Darien, CT — The Newtown High School softball team looked to play small ball in an effort to scratch out a win on the road in the season opener, at Darien on April 2. Sometimes you have to go to Plan B — and sometimes the backup strategy works out just fine. Julia Berry, Coach Joanna Closs, and the rest of the Nighthawks can attest to that. In the top of the eighth inning of a tie game, Berry tried to sacrifice base runner Ashely Hubner, who had singled, into scoring position but with two strikes had to swing away to protect against foul bunt strikeout, and boy did she come through. Berry crushed a tie-breaking homer to center field, lifting the Nighthawks to a wild 4-1 win. “I gave her the bunt sign twice to bunt her over,” Closs said. “And then said ‘okay you have to do it the hard way.’” Berry came through in a big way and was thrilled to help her team win. “It was a very good feeling,” said Berry, a sophomore outfielder who is a newcomer to the starting lineup this spring. “It was nice to see the girls not give up and pull that one out,” Closs said. The Nighthawks added a run when Bri Pellicone singled and later scored. Newtown had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning when that same trio of players — Hubner, Berry, and Pellicone — strung together consecutive singles. Darien answered with an unearned run in the bottom half of the frame. Newtown pitcher Sydney Adolfson struck out 11 batters and impressed Closs with her calmness on the mound, shaking off a key error during her three-hitter. “Very nerve-racking game. Syd really just does not falter on the mound — that’s amazing mental maturity,” Closs said. The Hawks had their home opener, against another FCIAC team, St. Joseph of Trumbull, on April 4, and were no-hit in a 3-0 loss to the Cadets and senior pitcher Lauren Wasikowski who logged 14 strikeouts. “We just could not put the ball in play. It speaks to our youth,” said Closs, whose team has both a solid core of returning players but also a few new-to-varsity starters in the mix. “It’s something we’ll work on and figure out.” Madison Thoesen is at second base, and Sarah Hubner and Sophia Caruso are splitting time at third — all are freshmen. Thoesen nearly broke up the no-hitter with a drive down the right field line in the middle-late innings that was called foul. A couple of walks and a hit batter were the only other base runners for Newtown. Closs was pleased that her team played errorless ball against St. Joes. Weather permitting, the Hawks were to visit South-West Conference rival Joel Barlow of Redding on Wednesday (after The Bee sports section went to press). NHS then has more FCIAC competition on the slate with games against Danbury on Thursday and on the road against Fairfield Warde on Saturday, April 9, starting at noon. Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at [email protected]. https://www.newtownbee.com/04082022/when-a-sacrifice-bunt-attempt-fails-hit-a-go-ahead-home-run/