Sandy Hook, CT — Perhaps more than in any other sport, baseball requires clutch contributions from different individuals on any given day. With a batting lineup of nine hitters and a pitching rotation of a handful of hurlers, along with a relief corps, not to mention bench players, there is no telling who will come through from one contest to the next. For Newtown High School’s baseball team, this has been all the more prevalent with some younger and bench players stepping in — and stepping up — in the absence of starters put due to injury and illness. “We’re picking each other up. Good things are happening,” Coach Ian Thoesen said after his Nighthawks defeated visiting New Fairfield 8-6 on April 25. Jake Hossler pinch hit and delivered a base hit in his first varsity at bat; Hossler has been Newtown’s first pitcher out of the bullpen and tossed two innings of relief against New Fairfield. Backup catcher Mitchell Schrader has stepped in to work with the pitchers in a starting role. Finn Geissler, a freshman, had his first varsity hit against Fairfield Ludlowe on April 23. Yarema Stasyshyn and Sam D’Aprile have stepped in to key roles in the outfield. After a 1-5 start, the Nighthawks won three of four heading into Wednesday’s visit to Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport (after The Bee sports section went to press). Newtown followed up a 7-1 win over Pomperaug on April 18 with a 9-2 blowout win over visiting Bethel two days later, then dropped a 2-1 nail-biter to visiting Fairfield Ludlowe on April 23 before jumping out to a 6-0 lead through two innings of play and holding on against New Fairfield. Newtown scored ten runs in back-to-back games earlier in April after a slow offensive start that included a pair of shutout defeats. “The bats are coming alive,” Thoesen said. And as much as junior varsity callups and bench players have contributed, the veterans on the team have helped lead the way. “We’re getting great senior leadership from our guys,” Thoesen said. In the win over Bethel, David Braun had three hits — including a double — a run batted in, and run scored. Charlie Curtis had a triple, three RBI, and run scored. Matt Pietrorazio doubled, knocked in a run, and scored a run. Josh Rosen had a hit, two RBI, and run scored. Schrader delivered a hit and RBI, and scored a run. Will Burns went three innings on the mound and allowed two runs on one hit, walking four, and striking out seven. Hossler pitched three scoreless, two-hit frames, walking one, and fanning three. Curtis pitched an inning, allowing one hit and striking out a batter. Against New Fairfield, Curtis came through with a double, walk, two RBI, and run scored. Pietrorazio had two hits, walk, and two runs scored. D’Aprile had two hits, an RBI, and run scored. Rosen, Braun, and Ryan Verdi all singled and drove in runs. Newtown was active on the bases with Pietrorazio stealing two bases, and Stasyshyn, Geissler, and Curtis all swiped a base apiece. Braun was the starting pitcher and allowed two hits and three runs — only one earned — walked three, and struck out four in 4 2/3 innings of work. Hossler pitched two frames, allowing three runs — just one of which was earned — walked three, and stuck out one. Logan Akbas got the final out, with a strikeout, after New Fairfield put the tying runs on base. The Rebels capitalized on four Newtown errors and six walks to make use of only four hits and make a game of it until the final out. They trailed 8-4 going into the seventh inning. The Hawks went to Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport and won 26-3 on April 27. Read more about that game in the May 6 print edition. Newtown is scheduled to host Immaculate of Danbury on Friday, April 29, at 4 pm. Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at [email protected]. https://www.newtownbee.com/04292022/picking-each-other-up-hawk-sluggers-get-contributions-from-throughout-line/