HHH Hawks Make It to State Title Game

Submitted by Joe O'Donnell

The Half Hollow Hills Hawks Big League baseball team made it all way to the New York State Championship finals for the second year in a row.  After winning the Long Island (Section 6) Championship the team advanced to the New York State Tournament in Wappinger Falls, NY this past weekend.

After a Hawks win earlier in the day behind winning pitcher James Litchhult, a two-run homer by Bryan Napoleone, and two doubles, a single and four RBIs by David Golinowski, the team entered the championship against Cisero, a suburb just north of Syracuse.  

Neither team scored throughout the first seven regulation innings of the game with excellent pitching on both sides.  The epic battle continued into the ninth inning with Sal Lovaglio of Dix Hills still on the mound for the Hawks, pitching in 98 degree heat.  Lovaglio gave up only three hits and struck out eight batters, while constantly battling down Cisero's best hitters.  

With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Big League rules mandated that Lovaglio be withdrawn from the game due to pitch count.  Cisero then spawned a two-out rally and scored the only run of the game, prevailing as New York State Champions.

The Hawks left eight runners on base with Justin Ashley and Jonah Glickstein both getting two hits and Golinowski and Jim Maguire contributing a single and double respectively.  The game ended a great run for a group of young men who had played together for many years winning multiple District 34 and Long Island Championships.