New Orleans Boosters defeat Brooklyn, 14-4, to advance at AABA National Tournament

JOHNSTOWN, Penn. – New Orleans defeated Brooklyn (Youth Service) 14-4 in eight innings Wednesday at Roxbury Park on Day 3 of the 2018 AAABA National Tournament.

With the win, New Orleans closes pool play 2-1 to advance as the Pool B winner. The Boosters will face Zanesville (Pool A) at noon EST on Thursday in the tournament’s quarterfinal, single-elimination round.

The Boosters hit the board in the third inning following back-to-back walks by Alex Galy and Michael Kirsch. Galy scored the game’s first run on an RBI single by Brandon Briuglio and Kirsch scored on a single by Grant Mathews.

Brooklyn opened the bottom frame with three consecutive singles before Jonathan Pena’s grand slam gave Youth Service a 4-2 lead.

In the sixth, New Orleans’ Grant Mathews led off with a homerun to cut the lead to a run. Two batters later, Ross Scelfo’s solo home run tied the game 4-4. In the eighth, Grant Schulz and Ross Scelfo reached on singles before Blake Freeman walked to load the bases. Schulz scored on a wild pitch, Alex Galy drew a walk, and Michael Kirsch singled to plate Scelfo. Brandon Briuglio’s grand slam cleared the bases and lifted New Orleans to a 10-4 lead.

Later in the inning, an RBI single by Grant Schulz, a bases-loaded walk by Ross Scelfo and a groundout made for an 14-4 New Orleans lead and the eventual mercy rule victory.

Booster starting pitcher Mason Mayfield earned the win on the mound with Noah Fontenot (.2) and Kyle Flettrich (1.0) closed the game.

The year marks New Orleans’ 72nd summer as a franchise of the AAABA. New Orleans has appeared in twenty-six title games and captured fifteen national championships, most recently in 2017. The 2018 squad features players from local programs such as Delgado, Tulane, LSU, Northwestern State, Southeastern, UNO, and the University of Houston.

For more information about the tournament, visit aaabajohnstown.org