UNION MILLS - With the gametime temperature nearly doubled from a week prior, conditions at The Barnyard on Sunday were dramatically improved compared to Opening Day. Unfortunately for the New Carlisle Newts (1-5), the team's performance was not.
The Flat Rock Cyclones (4-2) completed a sweep on their home turf, 8-6, 5-4 (F/7), 7-3.
New Carlisle matched their entire Week 1 scoring output in the top of the first inning of the series opener. Matt Soos homered over the big wall in centerfield to give the Newts an early 2-0 advantage.
After the Clones put up three in the bottom half of the first, Kody Webb flipped the score again with a two-run bomb to make it 4-3. Webb scored again in the third on a Soos groundout, and he went yard a second time in the fourth to pad the lead at 6-3.
The three-run cushion was not enough, as Owen Satoski tied the game in the sixth with a three-run bomb. Two batters later, with Sam Satoski on board, Jackson Buzea blasted a walk-off dinger to give Flat Rock the 8-6 victory.
In game two, the teams exchanged runs in the second inning, and the contest remained tied until the fifth. Garrett Curless gave the Newts a 2-1 lead with his second solo shot of the game.
New Carlisle fell behind 4-2 after a three-run homer by Austin Howell in the bottom of the fifth. The Newts showed fight in the sixth, as an Aidan Cotter groundout produced two runs to tie it up and force extras.
The Satoski brothers led off the bottom of the seventh with a pair of singles, and both tagged up to advance into scoring position after a fly out to right. Tyler Mack's ground ball was enough to push home the winning run.
In the series finale, Flat Rock scored the game's first four runs. Tyler Shupert hit his first Newts home run in the fourth to get New Carlisle on the board, but the Clones put it away with three more tallies in the fifth.
The league will take a break next weekend in observance of Mother's Day, and the Newts will be back in action on Sunday, May 21. New Carlisle will host the defending National League Champions Granger Panthers (4-2) in the Migley Field opener. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20pm ET. First 30 fans through the gates will receive a 2023 Schedule Magnet.