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National Tournament ● Johnstown, Pennsylvania

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Johnstown draws Cleveland for opener (August 8th, 2010 - 9:00pm)

SCHEDULE- The opening day brackets have been determined and Johnstown will open against Cleveland at the Point Stadium at 7:30pm. For a full bracket listing, click on the 'Click here for coverage' banner above. Also, see below for some photos from the banquet, or visit our full photo gallery.

The other lower bracket games are (home team listed first): Baltimore versus Maryland State at Roxbury at noon, Chicago-Metro versus New York City at Saint Michael at noon, Columbus versus Livonia at Portage at noon.

In the upper bracket (home team listed first), Buffalo versus Zanesville at Point Stadium at 10:00am, Philadelphia versus Altoona at Lilly at noon, New Orleans versus Toledo at Arcurio at noon, and Flood City (Martella's) versus New Brunswick at Point Stadium at 1:00pm.

OPENING NIGHT - Cleveland last played on opening night in 1995 when Johnstown Sani-Dairy defeated the Cleveland Mill-Rose team 14-9. That year, Cleveland was eliminated 0-2 (Lost to Baltimore 19-0) but Johnstown went on to a 4-2 runner-up finish to champion New Orleans.

"It will be a challenge, but hopefully our guys will respond to that kind of a crowd," said Cleveland manager Bill Kirchner (pictured left). "We have to take it one pitch at a time, one bat at a time. We have to forget the past, not worry about the future, and just on the present." Cleveland is represented by the Old Brooklyn Hurricanes.

"We don't know anything about them yet," said Johnstown Delweld coach Chris Delsignore (pictured right), "and I'm sure they don't know anything about us, so we'll go in fairly even." Knowing or not knowing about the other team is not much of a concern to Delsignore. "We've never worried about the team in the other dugout. We play against the game, it doesn't matter whose wearing the other uniform."

Delweld will start Carter Lehman on the mound, while Cleveland will start Ron Stout, a right-handed pitcher and pick-up player from Monroe Community College. Stout is from Medina, Ohio, and led his Monroe club with a 2.09 ERA and an 8-1 win-loss record in 10 games. He pitched 64.2 innings allowing 48 hits and 18 runs with 45 strike-outs. At the plate, Stout also led his Monroe club with a 0.417 average and had 50 hits in 120 at-bats with 34 RBIs.

"It's important to understand that the crowd is behind you," said Delsignore. "It can be a little overwhelming at times, and hopefully the other team will play a little tight and we can take advantage of it."

Manager Kirchner said that his players were pulling for a Johnstown draw, but knowing the strength of the Johnstown entry muted some of the celebration.

"It's a testament to our league," noted Delsignore. "We put a competitive team in the tournament each year. We're no longer a door mat."

AFTERNOON REMATCH - Managers Chris Pfiel (Flood City) and Glenn Fredericks (New Brunswick) shared a laugh before Pfield won the coin toss and chose to bat in the bottom half of the inning. The two managers last met on the field last year during a 14-9 New Brunswick win at Point Stadium. They meet again this year at the Point Stadium on Monday at 1:00pm.

"It was a slugfest," said Pfiel. The teams combined for 29 hits in that 2009 game. "Hopefully we can control their bats this year."

Pfiel will start Scott Dixon, the 18-year-old Pete Vuckovich Award co-winner. In AAABA League play this year, Dixon was 6-1 with 1.59 ERA in 39.2 innings pitched. He had 50 strikeouts. He should be a tough match for the New Brunswick team, which Fredericks says has been struggling at the plate lately.

For the Matrix, right-hander Andrew Sullivan will start. He was an All State player for Monroe Township High School and will attend Rutgers University. Fredericks knows the history of the tournament and hopes that his team will come out on the favorable side of history this season.

"They're still playing to be the first Johnstown to win it, and it'll be a great story when it happens, but we don't want it to be at our expense."

OTHER GAMES - There will be a triple-header at the Point Stadium beginning with Buffalo (New Era) and Zanesville (Junior Pioneers) at the 10:00am. Defending champion New Orleans (Boosters) opens their title defense against Toledo (Lake Erie Monarchs) at Arcurio at noon. Last year, New Orleans eliminated Toledo 10-5 on Friday. The other upper bracket game will have Philadelphia (Bandits) playing Altoona (Johnston Realty) at Lilly. These two teams met at the Altoona Regional with the Bandits winning by mercy rule. Altoona can expect support from the crowd, however, as Lilly is only a short drive from Altoona.

In the lower bracket, Baltimore (Youse's Orioles) opens against Maryland State (Calvert Legion) at Roxbury at noon. Baltimore is in the lower bracket this year because they were eliminated in the regional last year. The teams last faced off on opening day in 2007 when Baltimore beat the Maryland Monarchs 12-4 on way to their 5th consecutive championship. New York (Long Island Astros) and Chicago-Metro (Des Plaines Patriots) play at Saint Michael at noon, and may have to face Baltimore on the second day of the tournament. Livonia (Coach's Corner) and Columbus (Braves) play at Portage at noon, and will play either Johnstown or Cleveland on Tuesday.

Registrations Complete (August 8th, 2010 - 5:10pm)

All sixteen teams have successfully registered for the 66th Annual AAABA national tournament. Players are now beginning to report to the Cambria County War Memorial Arena for tonight's players' banquet and bracket drawings. We'll have the brackets online as soon as possible. Until then, here are a few shots from the registration. Also, check out the full gallery of photos from this morning and afternoon.

Junior Pioneers returning seven from last year (August 8th, 2010 - 3:45pm)

Doug Pollock has been to Johnstown many times in the past, and this year, half of his team are also returnees. The Junior Pioneers were 2-2 in the tournament last season and are bringing seven players from that team to Johnstown this season. Unfortunately, some key players are not part of that list.

"Our two 20-year-old pitchers had arm problems and are not with us this week, and another player--a 0.320 hitter--didn't make the trip," said Pollock. Zanesville will still have some veteran leadership, as Zack Pollock and Wade Kaido return for their third tournaments this year.

Last year, the Junior Pioneers were shutout in their first game last year and had their first run of the tournament walked in.

"Hitting has been up and down this season. I've come with teams that are good hitting teams and they get here and not hit, and other teams just get excited about it and hit well. It's a year to year thing."

Pollock's team may be seeded in the upper bracket this season due to their strong performance in 2009. While that bracket will have tough teams, the alternative is the possibility of playing Johnstown on Opening Night.

"It's pick your poison," said Pollock. "Either you're in the upper bracket or maybe playing Opening Night. Opening Night is almost impossible to win for a visiting team. It's a difficult game."

NEW YORK CITY - Another new team this year are the Long Island Astros from New York. The Astros finished their FABL season in 2nd place with a 15-9-1 record, then defeated West Chester County for the right to represent New York in Johnstown.

