U10 Mustangs Return from National Championship with Awards

A team of 11 baseball players from Avon, Simsbury and Granby is celebrating a winning season after leaving a championship in Florida with several awards.

The Northern Connecticut Mustangs 10U baseball team played their way to the 2013 AAU National Baseball Championship Tournament at the Disney World/ESPN sports complex in Orlando after winning the 2013 Connecticut AAU 10U State Championship in April. The team went on to come within one run of winning the Eastern Shore Travel League Spring 2013 Championship before heading to Florida June 16-23.

The Mustangs were one of just 24 teams invited to the national championship tournament and though they came together as a team just this year, they faced teams that had played together for more than three years. 

By week's end, the Mustangs had finished in fifth place and come within one run of upsetting the top-ranked team, which went on to win the championship. 

Though the championship was done, the team learned they had been chosen to receive the AAU Tournament’s Sportsmanship Award. The award is voted on by coaches from all the participating teams as well as umpires.