Boosters pull away with offensive explosion late, punch ticket to AAABA title game

JOHNSTOWN, PA- New Orleans advanced to the Championship round of the 76th annual All-American Amateur Baseball Association’s National Tournament with a convincing 20-5 victory over Philadelphia Friday at Point Stadium.

Despite the final, the game remained tight with a 6-5 New Orleans lead into the eighth inning, when New Orleans plated a seventh run when Bryan Broussard and Brayden Caskey walked before Brady Faust’s single plated Broussard. Christian Westcott’s two run double gave the Boosters the 9-5 lead through eight innings.

In the ninth, New Orleans sent 16 batters to the plate to score 11 runs on seven hits to expand the lead in the late, runaway victory.

New Orleans hit the board in the first with Stephen Klein’s RBI single to score Brayden Caskey, who started the game with a walk. In the second, Josh Alexander’s homerun added two before back to back singles by Jacob Singletary and Alexander in the third gave the Boosters the 5-0 lead. Philadelphia added two in the third before another Booster run came in the fourth following a leadoff triple by Bryan Broussard, who scored on a groundout by Brady Faust.

Philadelphia threatened with three runs in the fourth before the tying run was tagged out at second base to end the frame. The 6-5 New Orleans lead carried to the eighth.

Turner Toms picked up the win on the mound in relief of starter Kaile Levatino, who pitched four innings.

With Friday’s win, New Orleans advances to the franchise’s 29th AAABA title game on Saturday, facing the winner of Friday nights other semi final game between Johnstown and New Brunswick.

The year marks the Boosters’ fourth appearance in the last five championship games, the most recent coming in 2019 when New Orleans claimed its 16th crown with a win over Johnstown. This summer marks the franchise’s 75th anniversary of its first AAABA appearance in 1946.