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Baltimore sweeps to 28th championship

August 13, 2011 - Youse's Maryland Orioles won their 28th national championship after defeating rival New Orleans in the final game of the 67th annual All American Amateur Baseball Association national tournament. The Orioles won their second double-header of the week, throttling Livonia 17-6 in the opener and building a 5-0 lead on the Boosters and held on for a 5-2 win.

Defensive Dual

Coming into the final game, Baltimore had won four of their five games by mercy-rule, including a 14-2 victory over New Orleans earlier in the week. The Recreation Department Boosters from New Orleans knew they would need to keep the Baltimore bats quiet in order to have a chance at forcing a decisive game on Sunday, and through the first seven innings they were able to do it.

NORD starter Brent Bonvillain from Louisiana State University sent the Orioles down in order in the first. He struck out Harry Slade, Joe Harbach reached on an error, but Chris Ayer grounded into a double play. Orioles starter Bradley Markey wasn't quiet as clean in his first inning, as he walked lead-off batter Blake Butera. With one out, Butera went to third on a pass ball. However, Logan Jones grounded into an unconvential 5-2-1-3 double play. His chopper to third base caught Butera in a run down, and then Jones was thrown out at first after he turned the corner looking for second.

In the second, the Orioles scored a run despite remaining hitless. Andrew Parker walked and Kevin Hockaday reached on an error with one out. Christopher Cook was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Dominic Fratantuono grounded to first base to score the game's first run. Bonvillain struck out Mike Draper to leave two on base. Markey also hit a batter in the bottom of the inning, but a double play ended the inning after three batters.

"Bradley [Markey] has been good all year. He's solid," said Norris of his starter. "He struggled a little early with his command, but I knew once he settled down he'd reel off a few good innings for us and that’s what he did."

"I started off a little rough, but my defense kept me in the game," said Markey, who picked-up the win.

Quiet Middle Innings

Both teams went down in order in the third on 5 ground balls and 1 fly out. The Orioles' Parker led off the fourth with a double to left, but was stranded. New Orleans' second baseman Butera led off with a single up the middle, but was also stranded.

Same story in the fifth, as Fratantuono got the Orioles started with a single but could only be moved to second on Draper's sacrifice bunt. The Boosters went down in order.

Baltimore's only base runner in the sixth was Parker who reached on an error by the third baseman with one out. Dennis Mitchell struck out for the third of four times in the game and Hockaday grounded out, stranding the runner at second. Markey struck out two in the bottom of the inning before allowing a single to Butera. A fly out to right stranded him at first. Butera had 2 of his team's 7 hits and one of the game's two walks.

Orioles open up the lead

Bonvillain put Baltimore back on the bench in order in the seventh including a strike-out but also a hit batsman. NORD threatened in the bottom of the inning as Jones singled to lead off the inning. After Angelo Bruno popped out to second base, Joseph Broussard was robbed of a hit by centerfielder Joe Harbach's diving catch. On the next batter, Jones safely stole second as the throw from catcher Luke Voiron went into centerfield, but Harbach showed off his arm on this play and gunned down Jones as he tried to advance to third.

With the game still close at 1-0, Baltimore put together a big inning to give themselves breathing room. After Harry Slade grounded out to first, Harbach singled to left and Ayers singled to right. Then, Andrew Parker doubled to score Harbach and make it 2-0. New Orleans manager Bill Babin brought in veteran Joseph Broussard from left field to pitch, sending designated-hitter Daniel Brockhoeft into left. However, Kevin Hockaday sent a hard shot past first baseman Bruno and reached second base as two more runs scored. Cook then singled up the middle which allowed Hockaday to score, and Cook reached second when cut-off man missed the throw from centerfield. Broussard struck out Fratantuono to end the inning, but the damage had been done.

"That [double] was huge," said Norris. "[It] took a lot of weight off our shoulders."

Last chance for Boosters

With their chances running out, NORD's Brockhoeft singled through the gap at short stop to lead off. However, Sam Carriere flew out to right and Voiron grounded out. Pinch hitter Matt Smith reached on an error by the third baseman who could not make a throw, but Markey got Butera to ground out to third, stranding two runners.

Broussard send the O's down in order in the ninth as the Boosters prepared for their final chance to score runs. They started successfully as lead-off batter Sean McMullen singled up the middle. He was out on the next play, though, when Logan Jones grounded into a fielder's choice.

Orioles manager Tim Norris went to his closer Ryan Farrar but he never got to deliver a pitch. Farrar was thrown a brand-new ball to pitch andNew Orleans manager Babin caught Farrar drag the ball across the dirt while trying to remove the shine. While rubbing dirt on the ball is a common practice to get more grip, the rules state that the ball cannot be scraped across the ground. Althought Farrar never pitched with the ball, he was ejected from the game, forcing manager Norris to bring in Bobby Ruse to pitch.

Ruse was given a rude welcome as Angelo Bruno (0-for-3 to that point) hammered a two-run shot over the Screen Monster to get NORD on the board. Ruse won the next battle against Broussard, striking him out, before giving up a single to Brockhoeft. With one out to go, Carriere flew out to left field where Ayers made the catch against the wall to give the Orioles the championship.

Baltimore on top once again

New Orleans left 5 runners on base and Baltimore left 6. New Orleans pitchers recorded 8 strike-outs while Baltimore recorded only 3. Each team allowed only 1 walk. The teams combined for 10 fly outs (Baltimore 2 and New Orleans 8) and a whopping 28 ground-outs (Baltimore 15 and New Orleans 13).

This was Baltimore's 28th championship overall and 8th in the past 9 years. It is also their 14th time going undefeated in the tournament. For most players, however, it was their first AAABA championship.

"Since I was really little, [I've been] coming here and watching the tournament and having a dream of winning it and it finally came true today," said Johnstown native Austin Urban who signed with the Chicago Cubs on Friday night. While the city of Johnstown remains pennant-less in the AAAABA, there is now at least one Johnstown native with a championship to his name. Urban spent much of the time following the game signing autographs for his local fans.

"It's a really good tournament, probably one of the best I've ever been to," said second-year player and tournament MVP Bradley Markey. "It was a lot of fun."

"The kids had a ball this week," said Norris. "I had a couple of them say that this is the most fun they've ever had playing ball."

2011 AAABA National Champions - Youse's Maryland Orioles of Baltimore