LL Recap: Newtown 13, Capitol Hill 1

	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H	E
Council Rock Newtown	3	1	2	2	2	3	13	13	2
Capitol Hill	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	4	2

WP: Neeld LP: Toney

Getting off to a hot start in regionals is a sure-fire way to build confidence on the bigger stage. Getting that first win is also huge, as your team is then just two wins away from South Williamsport and that coveted prize of an appearance in the Little League World Series. Council Rock Newtown got going early and scored plenty of runs in their victory over Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. Capitol Hill was making their first trip to the regional, having formed fairly recently in 2011. Newtown was making its first appearance in the regional since 2010.

The Blue Dawgs quickly loaded the bases against Capitol Hill’s ace pitcher, Rhys Toney. Sav Longo picked up right where he left off at states and doubled home the first two runs of the afternoon in Dean Hamilton and Tyler Neeld. Rocco DaBronzo walked with the bases loaded to push the lead to 3-0 after a half inning.

Rocco played a major part in the bottom of that inning, starting a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning. Dean Hamilton singled home Ryan Uhl in the second, extending the lead to 4-0. In the top of the third, Newtown pulled off a very different kind of double play. Ian Ratner struck out swinging with first base occupied. Ian was automatically out, but the runner started going to second base and was then tagged out trying to get back to first. Being a defensive-minded coach, manager Brad Hamilton was impressed. “That double play was legit; that made me happy.”

Capitol Hill scored its lone run of the game on a third inning Nicholas Guthrie RBI single up the middle. By then, though, the score was 6-1 and Council Rock Newtown was in control. An RBI double by Will Siveter and RBI single by Tyler Wexler kept things going in the fourth, pushing the lead to 8-1 and providing production from the entire lineup.

Dean Hamilton took the mound in the fourth and promptly struck out two and induced a fly out to set aside D.C. in order. Neeld and Peiffer capped the scoring in the sixth with back to back triples, scoring three more runs.

“They haven’t changed their mentality. We are going into regionals the way we came out of states.” Coach Hamilton also noted the quality at bats his team is getting: “Even if they’re walking or striking out, they’re seeing seven or eight pitches.

A couple guys hit singles, a couple guys hit gappers, and a couple guys hit bombs,” Hamilton remarked on his lineup’s production. On his pitching staff: “I was proud of Ty Neeld and Dean. It’s hard ot get through a game on 76 pitches.”

Neeld and Hamilton combined on a two-hitter, striking out seven and walking two. Peiffer was 1-2 with 3 runs scored and 2RBI. Caudill, Hamilton, Neeld, DaBronzo and Wexler all knocked in a run and Sav scored three times. Council Rock Newtown will next be in action Tuesday morning at 11:00 when they face West Salisbury(MD), 5-3 winners over M-O-T Little League of Delaware.