"We have a strong team," said coach Jeff Rusoff. "Some of the other teams here look to be powerhouse teams, and we're not a powerhouse team, but we have a good group of players. Hopefully we'll do well in our first tournament."

CHICAGO-METRO - When the Glen Ellyn Jam finished 2nd in the 2006 tournament, there were thoughts that Chicago-Metro could become another perennial contendor in the AAABA. But when the Jam folder in 2008, it left Chicago without a representative.

This year, a new team has taken over and will bring the Windy City back to Johnstown. Mike Schultz leads the first-year Des Plaines Patriots to their first tournament. He explained that franchise representative Len DiForte was so impressed with their play this season that he asked them to make the trip east.

"We played very well this season. We won our league by 1 1/2 games and finished 17-6," said Schultz. "The players are excited. They understand the kind of crowd Johnstown can draw on Opening Night and they want to play in front of those fans. They're coming in with confidence after our season."

While the players are new to Johnstown, they have a great source of experience in coach Joe Penner. Penner played in Johnstown for two years with Glen Ellyn Jam, including the runner-up team in 2006. Schultz said that Penner has been 'giddy' about returning to town and exclaimed 'I can't believe I'm back' after the long drive into Pennsylvania.

"It doesn't matter what school you play for, whether D3 or D1," explain Penner when asked about what he learned during his previous trips to the tournament. "Once you get between the lines, anyone can win."

"I've been able to tell the players about my experiences with the runner-up club, and I hope that those stories are getting them excited to play and gives them the drive to get to the championship."  

Philadelphia hoping this is their week (August 8th, 2010 - 3:00pm)

PHILADELPHIA - On Monday morning in Altoona, few people were expecting Philadelphia to advance to Johnstown. The Bandits had to win three games, including two against newcomer Miami in order to win the regional. But by the end of the day, it was hard to imagine any other result. The Bandits knocked off host Altoona and then took two from Miami to sweep their triple header.

Last year, the Bandits were runners-up in the Altoona Regional after forfeiting the championship game to Altoona. But despite playing strong that week, the Bandits were eliminated in two games in Johnstown the following week.

"We're confident," said manager Mike Gossner, "but we understand that one week to another, things can chance. We're just trying to stay positive and upbeat." The Bandits currently have 18 players registered and are hoping for two more to show up tomorrow.

COLUMBUS - The Braves from Columbus are making their first trip to Johnstown, but the coaches and players know what they're getting into:

"We know that is the granddaddy of all amateur tournaments in our region," said manager Bruce Domineck. "They players are loving it." With their excitement, the players also know they have a tough task ahead of them.

"We're the youngest team in our summer league. We're a bit apprehensive, but we're getting the players over the jitters of playing against some of the best teams in the country. We're happy to be here."

BUFFALO - New Era is this year's Buffalo representative. They finished 3rd in the regular season and then swept through the playoffs with a 4-0 record and series victories against Ken-Hy Auto and Meridian Medicine. New Era had been to the championship before, but finally came out on top this year.

"Pitching is out strength," said manager Chuck Righetti. "Two years ago we went to the championship game and lost in the last game because we didn't have pitching." The Buffalo AAABA has a long tradition within its community and parity between the teams, so the players enter the season excited about a possible trip to Johnstown.

"Everyone of the players in Buffalo know about the tournament. We didn't have to do anything to get them ready," said Righetti. Several of his players had some extra motivation this year, too.

"I've got seven players who are too old to play next year, and they made sure we didn't lose."

TOLEDO - Finishing under 0.500 is usually a bad sign for teams, but the coaching staff for the Lake Erie Monarchs from Toledo are still proud of their performance.

"We were the youngest team in the Great Lakes league, which is ranked as the 4th or 5th best amateur league in the country," said manager Dale Gray. "We battled and just missed the playoffs." The Monarchs are made up mostly of freshmen and sophomores so that they can keep their entire team together for the national tournament in Johnstown.

Last year, Toledo won the Zanesville Regional and then posted a 3-2 record in Johnstown.

"[Last year] we learned that pitching is a premium, so we brought a good compliment of pitchers this year," said Gray. "I saw last year that we win with our pitching and defense, so we shored up our pitching staff."

This year, Toledo was given a direct bid into the national tournament, and the players used the week to regroup after a long summer schedule.

"We play a 42-game schedule in the Great Lakes league, and being a young team, the players were getting a little tired at the end of the season. But, we had a week off and we're coming into this week refreshed."

Matrix back in town (August 8th, 2010 - 1:20pm)

The New Brunswick Matrix impressed a lot of local baseball fans with their 2nd place finish in the 2009 tournament. Prior to registration, coach Nick Cesare took some time to browse over Rex Morgart's extensive display of AAABA Alumni who have played professionally.

"It'd be nice to add another New Brunswick player to the list," said Cesare. This year, the Matrix defeated fan favorite Brooklyn Youth Service in their New York regional to earn a second trip to Johnstown.

"The first game against Brooklyn was a battle, and in the second game, we were trailing 5-0 in the first inning but came back."

The Matrix won both games, but did not escape the regional unscathed.

"We got a couple unfortunate breaks this past week," said manager Glenn Fredericks. "We have 2 injuries and one player came down with mono. They were older players who we relied heavily on last year. To win the regional and then come here without our full compliment of players, it hurts, but it's a privilege to make it this far."

The Matrix will be trying to make another run at the championship this season, but won't be able to rely on experiences learned from last year.

"We had a lot of roster turnover. We're a bit younger than last year, which is saying something, because we were pretty young last year." Fredericks thinks that his team has lost some power this season, as well as two of his starting pitchers. And while the Matrix may have lost some things from last year, Fredericks believe that the other teams have gained.

"I expect a significant upgrade in play this year judging by the players on these rosters," he said. "If you're not 8, 9, or 10 pitchers deep, you're not going to go far in this tournament."

But the Matrix aren't going to let injuries and roster turnover cloud their minds this week. According to coach Cesare: "We're just going to go out and play, try our best, and let it fall as it may."

AMBASSADORS - While the players do the hard work on the field, the ambassadors are doing the hard work off the field. But for first year ambassadors Breanna Rock and Samantha Martin, it's all worth it.

"I became an ambassador because it's a great experience," said Samanta. "It's going to be exciting."

"It was a lot of work this summer, but once all the tickets are sold you feel a real sense of accomplishment," said Breanna. The ambassadors spent the summer selling tickets around town, and will work during the week selling 50/50 tickets at the games and greeting the players are they arrive in town. The 37 girls selected to represent the tournament will also have the chance to

"I'm looking forward to riding on the Corvettes and dressing up," said Breanna. "We hope Johnstown does good. We'll be cheering them on."

CLEVELAND - Bill Kirchner is leading the Old Brooklyn Hurricanes to their first national tournament this year. "We understand it's a prestigious tournament. We're been told a lot about it and we're looking forward to playing."

