Front Row: Max Brass, Jake Tobia, Kenny Sullivan, Sam Margulis, Adam Wijaya and Andy Blake.
Back Row: Coach Chris Tobia, Nick Psomaras, Michael Savas, Jack Kandell, Manager Al Kandell, Sid Spencer, Jake Storer, Dom Gambino and Coach John Savas.
The Ewing-Hopewell Babe Ruth 15U team beat West Windsor Plainsboro for the Southern New Jersey State Title. The team then travelled to South Colonie, NY for the Mid-Atlantic Regional tournament starting on July 24, 2015. They opened with a 5-2 loss to West End, PA, and then promptly ripped off 5 straight wins by scores of 16-0 over Community Athletic League of Delaware, 9-8 over Frederick County, Maryland, 14-9 over Niskayuna, NY, and then an 8-7 win over Paulino, NY in the Quarter-Finals, and a 7-6 win over South Colonie, NY, the undefeated tournament host, in the Semi-Finals. By virtue of their 5-1 record, they reached the Final Championship Game to once again face West End, PA on July 28, 2015.
EHBR fought hard throughout the tournament, defeating teams through superior pitching by Dom Gambino, Jack Kandell, Nick Psomaras, Jake Storer, and Andy Blake.
Throughout the tournament EHBR had multiple come-from-behind wins and extra-inning games. Victories depended largely upon a combination of timely hitting and exceptional defense. Offensively, the entire team came alive with a team batting average well above .300 including multiple hit games by Dom Gambino, Sam Margulis, Jake Tobia, Andy Blake, Kenny Sullivan and capped off by a grand slam home run by Jack Kandell. Big and timely hits were also delivered by Adam Wijaya, Jake Storer, Nick Psomaras and Sid Spencer. EHBR did not have a single “out” in the line-up with all of the players providing a significant contribution during the tournament. When called upon, Michael Savas and Max Brass also provided much needed back-up.
Meeting West End, PA again in the Championship game, EHBR was disadvantaged. Having played more games than their opponent, and having had multiple extra-inning games eating up pitchers, EHBR still came out fighting hard. Starting pitcher Andy Blake, a 14 year old “knuckleballer” managed to keep the strong hitters off balance, and held the tough Pennsylvania team to just 3 runs for seven innings, with key plays made by the defense. EHBR came within two outs of victory in the bottom of the 7th, but fell victim to the big bats of Pennsylvania, eventually losing 7-3 in extra innings.
The Ewing-Hopewell team had never before experienced a Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament, and they played fearlessly, and as a team. As the only New Jersey team surviving until the end, they represented Southern New Jersey well, earning immediate respect by the opposing teams and establishing EHBR as a formidable opponent in all levels of Babe Ruth baseball.
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