Newtown strikes early, downs Amity
WOODBRIDGE — Any time perennial powers like Newtown and Amity square off, it is imperative to strike early to set the tone. Visiting Newtown did exactly that. Behind Madelyn Twitchell’s two-run homer in the first inning, Newtown took the lead early and never looked back in an 8-3 victory at Amity High on Friday.
“I have been in and out of injuries, so I have been on and off playing,” Twitchell said. “I have been trying to relax my mind lately and one of the biggest things I have improved on is not thinking at the plate. When she threw that pitch, it was the perfect one to throw your hands at it and see what happens. It felt nice.”
The win was Newtown’s 12th in its last 13 games and helped the team improve to 15-4.
“We’ve been definitely trending upwards,” Newtown coach Joanna Closs said. “We had a tough loss against Masuk, but you know Masuk is No. 2 or No. 3 in the state. We have had to overcome some injuries, but we have had some really young players step up. We had our senior captain (Twitchell) finally getting hot with that home run. Maddy Twitchell really, really helped us.”
With the early lead, the Nighthawks turned to pitcher Sydney Adolfson, who limited the Spartans to four hits while striking out 12. Adolfson walked just one.
A single to right by Rachel Casagrande scored Hannah Galer in the third for a 3-0 advantage, before the Nighthawks picked up another run in the fifth.
The Nighthawks used their speed throughout on both sides of the ball and especially offensively to pick up infield hits.
With two outs in the fifth, Julia Berry singled to left, Ashley Hubner reached on an infield single to short, and when there was an error later in the play, Berry scored for a 4-0 lead.
“There were a couple of defensive plays if we make, we are in this game a little bit more,” Amity coach Amanda Acampora said after his team fell to 13-7. “We made a great adjust
ment at the plate over time so we put the ball in play earlier than I expected us too. We did a good job staying through the ball and hitting the ball to right field.”
The Spartans rallied for a pair in the bottom of the inning and got back in the contest when Alexx Reinwald led off with a double to right and scored on Kylee Mclain’s two-out triple to right. Mclain scored on an error on the play.
“It’s a test,” Acampora said. “The last week has been a test. We have played a ton of great programs. I can speak for my coaching staff when I say we are just thrilled to have a practice. We just have not practiced. We have played tough game after tough game, so, if
nothing else, this has prepared us for what the state tournament and the SCC tournament are going to look like.”
The Nighthawks put the game away with two runs in each of the final two innings.
In the sixth, Caroline Gardner had a run-scoring double and Noelle Marrazzo lofted a sacrifice fly for a 6-2 advantage. A pair of Amity errors led to two Newtown runs in the seventh.
“It is a tough place to play,” Closs said. “Last year was such a close, intense game. It is nice, especially when you are visitors, to get runs on the board early.”
The Spartans got a run back in the seventh on a long home run to center by Ava Wooldridge, but it was not enough.
Berry and Twitchell led
Newtown with two hits apiece.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Madelyn Twitchell, Newtown: Senior had two hits, including a two-run homer in the first inning as Newtown won its twelfth game in 13 decisions.
QUOTABLE
“It is huge. It has given these girls confidence. We have been getting production from all throughout the lineup. We have been getting it from eight and nine the other day. To be able to get production from everybody in the lineup has been really helpful for us.”
— Newtown coach Joanna Closs