"Our team has speed and good pitching. Ron Stout, Mike Kirchner, and Matt Crossland are our top pitchers. For speed, Malcolm Jones, Zack Walker and Mike Kirchner are all fast, but our whole team runs well."

MARYLAND STATE - Calvert Legion, runners-up in the Eddie Brooks League, will represent Maryland State this year. Manager Bobby Gibbons knows his team might be a bit outmatched, but wants his players to enjoy their time in Johnstown.

"We're a young team. Most of our guys just graduated high school," he said. "We're just hoping to come up here and show these players a great tournament and give them a great experience."

Gibbons feels that his team's defense is their strength and that they will do well if they can manufacture runs.

New Orleans looking to defend title (August 8th, 2010 - 12:45pm)

Billy Babin was born and raised in New Orleans and grew up with the AAABA tradition, but Billy was never able to make it to Johnstown as a player.

"Rags (Louis Scheuermann) cut me from the 1975 Johnstown team. But I've always respected him, and he made the right decision: I wasn't very good." Babin didn't miss out on much that year, as New Orleans was eliminated 0-2 including a 16-4 loss to Ann Arbor.

While Babin never made it to Johnstown as a player, last year he led the Dixielanders to the national championship as manager.

"When Joe Scheuerman asked me to coach, I was probably more excited than the kids, because I know what this tournament means. I've been coaching in New Orleans since 1977 and have coached many of the kids who have played in Johnstown."

"This tradition is as big as any tradition in New Orleans," said Babin. His passion for AAABA was evident after capturing the crown last season, as an ecstatic Babin led the celebration for his team. While the win last year is still a sweet memory for Babin, he knows that it has been difficult to New Orleans to defend their championships.

"We've won 13 championships, but not back to back since 1955." Despite that history, Babin is confident in this year's Boosters.

"We have a good nucleus from last year, including Beau Boudreaux and Scott Fabre. We also have six left-handed pitchers and we feel that our pitching depth will give us a chance to repeat."

LIVONIA - Coach's Corner upset the Michigan Rams and will represent Livonia in this year's tournament. The Rams have been a familiar face in Johnstown, playing for Livonia since 2003. But the Coach's Corner club and manager Mike George are not strangers to the Flood City.

"We used to be called Decision Consultants, Inc. The team folded a few years ago, but we got back together this summer," explained George. DCI represented Livonia in 1995 and from 1998-2001, including a 3rd place finish in 1998. This year's team is mostly made up of Madonna University players, but have one former Rams--Tony Hanson--who is returning to Johnstown.

"We're a young team," said George. "We're kind of a rag-tag team." That didn't stop Coach's Corner from posting an impressive 79-18 overall record this season.

"Pitching got us here and we'll go as far as pitching allows," said George.

ALTOONA - Johnston Realty was quickly eliminated from the national tournament last year and will be looking for a stronger showing in 2010 under the direction of manager Mel Curtis. Altoona finished 3rd in their regional, and Curtis felt that his team played well against Miami and Philadelphia.

"We're carrying confidence into the tournament," he said. "We're feeling good and we're ready to play."

BALTIMORE - After six consecutive national championships, Dean Albany stepped down as coach of Youse's Maryland Orioles and handed the reigns to Tim Norris. Unfortunately for Norris, his debut season in 2009 ended in Altoona.

"We came into Altoona banged up, especially to our pitchers. But our pitchers played pretty well, we just didn't hit. We didn't play well."

Baltimore's elimination was a surprise to many, especially considering the history of the team. But Norris is hoping that history will continue to repeat itself.

"After the loss in Altoona, Dean told me that he lost his first year in a regional, too, so hopefully we'll win six in a row now."

The Orioles are this year's champions of the Cal Ripken Sr. League. They won or tied their season series against every team in the league, but the long summer schedule has left the team banged up again. As a result, Landis had to recruit the maximum four pick-up players for one of the few times in Orioles' history. Additionally, only Pat Blair has national tournament exposure. Despite the injuries and lack of experience, Landis and his eam are excited.

"When they show up on the first day of May, we talk to them about Johnstown. It's something we all look forward to."

 

Registrations are underway (August 8th, 2010 - 12:00pm)

REGISTRATION - The sixteen AAABA teams are beginning to register at the Holiday Inn downtown. Host Johnstown Delweld is the first team to register and will be followed by Johnstown's Martella's Pharmacy (to be referred to on this site as Flood City). The two Johnstown managers are in slightly different moods heading into the tournament, but both are feeling good about their chances.

"We're loose," said Chris Delsignore, manager of Delweld. "We have experience on our side. Our guys are familiar with the routine of AAABA week."

"We're confident," said Chris Pfield, manager of Martella's Pharmacy. "We feel if we play fundamental baseball, we can play with any team here."

As of noon, Johnstown, Flood City, Altoona, Livonia, New Orleans, Baltimore, Cleveland, and Maryland State have all registered. We'll post photos and more updates later this afternoon.

MEDIA - Here are news articles from other press covering the tournament.

August 8th Three join AAABA Hall of Fame in front of former Pirates. Mike Mastovich, Tribune-Democrat

August 8th DelSignore's group brings plenty of experience. Mike Mastovich, Tribune-Democrat

August 8th AAABA essay contest: Coach's words help boy's AAABA dream come true. Staff, Tribune-Democrat

August 8th Pfiel hopes lineup is the prescription for successful run. Mike Mastovich, Tribune-Democrat

August 8th Seven returness give New Orleans chance to repeat. Ruth Rice, Tribune-Democrat

August 8th Envoys share bond of friendship. Mike Mastovich, Tribune-Democrat

August 8th AAABA Ambassadors. Ruth Rice, Tribune-Democrat

August 8th A Johnstown Tradition: Edition 66. Staff, Tribune-Democrat

August 8th Sweet Memories: Groat, Law reminder of Pirates’ best days. Nate Foreman, The Altoona Mirror

August 7th Delweld's Lehman goes from fill in to top starter. Mike Mastovich, Tribune-Democrat

August 7th Martella's waiting to pick starter. Mike Mastovich, Tribune-Democrat

Altoona Regional photo albums now online (August 7th, 2010)

Visit our photo gallery to see photos from the 2010 Altoona Regional featuring Philadelphia Bandits, Miami Florida Bombers, Altoona Johnston Realty, and the Mifflin County Stars.

National Tournament begins Monday! (August 5th, 2010)

SITE WORK - We're busy preparing for the national tournament that beings this Monday. Some of the information on the National section has been updated including some information on the 16 qualified teams. The Altoona Regional recaps have been moved off this page and into the Altoona Regional section. An Altoona Regional photo gallery will hopefully be online by Saturday.

