HILLSDALE—Hillsdale Hawks 14U Little League is flying to Taylor, Mich. to press their hard-charging, disciplined style of play finally in the Junior League Baseball (JLB) World Series.
These Hawks, together since 8U and who have gone undefeated through district, sectional, state and regional play, will represent New Jersey and the East Region in the first game of the 2023 tournament, Aug. 13 at 5 p.m. vs. the Central Region champions, Illinois.
The JLB World Series, which wraps on Aug. 20, features a dozen teams from the United States and worldwide. Hillsdale’s first game will air live on ESPN+.
(The tournament is held annually at Heritage Park in Taylor. It notes it is patterned after the Little League World Series, which was named for the World Series in Major League Baseball.)
Mayor John Ruocco summed up the drama: “It is not often that a small town like Hillsdale gets to celebrate a significant athletic accomplishment of its youth at a national level. However, we are on the precipice! Our Little League Baseball 14U Hillsdale Hawks, managed by Chris Kirkby and coaches Frank Gravina and Greg Stalb, won the East Regional Tournament this past weekend in DuBois, Pa. They will … compete against five American teams from the Southeast, Central, West, Southwest and host city, as well as six foreign national teams, from Chinese Taipei, Curaçao, Australia, Czech Republic, Canada, and [unincorporated U.S. territory] Puerto Rico.”
Ruocco said, “To reach this position, our team defeated other New Jersey teams in a district tournament in our area, then a sectional tournament in Bloomingdale, and a state tournament in Deptford. Then representing New Jersey, they advanced in defeating teams from New York, Delaware, and Maryland.”
He said, “Please join me in congratulating the players, most of whom comprised the core group that had such a successful season in 2019 in the 10U age bracket: Thomas Eichner, Sebastian Fernandez, Evan Galluci, Frank Gravina Jr., Joseph Luciano, Drew Kirkby, Justin Morgan, Ethan Rettew, Max Stalb, Sam Stalb, and Jason Wormer.”
Ruocco said, “On behalf of the municipality and all its residents, I congratulate the team on its accomplishments thus far, and wish the team success in its quest for the international World Series championship. Good luck and Godspeed!”
The borough is sending the team off to the series in style, with cheer befitting Hillsdale pride in this, her 125th anniversary year:
All were invited Aug. 9 to Centennial Field to watch the team practice, to have kids practice with the team, to participate in a fire truck wet-down, and in an evening procession around town.
On the climb
The Hawks completed the East Region Tournament in Dubois with a win on Saturday, Aug. 5 over Maryland in the championship game.
The tournament featured eight state champions (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine) and a gallant host team.
The Hawks faced tough opposition in each of the four games played in the tournament, beating out New York, Delaware, and Maryland twice, to earn the championship title.
Kirkby said of his team, “It was a great experience for our kids to play in a super facility in DuBois and face solid teams that were state champions from around the Eastern Region. I’m very proud of our team’s effort and emotion throughout the four games. There were numerous key hits and defensive plays.”
Team dad Stephen Morgan said the Hawks under Kirkby won the Little League East Region Tournament in Rhode Island in 2019 at the 10-year-old level — “it was the furthest they could go at that level” — and finished as runner-up in the 12-year-old New Jersey State Tournament in 2021.
Morgan said fans have been following the action on the Hillsdale Baseball and Softball Association Facebook page and the Junior League Baseball World Series web page, among others.
Gracious hosts
On Aug 5, the Junior League Eastern Regional Tournament said on Facebook, “From all of us on the Junior League Eastern Regional Tournament Committee, the District 10 administrators, City of DuBois, and the DuBois Little League we congratulate Hillsdale … on their incredible run in the 2023 Tournament. Good luck and safe travels to Taylor, Mich. We will be rooting for you!”
And the Hillsdale Baseball & Softball Association said our sluggers are “the best of the best! Hillsdale is 13–0 in Little League play so far in this season’s tournament.”
It also lauded the undisputed powerhouse behind the team’s success: “Mama Hawks.”
Spectacular record
Here is a list of championships and accomplishments for this team, courtesy the Hillsdale Baseball and Softball Association, which said, “In the 65 years of the Little League District 4 history, only one Hillsdale team had won the District 4 championship at any level. This group has won it four times”:
- 8U Spring NEBAS Champions
- 8U Summer Suburban League Champions
- 9U District 4 Little League Champions
- 10U District 4 Little League Champions
- 10U Section 1 Little League Champions
- 10U New Jersey Little League State Champions
- 10U Little League Mid-Atlantic Regional Champions
- 10U Little League Eastern Regional Champions
- 11U USABL Regular Season Champions
- 12U North Rockland Fall Tournament Champions
- 12U Bergen County Charity Classic Champions
- 12U District 4 Little League Champions
- 12U Section 1 Little League Champions
- 12U New Jersey Little League State Runner Up
- 13U Bergen County Charity Classic
- 14U USABL East Coast Clash champions
- 14U Hillsdale Against Hunger Memorial Day Tournament
- 14U Rumble at the Rock Tourney Champions
- 14U District 4 Little League Champions
- 14U Section 1 Little League Champions
- 14U New Jersey Little League State Champions
- 14U Little League Eastern Regional Champions