The Newtown Black Hawks 13U team played the U14 Heat team from Perth, Australia on Thursday, June 30 in Danbury CT... The Perth Heat baseball program brought three teams (U14,U16,U18) to visit the US and play 20 games during the next month.  While in the New York area they are playing teams from Stamford, Darien, Danbury, Greenwich, Newtown and Harlem in Central Park. They will be visiting and playing baseball in Boston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and Washington DC. They are also visiting Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park and the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

The game was a close exciting game in which the Black Hawks were able to squeak out a 4-3 win.  The team from Perth Australia was able to jump out to an early lead with a double from the lead off hitter.  He came around to score on a ground out to give Perth an early 1-0 lead.  The Black Hawks were able to get a couple of runners on in the first inning when Michael Parker walked and Sam Czel had a clean hit to left field.  The Black Hawks could not push a run across until the 3rd inning when Erik Street lead off the inning with a walk and came around to score on Jaret DeVellis's majestic home run that easily cleared the right field fence.  The oohs and aahs that emanated from the Australian dugout attested to the impressiveness of DeVellis's moon shot.  The scoring continued for the Black Hawks in the 4th inning when Stephen Brittin singled to right, went to second on a balk by the pitcher and then scored on a single off the bat of Griffin Davis.  After the Perth team scored another run in the top of the fifth to make it a 3-2 ball game, the Black Hawks answered right back in the bottom of the frame.  Mason Melillo single to left center.  Chris Calo followed with a walk and after Street reached on an error, Michael Doyle laid down a beautiful suicide squeeze bunt that scored Melillo from third.  The Australian team was able to push another run across in the sixth but that was it.  David Matthews, Tim Krapf and Jack Procaccini pitched brilliantly for Newtown.. They were able to scatter 9 hits over 7 innings from a high powered Australian offense who had earlier defeated the U14 Danbury Babe Ruth team by the score of 6-2..

After the game, we gave the Perth team Newtown baseball shirts and car magnets to help them remember their visit to Western CT.   It was a fun experience for everyone involved and we were very fortunate to participate.  

Newtown Bombers 12, Brookfield 10