NATIONALS - Our coverage will begin Sunday morning as teams begin registering. Sunday evening is the player's banquet and bracket drawings. Times and locations of Monday's games will be posted as soon as possible on Sunday evening. Tentatively, Johnstown Martella's will play at the Point Stadium at 1:00pm and Johnstown Delweld will play at the Point Stadium at 7:30pm on Monday. There will also be an early game at the Point Stadium at 10:00am. Additional afternoon games will be played at Arcurio, Roxbury, Portage, Lilly, and Saint Michael. Upper and Lower brackets assignments have not yet been announced.

Be sure to check out the Fan Forum for the most up-to-date news and information during the week and to join in the discussion!

HELP WANTED - If you will be attending games next week, please help us out by reporting scores. We will be posting scores on our fan forum and encourage fans to do the same. If you will not have internet access at the field, send us an email prior to the tournament for telephone contact information by which you can report scores. We appreciate your help in keeping fans and players updated on the games!

Corrections (August 2nd, 2010)

First, the photo posted on July 31st with coverage of the Altoona / Elk County game that was captioned "Andy Glass catches a fly ball in center" should have read "Nicholas Pupo catches a fly ball in center". Glass plays for Altoona, Pupo plays for Elk County. Thanks to Danny Knepp for the correction.

Second, Coach's Corner and the Michigan Rams compete in the Michigan Collegiate Baseball League (MCBL) which is operated by the City of Livonia Parks & Recreation Department. The Michigan Premier Collegiate Baseball League (MPCBL) is made up of 6 to 10 MCBL teams and is used to qualify a team for the AABC Stan Musial post season. Thanks to Harvey Weingarden for the correction.

Philadelphia wins Altoona Regional (August 2nd, 2010)

ALTOONA - This just in, the Philadelphia Bandits have completed an amazing day of baseball, winning three elimination games to advance to the national tournament next week. The Bandits opened the day with a 12-0 win over Altoona, and then beat previously undefeated Miami 9-4 and 4-2 to win the regional.

Philadelphia lost their first game to Miami 3-1 in 10 innings on Saturday, but rebounded with an 11-1 mercy rule victory over Elk County on Sunday. The Bandits finish the tournament with a record of 4-1 while Miami finishes second with a record of 2-2.

Regional Scores and Updates (August 2nd, 2010)

ALTOONA - Philadelphia opened the day with a 12-0 win over Altoona in the morning, and then defeated Miami 9-4 in the afternoon. As of 5 PM, Philadelphia was leading Miami 2-0 in the 5th inning of the championship game. The winner of that game will advance to the national tournament in Johnstown.

ZANESVILLE - Livonia defeated Youngstown 15-0 at Gant Municipal Stadium and have qualified for the national tournament in Johnstown.

Regional Scores and Updates (August 2nd, 2010)

ZANESVILLE - Youngstown eliminated host Zanesville in the morning game, and Livonia knocked off Lansing in the afternoon. In the night cap at Gant Municipal Stadium, Youngstown eliminated Lansing 14-6. Livonia is the only remaining undefeated team and will play Youngstown tomorrow at 11:00am. If Youngstown wins, a final game will be played tomorrow at 2:00pm. Visit the Regionals section of this website for more information.

ALTOONA REGIONAL - Visit the Altoona Regional section for scores and recaps.

Morning News (August 1st, 2010)

NEW BRUNSWICK - Late from New Jersey, the Matrix defeated Brooklyn 14-9 in the second game on Saturday to win the series. New Brunswick Matrix advance to the national tournament for the second consecutive year and will look to make another run at the championship.

ARTICLES

August 1st Johnston takes opener. Jim Lane, Altoona Mirror

August 1st Miami beats Philly in 10th. Jim Lane, Altoona Mirror

August 1st Local AAABA teams bolster rosters. Mike Mastovich, Tribune Democrat

August 1st Juniors drop opener in AAABA regional. Sam Blackburn, Zanesville Times Recorder

 

Regional Scores and Updates (July 31st, 2010)

BALTIMORE - Youse's Orioles won the Cal Ripken Sr. League regular season with a 29-13 record, but have finished 3rd in the playoffs. After winning their opening game 10-6 over 4th place Herndon, the Orioles lost to Bethesda 11-5 and the Baltimore Redbirds 9-2. Bethesda and the Redbirds will play for the league championship.

BUFFALO - New Era won the AAABA of Buffalo League championship series 2-0 over Meridian Medical with a 8-2 victory on Saturday. New Era advance to Johnstown for their visit appearance in the national tournament. For more information, visit the AAABA of Buffalo website.

NEW BRUNSWICK REGIONAL - New Brunswick won game 1 over Brooklyn 6-5. Winning pitcher Connor Henderson went 6 innings allowing 2 runs and recording 7 strike outs. Losing pitcher Francisco Rodriguez also pitched 6 innings, allowing 6 runs while striking out 8. Chris Grimes was 3-for-4 for New Brunswick with 2 home runs and 4 RBIs. Steve Nappe was 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs. For Brooklyn, Omar Artsen was 2-for-5 with one run scored and 3 stolen bases.

Andrew Sullivan came into the game in the 7th leading 6-2. Brooklyn scored 3 runs on 3 hits in the top of the 8th and had 2 on with 2 outs in the 9th, but Sullivan was able to record the save. Brooklyn relief pitcher Joey Ramos pitched 2 scoreless innings.

Game 2 of the series followed the first game, but there was no report as of the writing of this article.

ZANESVILLE REGIONAL - Livonia defeated Youngstown 7-5 in the opening game with Jeremy Gooding recording the win. Lansing then defeated host Zanesville 9-4 in the evening game. Tomorrow, Youngstown and Zanesville will play at 11:00am in an eliminated game. Livonia and Lansing play at 2:00pm. The winner of the first game and loser of the second game will then play at 7:30pm. All games are at Gant Municipal Stadium in Zanesville.

ALTOONA REGIONAL - Visit the Altoona Regional section for scores and recaps.

Regional Scores and Updates (July 29th, 2010)

VISIT OUR MESSAGE BOARD - Scores and updates from the three regionals will be posted as they are available on our message board. There are six games scheduled today beginning at noon. The Altoona and Zanesville regionals will last until Monday, but the New Brunswick / Brooklyn series could be decided today. 

