Catching Up With the I-84 League in Newtown

As the players of Newtown 15u West laced up their spikes and dusted off their gloves before trotting out to the baseball diamond against Pomperaug 15u West, a berth in the divisional championship game wasn't all that was at stake on Wednesday.

For Newtown – a team which saw its hopes shattered last season by Pomperaug in the quarterfinal round – there was also an invaluable chance for redemption. So by the time the first pitch was delivered at the sun-drenched field at Fairfield Hills, there was extra juice mustered into each fastball and a bit more might powered into each swing.

"This team rocked us like every single year. So we just wanted to get back at them," said Newtown's John Lebinski, who went 1-for-3 with two RBIs as Newtown defeated Pomperaug 9-4.

Such golden opportunities have fueled added intensity for the I-84 League playoffs, which for the first time in the league's three seasons feature an additional round.

Each team qualified for the playoffs, but one defeat could spell the end of a season. So with such little margin for error, the focus and determination both on the field and in the dugout generally increased.

"The playoffs are more exciting because it's all do-or-die, it's all sudden death," said Warren Spencer, who coaches the Newtown 15u West team and serves as a commissioner for the league's 15u division. "Definitely the intensity comes up a notch."

The playoffs, however, also muster a lot more excitement, explained Lebinski.

"Everyone is excited to play for the championship and it's a lot bigger stakes and you're just a lot more pumped up," he said.

Prior to Newtown's win over Pomperaug and advancement to Friday's division final, the heightened stakes not only sparked more intensity on the field, but it created some jitters in the team's dugout.

"We were looking for a win here. It was our first playoff game. Honestly our team was a little bit nervous, but we came through with the win," said Newtown's Colton Sposta, who allowed just five hits while striking out 10 batters over seven innings.

Lebinski helped ease those nerves early, as he stepped up to the plate in the first inning with the bases loaded and drilled a two-out, two-run single through the middle of the infield, putting Newtown 15u West ahead 2-0.

"I just wanted to get the bat on the ball because there was two strikes on me and two outs and it was a big point in the game," noted Lebinski. "When I hit that ball, we really got on top. We really set the momentum."

Newtown tacked on two runs in the third inning to extend its lead to 4-0, but after Pomperaug rallied to tie the game in the sixth inning, Newtown took the lead for good in its next at-bat as Alex Romeo motored home on a wild pitch.

"I was a little nervous, but you've got to grind it out," said Sposta. "They found a way to come up with some runs and I held it."

Now, as Newtown 15u West looks to take the final step where it will attempt to claim a division championship, the players are hopeful that the hard work and preparation will pay off.

Asked what it would mean to win a championship, Newtown shortstop Eric Sutton, who contributed two singles and played flawless defense, said, "It would be rewarding for all the times we came out in the heat. The entire summer we've basically been practicing. That would be exciting."

But for now Sutton appeared content soaking in the moment.

"It's pretty intense, but also we're just having fun, enjoying it," said Sutton. "It was a big win."