases-loaded double in the second inning. Czel went 3-for-4 on the day with a single, double, homer and three RBI. Roman singled three times in four trips to the plate.