BUFFALO - New Era took a 1-0 lead in the championship series with a 3-2 win over Meridian Medicine. The series continues today at 6:00pm at Cazenvoia Field. A third game, if necessary, will be played Sunday.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES - Anticipation is building for the national tournament. Here is what they're saying around the AAABA world:

July 31st Delweld defends crown. Hugh Conrad, Tribune Democrat

July 31st Johnston earned slot in thier year's tourney. Nate Foreman, Altoona Mirror

July 31st Florida entry ready for All-American play. Jim Lane, Altoona Mirror

July 30th Turnout strong during AAABA Playoffs. Mike Mastovich, Tribune Democrat

July 30th Coach's Corner relies on MU talent. Brad Emons, Observer & Eccentric

July 30th Junior Pioneers seek consistency. Sam Blackburn, Zanesville Times Recorder

July 27th Gooding's gem puts Coach's Corner in regional. Staff, Eccentric and Observer

Delweld wins 4th consecutive championship (July 31st, 2010)

JOHNSTOWN - Every new season brings surprises, but the biggest surprise of the 2010 Johnstown City League came at the end as Delweld swept regular season champion Martella's Pharmacy with an 11-3 victory at Point Stadium on Friday night. With that win, Delweld became the first franchise in Johnstown history to win four consecutive league championships. Delweld will represent Johnstown as the host entry in the 2010 national tournament, while Martella's Pharmacy will represent the secondary Johnstown entry.

Delweld won the first game of the series 10-0 in a mercy rule, and won the second game 2-1. In the third game, the Golden Boys nearly mercy-ruled Martella's once again. After a 5-run third inning, Delweld added 2 runs in the 4th and 2 runs in 6th and had a 10-0 lead heading into the bottom of the 6th. But Martella's continued to fight and scored twice in the bottom of the inning. The Pharmicists started the 8th inning with 2 on and no outs and were looking to finally get the offense going. But after scoring one run, Delweld pitcher Bobby Carbaugh shut down the side, first striking out Mikie Pelekanos, then striking out Steve Bills on three pitches, and finally getting Pat Gully swinging. Carbaugh finished the game with 2 more strike outs in the 9th as Delweld cruised to an 11-3 victory.

"You could tell everybody wanted it. We had a lot of energy and everyone did their job," said winning pitcher Bobby Carbaugh. "Everything felt great when I was pitching. [Catcher Matt] Cornetti called a great game."

"It feels good," said Delweld manager Chris Delsignore. "It never gets old." Delweld has built itself into one of the strongest franchises in Johnstown city history and has the system and personnel in place to continue its dominace for many more years.

"It starts with the players. I work hard to bring in the right players, and they dedicate themselves to each other." Even with talented players, the regular seasons have not always gone smoothly for Delweld, but consistently strong performances in the playoffs have shown the true character of the team. Two years ago, the Golden Boys finished 3rd in the regular season, but won both playoff series to advance to the national tournament. This year, they were undefeated in 6 playoff games.

"We're a playoff team," said Delsignore. "We have a core team that returns each season, and that makes the transition easier. Nobody is a rookie by the time the playoffs roll around." 

In the other dugout, Manager Chris Pfiel can take some consolation in knowing that his team will still be entered in the national tournament.

"We learned last year that we can compete with anyone. It's an exciting experience, no doubt about it. It's a good ball team here." By winning the regular season, Martella's was guaranteed a spot in the national tournament, but Pfiel does not believe that this contributed to his team's poor performance in the championship series.

"We took nothing for granted. Delweld played better. They took advantage of all of our mistakes and they hit well." Pfiel says his team is a bit beat up following a long season and tough playoffs and they will use this upcoming week to rest up and regroup. But it's not only their bodies that have been battered in these playoffs.

"There are some bruised egos. We're not happy," said Pfiel.

Delweld will have the first selection for pick-up players. After their selections, Martella's will also have the opportunity to select up to 4 pick-up players. The 2010 AAABA national tournament will begin on Monday August 9th with host Delweld playing a yet-to-be-determined opponent at the Point Stadium at 7:30pm.

 

League Updates (July 30th, 2010)

JOHNSTOWN - Despite finishing behind Martella's Pharmacy in the regular season, Delweld won the season series between the two teams. Now in the playoffs, Delweld again holds the edge, as their 2-1 victory over the Pharmacists on Thursday night put Delweld one win away from their fourth consecutive city championship. Delweld has won the city league the past three seasons, matching Hahn Packing (1959-1961), Monte Carlo (1970-1972), and Pepsi-Cola (1989-1991) for most consecutive league titles. No franchise has won the league four years in a row. The third game of the 5-game series is tonight at 7:00pm at the Point Stadium in Johnstown.

Regional Updates (July 29th, 2010)

NEW BRUNSWICK - At Memorial Stadium this weekend, national runner-up New Brunswick Matrix will host Brooklyn's Youth Service in a 3-game series. Contrary to previous reports, Schenectady will not be attending the New Brunswick regional. There will be a double-header on Saturday beginning at noon. If a third game is required, it will be played on Sunday at noon. Visit the Regionals section of this website for more information.

Regional Schedules and Playoff Updates (July 29th, 2010)

REGIONALS - Complete schedules for the Altoona and Zanesville regionals have now been posted under the Regionals section of this website. The tournaments begin this Saturday, July 31st. In Altoona, Philadelphia plays newcomer Miami at noon, with host Altoona playing Elk County at 4:00 pm. In Zanesville, Coach's Corner of Livonia plays the Glaciers of Youngstown at 4:00 pm, with host Zanesville playing Lansing at 7:30pm. We have no updates yet on the New Brunswick regional.

ALTOONA - Altoona will again be represented by Johnston Realty, who beat out Ketrow Insurance in the Altoona Greater City League. After winning their regional last season, Altoona dropped out of the national tournament in only 2 games. But, franchise representative John Austin feels optimistic about this year.

"They're another young team. I think they have three or four very good starting pitchers, and in all my years of experience: pitching is the name of the game." First year manager Mel Curtis has posted a 14-10 record in the unlimited City League. He took over leadership of the team after long-time manager Kurt Farabaugh stepped down last year.

This was the first year in nearly a decade that Johnston Realty had competition to be the Altoona representative, but Mr. Austin tells us that they will have even more competition next season. A third AAABA team will be competing in the city league in 2001, and there is the possibility of a fourth team, as well. No information is available on those teams as of yet.

ZANESVILLE - The big news in Zanesville is that Rick Berryman's Michigan Rams will not represent Livonia. In a nail-bitter finish, Coach's Corner passed the Rams in their Michigan Premier Collegiate League standings in the final days of the regular season. As a result, Coach's Corner will attend the Zanesville Regional with hopes of qualifying for their first national tournament.

Another new look for 2010 will be the Youngstown Glaciers. Bob Mingo's team acquired new sponsorship and will drop the Metros moniker that they have worn since 2005.

Lansing will again be represented by Carl's Supermarket and Zanesville will again be represented by the Junior Pioneers. Both teams finished at 0.500 in the 2009 national tournament and will be looking for another good showing in Johnstown.

JOHNSTOWN - The anticipated showdown for the Johnstown City League championship got off to a flying start, but only for only one of the teams concerned. Delweld trounced Martella's Pharmacy 10-0 in a seven inning mercy rule at the Point Stadium. Game 2 in the best-of-5 series is tomorrow at 7 pm, also at the Point Stadium.

