Published: August 16, 2009 11:34 pm      

CORY ISENBERG | Tournament provided memorable moments

The 65th annual AAABA baseball tournament provided its share of memorable moments for the players, managers, coaches and fans.

The week started without two of the past giants of the AAABA, six-time defending champion Baltimore, which has won 16 titles, and

Washington, which has won

10 crowns.

Youse’s Orioles of Baltimore were eliminated in the Altoona Regional while Washington pulled out of the tournament in the 11th hour, less than

24-hours before registration, due to lack of players.

Johnstown was the benefactor of Washington’s exit, getting the opportunity to put a second squad in the 16-team field.

Thus, for just the second time in the tournament’s history, host Johnstown fielded two teams.

League champion Delweld and runner-up Martella’s Pharmacy combined for a 5-4 mark, including an epic clash between the two teams in a 4-1 no-hitter pitched by Delweld’s Drew Shaulis. It was the tournament’s first no-hitter since 1973.

There was great support from the city of Johnstown and the surrounding areas for the tournament throughout the week with large crowds on hand each night at the Point and a good showing at many of the outlying fields.

It’s just a shame that if a Johnstown team does not play for the AAABA title, the attendance for the title tilt drops drastically.

Despite New Orleans being one of the most popular outside teams, there were only several hundred spectators in the grandstands for Sunday’s championship game.

•••

New Brunswick made its first-ever appearance in the tournament’s title game.

“We’re the youngest team in the tournament with just two 20-year-olds and a couple other guys that we need to replace for next year, but most of this group will be coming back,” Matrix manager Glenn Fredricks said after the 9-0 loss in Sunday’s championship game.

“I think we’re a year ahead of schedule. We haven’t been back here since 2004 and I’m proud of this bunch of kids.

“They fought their hearts out to make it this far in the tournament. It’s a great tournament and I’m happy we got to experience it with this group of kids. We’re already planning for next year. We can’t wait to get back.”

Playing two games on Sunday was tough on New Brunswick, which downed Brooklyn 6-2 to earn to slot in the title game.

“We thought, coming into the tournament that we were going to be one starting pitcher short and it showed up in the championship game,” Fredricks said. “We needed our No. 2 (Al Tampa) to get us here this morning. We got here and we sent out Connor (Henderson) on three days’ rest. He got us into the fifth inning. It was a great effort.

“New Orleans got kind of an advantage coming out of the losers bracket, only having to win one (Sunday), but that was our fault. We had a chance to beat them and knock them out once already.”



Cory Isenberg is a sports writer for The Tribune-Democrat.