Hillsborough Hawks Complete Successful First Season

By Rich Roser

The Hillsborough Hawks 8U Travel Baseball team wrapped up their season on Thursday, July 30 in the Championship Game of the South Brunswick Summer Classic.

The Hawks finished their season with 25 wins against 8 losses and 2 ties.

They began their season in April, competing in the USABL American Central Division and finished with a 5-4 record. The Hawks finished in a 3-way tie for 3rd place. They ended up with the 3rd seed in the League Tournament and advanced to their first Championship Game of the year losing to Monroe Purple, who went on to win the 8U Mid-Atlantic Regional Cap Ripken Championship, for the 2nd time .

The team also entered 5 tournaments during the season, making 4 more Championship games, without losing a single game in pool play all year. May saw them enter the North Edison Memorial Day Baseball Tournament. The Hawks went 3 & 0 in pool play on their way to the top seed.

They were then upended by the NY Prospects from Staten Island in the semi-finals. June saw the Hawks enter the Branchburg A Tournament and again finish another tournament with a perfect 3 & 0 record in pool play. They played the 8U Mid-Atlantic Regional host Mt. Olive for a 2nd time in the final and won for a 2nd time.

In July the Hawks competed in 3 tournaments.

The month started with the East Brunswick Summer Slugfest where the Hawks again went 3 & 0 in pool play. In the final of the Summer Slugfest they Hawks beat Monroe Gold for a 2nd time, to bring home their 2nd Championship. The Hawks then ventured to Burlington to compete against teams from South Jersey and Pennsylvania in the Burlington Township Falcon Frenzy. The Hawks finished pool play 2 & 0, winning tough battles against teams from PA and advanced to bracket play as the 3rd seed.

The Hawks advanced to another Championship game before being knocked off by the host Burlington Falcons. The Falcons were the 8U South Jersey State Cal Ripken Runner Ups. Next was the South Brunswick Summer Classic where they had 2 wins and 2 ties in pool play and ended up as the 2nd seed.

They advanced to the finals against Franklin Township. After winning their 1st game against Franklin in an earlier tournament and tying them in pool play, the Warriors, who were the 8U North Jersey State Cal Ripken Runner Ups, finally bested the Hawks in the Championship game.

This brought the Hawks final total to 5 Tournament Championship games out of 6 tournaments. They won 2 titles and also made a semi-final. The team is looking forward to competing in the Fall and then getting ready for the 2016 9U season.