NEW YORK - This year's Big Apple representative will be the Long Island Astros-East managed by Jeff Rossoff. The Astros-East posted a 15-9-1 regular season record in the Long Island Federation of Amateur Baseball League's National League. They finished 1 point behind the Long Island Bombers in their division and were 5th overall. This will be their first AAABA national tournament appearance.

NATIONAL - We have learned that the AAABA plans to play 3 games at the Point Stadium this season in order to give more teams a chance to play at the peculiar field. As a result, the Revloc field (being the most northern field) will not be used for AAABA national tournament games this year. More information on fields and other national tournament news will be posted as it is learned.

League Updates (July 28th, 2010)

JOHNSTOWN - Based on recent AAABA seasons, it is no surprise to see Delweld and Martella's Pharmacy back in the championship. Delweld won last year's playoffs and also eliminated Martella's from the national tournament. This year, the two teams meet once again in the finals. Since Johnstown will have two representatives this season, the winner of the series will be the host entry and the loser of the series will be the runner-up entry. The finals begin this Thursday at Point Stadium.

BUFFALO - After dropping the first game of their series, Meridian Medical rebounded with a 9-0 victory on Sunday at a 3-1 victory last night over Pignataro's, winning the semi-final series 2-1. Meridian will play New Era in the championship beginning on Thursday. New Era swept defending champion Ken-Hy Auto by scores of 1-0 and 7-0. For more information, visit the AAABA of Buffalo website.

LIVONIA - The Michigan Rams have been a familiar face in Johnstown the past 6 seasons, but are facing some stiff competition from Coach's Corner in this year's Michigan Premier Collegiate Baseball League. The Rams have concluded their 36-game schedule with a 27-8-1 record and have a 3-point lead over both the Michigan Bulls and Coach's Corner. The Bulls are a 22U team and do not qualify for the AAABA, but Coach's Corner has 3 games in hand (2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie). If Coach's Corner can earn 3 points in their remaining 3 games, they will dethrone the Rams and advance to the Zanesville Regional.

The Rams posted back-to-back 3-2 finishes in 2004 and 2005 and finished last year's national tournament with a 1-2 record (win against Toledo, losses to Johnstown Martella's and New Orleans). For more information, visit the Michigan Rams website or the Michigan Premier Collegiate Baseball League website.

ZANESVILLE - Both AAABA entries in the Central Ohio League tournament in Zanesville were eliminated in their semi-final matches. The 2nd place Junior Pioneers fell to the Zanesville Vipers 4-1, while the Columbus Braves lost to the Senior Pioneers 4-3. Zanesville's Junior Pioneers will host representatives from Lansing, Livonia, and Youngstown this weekend in the Zanesville Regional.

League Updates (July 25th, 2010)

JOHNSTOWN - Martella's Pharmacy and Delweld have each taken a 2-0 lead in their best-of-5 semi-final round playoff series. Regular season champion Martella's defeated Roxberry Creamery by scores of 11-4 and 3-1, while Delweld beat the Berkley Hills Renegades 9-0 and 4-2. Sunday's games have been postponed until Monday due to rain. Roxberry and the Renegades both need wins to keep their seasons alive. Martella's is already guaranteed a berth in the national tournament because they won the regular season championship, but they must win the playoff series to represent Johnstown as the host entry. Delweld can also secure a place in the national tournament by advancing to the finals.

ALTOONA - The Altoona Mirror reports that because of their 11-0 victory over Ketrow Insurance on Tuesday, Johnston Realty will once again represent Altoona in the AAABA. Johnston Realty has represented Altoona since 2002. Their best finished was 4th in 2008. Altoona hosts Miami in the Altoona Regional beginning on July 31st.

BUFFALO - Pignataro Financial Group used a 1-game play-in to qualify for the 2010 AAABA of Buffalo playoffs. With that win, they advanced to face regular season champion Meridian Medical, and won the opening game 4-2. In the other best-of-3 semi final, New Era defeated last year's champion Ken-Hy Auto 1-0. The Saturday games were rained out and were rescheduled for today. For more information, visit the AAABA of Buffalo website.

League Updates (July 20th, 2010)

JOHNSTOWN - Martella's Pharmacy has clinched the regular season championship on the strength of an 8-game winning streak. Second place Delweld and third place Berkley Hills Renegades have also qualified for the playoffs. The final playoff spot is currently held by Roxberry Creamery, who have a 2-game lead over Principle Development with only 3 games remaining.

The city league playoffs begin this Friday, July 23rd at 5:45 PM. The playoff champion will represent Johnstown in the AAABA National Tournament in August. For winning the regular season, Martella's Pharmacy is guaranteed a spot in the national tournament. If the Pharmacists win the playoffs, they will represent the host franchise for Johnstown, while the playoff runner-up will represent the secondary Johnstown franchise. If the Pharmacists do not win the playoffs, they will represent the secondary franchise while the playoff champion represents the host franchise.

Last year, Delweld won the city championship and represented the city in the national tournament. Martella's Pharmacy was also entered into the national tournament when Washington's Arlington Senators failed to show. Martella's was eliminated from the national tournament by Delweld on the strength of Drew Shaulis's 4-1 no-hitter.

For more information, visit the Johnstown League section of this website.

ALTOONA - With only two weeks remaining, Johnston Realty holds a 2 1/2-game lead over newcomer Ketrow Insurance. The two AAABA teams will meet at Blair County Ballpark on July 20th at 5:30pm. Proceeds from the game will benefit Kristen Aungst who died in a car crash earlier this year. 

BALTIMORE - Youse's Maryland Orioles are leading the Cal Ripken League with a 26-10 record. They have 5 games remaining until the playoffs begin on July 28th. Visit the Cal Ripken Sr League website for more information.

BUFFALO - Meridian Medical have won the regular season championship in Buffalo with an 11-2-1 record. New Era (8-2-4), Ken-Hy Auto (8-4-2) and Royal Printing (5-8-1) have all qualified for the playoffs. The remaining four teams all finished with identical 4-8-2 records. The winner of the playoffs will represent Buffalo in the national tournament.

For more information, visit the AAABA of Buffalo website.

CLEVELAND - The Old Brooklyn Hurricanes will represent Cleveland in the 2010 national tournament. The Hurricanes play in the Great Lakes Baseball League and are coached by Bill Kirchner. Last year, the Hurricanes were eliminated from the Zanesville regional with losses to Toledo (11-1) and Zanesville (7-4).

After a pair of 0-2 finishes in 1994 and 1995, the Cleveland franchise laid dormant until 2006 when the Allegheny Athletics of Pittsburgh qualified for the national tournament. That year, the Athletics went 2-2 with surprising wins over Livonia and Brooklyn. Both loses were to the finalists, Baltimore and Chicago-Metro. The following year, the Athletics were eliminated in 2 games by Washington and Maryland State. In 2008, the JL Thomas team went 1-2, including a 6-5 loss to Johnstown which eliminated the team from the tournament.

