| Dodgeball Simulation League |
| Season 5 opened dismally for the Hitmen. Season 4 had been the team's first-ever losing season, with a record of 4-6, and when they opened this next season with an 0-3 record, fans were lamenting that the side might even miss the playoffs for the first time in history. Losses to the Hornets, Assassins, and Mobsters seemed to signal that the team was no longer among the league's elite. Everything changed with their round 4 match against the Barrage. Joshua Corbitt's 3 game 1 regenerations changed the early tide of Ronald Rupe domination and started the Hitmen on their way to a 2-0 win. "That match was incredible," then-Hitmen star Daniel Engel now says. "We still let (Rupe) make three catches in it, but the game 1 comeback was our wake-up call for that season." In the next round, the Hitmen would sweep the Arsenal, and the message was out to the rest of the league that the Hitmen were not about to relent. The Bullets tried to demonstrate otherwise in round 6, taking an early 1-0 lead. The Hitmen, however, came on too strong for their Classic Division opponents, taking a 2-1 victory. Then the Hitmen exacted revenge on the Assassins with a 2-0 win. Stephanie McCulloch starred with 4 kills and 3 catches to vanquish their Elite Division rivals. The Mobsters were the next to fall with a 2-0 loss against the Hitmen, and the side that had started 0-3 was now 5-3 and in contention for the league regular season title with the Mobsters. The Hitmen again had a huge match against the Barrage with another 2-0 sweep. Daniel Engel scored 25 points in the win to earn Match MVP. The Mobsters matched the Hitmen with a 2-0 win of their own against the Assassins. At the end of round 9, the Mobsters had a 6-3 record (5-1 in-division) and the Hitmen were also 6-3 (though 4-2 in-division). In the season's final round, the Hitmen vanquished the poorly-playing Enforcers to secure their 7th straight victory. The Mobsters had matched them though with a 2-0 defeat of the Bullets, and on the virtue of division record, took the overall regular season title. The Hitmen would lose in the first round to the Assassins eventually, but the lessons learned about starting the season well and maintaining a high level of play through the season would be key to the Hitmen's coming season 6, in which they won their first DSL championship. |
| #8: Season 5 Hitmen Win 7 Straight |