Southbury, CT — A 7-1 victory over host Pomperaug of Southbury put Newtown High School’s baseball team back on the winning track following a pair of losses. Pitcher David Braun surrendered one run on four hits and struck out 14 in a complete game, seven-inning performance. Braun also sparked the offense with a triple among his two hits. Charlie Curtis also had two hits, both doubles. Curtis and Braun each knocked in two runs, and Matt Pietrorazio and Zander Kasbarian both had runs batted in. Curtis and Will Burns led Newtown each with two of the team’s six stolen bases. In the field, the Nighthawks played errorless ball. Newtown was coming off a 14-10 loss to visiting Weston on April 13 and 13-2 defeat to Ridgefield in another home game, on April 16. Against Weston, the Hawks fell behind 9-2 and battled back to make a game of it. Braun drove in seven runs, highlighted by a grand slam in the sixth, and also doubled and singled. Josh Rosen had two walks, and RBI, and three runs scored. Pietrorazio had a hit, two walks, and three runs scored. Curtis had two hits, a walk, two RBI, and a run scored. Evan Nikolis doubled and scored. Pietrorazio and Curtis doubled in the loss to Ridgefield. The Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead after one inning of play and never looked back. “We’ve been battling in every game this year and playing the best competition will only help us down the road,” said Newtown Coach Ian Thoesen, whose lineup has faced four FCIAC schools, falling by just a run to both Greenwich and Fairfield Warde, and losing to Greenwich and Ridgefield for a 2-5 record to start the slate. Following Wednesday’s clash with South-West Conference rival Bethel (read about it in the April 29 print edition of The Bee) the Hawks welcome FCIAC team Fairfield Ludlowe on Saturday, April 23 at noon. Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at [email protected]. https://www.newtownbee.com/04222022/hawk-sluggers-bounce-back-with-dominant-performance-against-pomperaug/