NEW ORLEANS - The Delgado Community College Dolphins finished their spring schedule with a record of 36-21. Lucas LeBlanc, the 2009 national tournament MVP, had a 0.420 average including 17 doubles, 7 triples, and 11 home runs plus 67 RBIs in 57 games.  Scott Fabre, the 2009 national tournament batting champion, had a 0.341 average with 10 doubles, 4 triples, and 4 home runs plus 46 RBIs in 51 games.

TOLEDO - The Monarchs are 15-15-1. For more information, visit the Monarchs' website at www.lakeeriemonarchs.com

WASHINGTON - It appears that the historic Clark Griffith League has reached its end. The league suspended operations this season with plans to regroup in 2011, but have lost teams to the current economic situation and to the rival Cal Ripken Sr. League. With the Detroit franchise in perpetual limbo, it now appears that another Big Four franchise is gone. Washington has won 10 championships, ranking third behind Baltimore and New Orleans.

Beginning in 1996, the franchise was most-often represented by the Arlington Senators who won 4 championships from 1998-1999, and 2001-2002. The Prince George Gators were champions in 1997, giving Washington 5 titles in 6 years. After a 3rd place finish in 2003, the Senators were replaced by the Bethesda Big Train in 2004. The Big Train was eliminated 0-2 and Washington was not back in the tournament until 2007 and 2008, when the McLean Raiders posted two consecutive runner-up finishes. Last year, the Vienna Senators were poised to return, but cancelled their appearance the day before registration due to a season-long accumulation of injuries.

Without a Washington entry for the 2010 AAABA national tournament, Baltimore and New Orleans are left as the two remaining powerhouses. While the traditional rivalries of the AAABA are beginning to disappear, a new crop of teams have emerged and are threatening to become perennial contenders. Toledo went 3-2 in their first visit to Johnstown, and the New Brunswick Matrix were one win shy of the national championship in 2009. This year, the Florida Bombers of Miami--the self-proclaimed 'Most Successful Franchise of the Decade'--will enter their first regional competition in hopes of advancing to the national tournament and adding to their impressive trophy case.

The loss of Washington will certainly be a big loss for the tournament, and even with new teams entering the association, none have proven themselves capable of challenging Baltimore and New Orleans on a yearly basis like Washington. Hopefully this reorganization will be successful and the Senators or another Capitol City team will return to the AAABA in a future year.

ZANESVILLE - The Junior Pioneers are 12-6 in Ohio Independent Collegiate Baseball League play and 20-14 overall, including a 3-game winning streak against fellow AAABA member Columbus B

 Zanesville 6-3. Their loses were to Livonia 14-4 on Monday and eventual champions New Orleans 10-5 on Friday.

ZANESVILLE - The Junior Pioneers are currently 11-8. In this weekend's Y-City Bash tournament hosted by the Zanesville Old Timers, the Junior Pioneers defeated Altoona's Ketrow Insurance 10-8. The Pioneers will face Altoona's Johnston Realty on Sunday in another tournament game. The Junior Pioneers are 8-8 in their last four national tournaments, including 3-2 in 2008.

AAABA Archives Section now open! (June 8, 2010)

The first half of our AAABA Archives is now online, featuring game-by-game results from 1980 through 2009. We are also working on the remaining years from 1945 through 1979, which will hopefully be online before this year's tournament on August 9th. There are still some gaps in the data, so if you know any of the missing information, please send us an email or join our AAABA Fan Forum and post it there!

Click here to visit the Archives

raves.

League Updates (July 9th, 2010)

JOHNSTOWN - Defending champion Delweld has won 11 times since June 19th and is closing in on first-place Martella's Pharmacy. The Pharmacists have led the league since the beginning and had a very comfortable lead, but Delweld has beaten Martella's in each their last four games and has closed to within 2 games of their arch rivals.  The Roxberry Creamery's promising season has hit the skids, as the team is winless since June 21st and have fallen behind the Berkley Hills Renegades. Last place Principle Development lost a double-header to Martella's on June 25th by a combined score of 21-2, but are 4-5 since then. More importantly, they have won their past 3 contests against Roxberry Creamery and are now 2 games out of the final playoff spot.

Martella's Pharmacy and Delweld have both clinched a playoff berth, but the final two spots are still wide open because the remaining 3 teams are within 3 games of each other. The playoffs begin on Friday July 23rd and the championship series begins on Wednesday July 28th.

For more information, visit the Johnstown League section of this website.

ALTOONA - Johnston Realty is 9-8 after a 7-2 loss to Lilly on Wednesday, while Ketrow Insurance is now 7-10.

BALTIMORE - Youse's Maryland Orioles went into Thursday night on a 3-game losing streak (5-4 to Baltimore Redbirds and 1-0, 3-1 to the Herndon Braves) and half-a-game behind first-place Bethesda Big Train. The Orioles traveled to Shirley Povich Field and broke open a close game with 2 runs in the fifth and 5 runs in the seventh to win 9-2 and regain first place. Visit the Cal Ripken Sr League website for more information.

BUFFALO - After a 7-0 start to the season, Meridian Medical is 1-2 in their past 3 games. Defending champion Ken-Hy Auto are 2-0-1 in their past three and have now tied Meridian for the league lead. Each team has 4 games remaining in their schedule, and will face each other on July 15th. New Era is only 1 point out of 1st and are also 2-0-1 in their last 3. New Era has 4 games remaining, including 2 against Meridian Medical and 1 against Ken-Hy Auto.

Escro Transportation is in 4th place, but 3 games behind New Era. Royal Printing and Mader Construction are tied in 5th with 7 points each. Mader Construction has had one of the most productive offenses in the league this year, scoring 54 runs in 10 games. However, they have allowed a league-leading 59 runs and sit with a 3-6-1 record.

For more information, visit the AAABA of Buffalo website.

TOLEDO - Four Monarchs were selected to the Great Lakes League All Star Game, including 2 from last year's AAABA team. Seth Willougby, infielder and pitcher for Xavier College, played at second base for all 5 of the Monarchs' tournament games. He finished 3-for-17 (0.176) and had a double and an RBI in his team's second loss to New Orleans. This season, Willoughy has a 0.391 batting average leads his team with 7 stolen bases.

Eric Vaughn is a starting pitcher and plays with Owens Community College. He pitched six innings against Zanesville, allowing 3 runs while striking out 5. This season, Vaughn is 4-0 with a 1.05 ERA.

The other Monarchs attending the All Star game will be outfielder Alex Johnson and pitcher Dylan Vogt. For more information, visit the Monarchs' website at www.lakeeriemonarchs.com

REGIONAL QUALIFIERS - The Tribune-Democrat announced the following teams for the three 2010 regionals: Zanesville will host Livonia, Lansing, and Youngstown. Altoona will host Miami (and possibly two more teams). New Brunswick, Schenectady and Brooklyn will play a 3-team regional.

In Zanesville, Livonia's Michigan Rams will be the favorites to win. Youngstown is 1-4 in their past 2 tournaments and Lansing is 2-4. Both teams failed to qualify for the 2007 national tournament. Meanwhile, Livonia has qualified for the national tournament 6 years in a row and are 10-12. Zanesville, as host, is automatically qualified for the national tournament, but will compete in the games in preparation for their trip to Johnstown. The Junior Pioneers are 5-4 in the past 2 tournaments and are looking to continue their recent string of success.

In Altoona, only newcomer Miami has been announced, but a field of four teams is still expected. Last year, Altoona won a very talented regional that included Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Maryland State. This season, Miami's Florida Bombers are looking to make a name for themselves amongst the AAABA ranks as they attempt to qualify for their first trip to Johnstown.

The New York-New Jersey regional will be one to watch following New Brunswick's surprising runner-up performance in 2009. Brooklyn would normally be considered the favorite of the three, but the Matrix from New Brunswick handed Brooklyn's Bonnie Rams both of their losses in 2009, by scores of 10-0 and 6-2. Schenectady was quickly eliminated from the national tournament in 2009, and have only 3 national tournament wins in the past 5 years.

League Updates (June 26, 2010)

JOHNSTOWN - Martella's Pharmacy continues to lead the Johnstown AAABA League with a 16-3 record. The Pharmacists swept a 2-game double-header against Principle Development on Friday with scores of 11-1 and 10-1. Defending champion Delweld is in 2nd place with a 12-7 record. Roxberry Creamery has shown improvement over last season and sits in 3rd with a record just below 0.500. The Berkley Hills Renegades have the final playoff spot despite starting the season with a 5-game losing streak. Principle Development started the season 2-2, but are on a 10-game losing streak and have dropped to 3-15.

Martella's also leads in several offensive categories. Kyle Bowser (0.509) and Mike LeViseur (0.500) lead the league in batting average, with Sam Watkins (0.442) in third. Watkins leads in both runs (21) and runs-batted-in (18) and also has 1 save. Delweld's Carter Lehman leads the league with 4 wins and 26 strikeouts in 26 innings. He has a 1.08 ERA.

For more information, visit the Johnstown League section of this website.

ALTOONA - Johnston Realty is 7-6 in Altoona League play, but will have to fight their way into the AAABA this season. The Ketrow Insurance team is also attempting to qualify for the national tournament. Johnston Realty has been the only AAABA team in the Altoona League for nearly a decade, last doing battle with LS Fiore. Ketrow Insurance is currently 4-8.

BUFFALO - The Nickel City has had a different team represent their franchise in each of the past four tournaments. The last team to repeat as representative was Meridian Medical in 2005 and 2007. Meridian is at the top of the league again this season, tied for first place with New Era. Both teams are 5-0 and will play a 14-game schedule. Last year's champion, Ken-Hy Auto is in third at 4-1. For more information, visit the AAABA of Buffalo website.

BALTIMORE - Youse's Maryland Orioles were shockingly eliminated from the Altoona Regional last year, ending their run of six consecutive national championships. The Orioles are currently leading the Cal Ripken Sr League with a 12-6 record. Former Washington representative Bethesda Big Train are in the second at 9-6. Visit the Cal Ripken Sr League website for more information.

COLUMBUS - The Columbus Braves will represent their city in the 2010 AAABA national tournament. They play their regular season games in the re-named Ohio Independent Collegiate Baseball League.

MIAMI - The Florida Bombers will debut the Miami franchise at the Altoona Regional this year. So far this season, the Bombers are 20-3 including a 13-game winning streak, and looking to add to their long list of national championships. For more, visit their website.

TOLEDO - The Lake Erie Monarchs are 7-5-1 in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League and sit in 4th place. The Monarchs were the inaugural representative for Toledo in the 2009 national yournament. Despite a 12-24 regular season record in 2009, the Monarchs went 3-2 in Johnstown, defeating favored Philadelphia 3-1, Columbus 6-4, and

Martella's leads city after first week (June 8, 2010)

The Pharmacists qualified for the national tournament last season on a technicality and had to represent the city as the B-team. This year, Chris Pfiel's squad is looking to carry the city's banner as the host franchise. Martella's started the season 4-0, including 2 wins over archrival Delweld. On the other end of the table, the Berkley Hills Renegades remain winless in 5 games and are already beginning to fall from playoff contention.

The still-new Roxberry Creamery franchise is having a much improved year, sporting a 3-2 record despite scoring only 8 runs. By comparison, league-leading Martella's has scored 35 times in 6 games. Principle Development finished slightly above .500 last season, and are currently slightly below .500 after dropping both games of a double-header on Monday. Principle is trying to return to the national tournament for the first time since 2006.

Visit the AAABA Fan Forum to post your thoughts on the season!

Visit the Johnstown City League section of this website for more stats and game results.

Johnstown City League season opens today! (June 1, 2010)

Another summer of AAABA baseball begins Tuesday in Johnstown with three games to be played at Point Stadium and Roxbury Park. The headlining match of the evening is at Roxbury at 5:45 PM, where defending champions Delweld battle against arch rival Martella's Pharmacy in a rematch of last season's championship series. Delweld also eliminated Martella's from the 2009 AAABA National Tournament with a no-hitter from Drew Shaulis.

With only five teams in the league this season, Principle Development will play a double-header at the Point Stadium. The first game, at 5:45 PM, will be against the Berkley Hills Renegades. The second game, at 8:00 PM, is against Roxberry Creamery.

Visit the Johnstown City League section of this website for a complete schedule.

Miami, FL awarded franchise; Two Johnstown entries in 2010 (March 26, 2010)

The AAABA Board of Directors released a recap of their winter meeting which included the awarding of a new franchise and announcement of a second Johnstown entry. The Tribune-Democrat reported on the news here.

The Florida Bombers will represent the new Miami, Florida franchise in the 2010 Altoona Regional.  This is the second franchise added in two years, as Toledo, Ohio joined the AAABA in 2009, represented by the Ohio Monarchs. The Bombers have been a very successful franchise, winning 9 national WWBA championships and 35 over championships with a 424-92-5 record since 2000.

The other big news is that Johnstown will be given two representatives in the national tournament. Last year, Johnstown's runner-up Martella's Pharmacy substituted for the Washington entry, which failed to show. It was only the second time that Johnstown had two entries in the tournament. Starting in 2010, both the regular-season and playoff-champions will receive a berth in the national tournament. The Johnstown City League begins on June 1st with a rematch of the top two teams from last year, Delweld and Martella's Pharmacy. Click here for the league schedule.

The 2010 AAABA National Tournament will be held August 9 - 15 in Johnstown, PA. Regionals are expected to be held the weekend before.  

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