Booma likely No. 2 seed in District B; Exeter likely left out of state tourney

Though it may seem like the summer baseball season just went into full swing, the final week of the regular season in the New Hampshire American Legion Baseball League has arrived, and teams are vying for a berth in next week's state tournament.

In District B, Booma enters Friday's regular-season doubleheader finale on an eight-game win streak and an 13-3 record. Booma, behind six strong innings from Carmine Zingariello, handed Nashua its first loss of the season on Wednesday with a 1-0 win at Leary Field. Hunter Chase doubled in the fifth and scored the game's only run on a wild pitch.

Nashua, at 14-2, has secured the top District B seed, while Booma is the No. 2. Londonderry (9-6) has locked up the No. 3 seed.

Exeter split its doubleheader with Rochester on Thursday and finishes its regular season at 6-12. Exeter won the first game 10-0 in six innings, and lost the nightcap, 10-6.

Exeter head coach Tim Mitropoulus believes its loss on Thursday knocks them out of postseason contention and Salem (6-9) will get the fourth-and-final spot. Salem has three games left, a doubleheader with Rochester on Friday, and a game against Nashua against on Sunday.

"I don't think we'll be making the playoffs this year," Mitropoulus said Thursday night. "I think the odds are basically 0 to make the playoffs. I think Salem needs to lose all their three games for us to have a chance."

Booma has gone 12-1 since 1-2 start to season

Believe it or not, Booma actually had a sub-.500 record very early in the season, dropping a doubleheader at Nashua after a season-opening 3-0 win win at Exeter.

Since then, the only game Portsmouth dropped was a 7-1 loss to Salem. Portsmouth immediately got its revenge with a 17-1, five-inning win in the second game of the doubleheader on June 27.

Booma, in its 13 wins, has six shutouts and four games where it allowed just one run.

"We've been playing really well, hitting, pitching and playing good defense," Portsmouth head coach Geoff Jablonski said. "Hopefully, we're heading in the right direction here before playoffs."

Driscoll leading the way on the mound

Boden Driscoll, who graduated from Portsmouth High School in June, has led the Booma pitching staff.

Driscoll picked up his sixth win in Wednesday's 10-0, 5-inning game win over Rochester. For the season, he has allowed one earned run over 33 innings, striking out 34 and allowing 15 hits. He's won all five of his starts, and picked up a win in four scoreless innings relief in a 6-5 win at Salem.

"He’s been dialed in all summer," Jabolonski said. "He’s in complete control of the strike zone and limiting hard contact. Recipe for success."

At the plate, Owen Bateman and Max Lalime have set the tone for the offense. Defensively, Jablonski said Elliot Miles has been amazing at shortstop and the outfield, from left to right, of Lalime, Bateman and Hunter Chase have been very consistent as well.

Exeter finishes regular season at 6-12

Mitropoulus said this year's team was a good one to work with.

"The guys have been committed," he said. "They work hard and they've responded to some of the things we've been trying to coach them about."

Exeter split a doubleheader with Derry on Wednesday at Phillips Exeter. Exeter won the first game, 6-3 and lost the second, 3-0. The game was called after five innings due to darkness.

"It's been a pretty good season, I think we've gotten better as the year's gone on, but it's a little slower than I expected," Mitropoulus said. "But, overall, I think the commitment has been pretty positive and we've been learning as we've been going."

Mitropoulus said Gavin Duquette and Cam Keaveney have been two of the most consistent players this summer."

(Duquette) has been really, really good for us," Mitropoulus said. "He's been really coachable, really passionate. We've moved him all around the infield, he started at second, we put him at third a few times. We've had an injury at our shortstop position so he's taken over that role and has made some really great plays for us."

Duquette is also the leadoff hitter and has done a good job setting the tone.

Mitropoulus said Keaveney, and teammate Brady Young, gives Exeter a chance to win every time they're on the mound.

"I know I can give (Keaveney) the ball and he's going to give us a lot of good innings," Mitropoulus said. "I know what I'm going to get from (Young); he's going to be around the plate, throw strikes and give us a chance to win."

What's happening in District A

Concord has clinched the No. 1 seed in District A. Lebanon (11-5) has clinched a playoff berth, while Laconia (10-5), Sweeney (8-7) and Keene (7-7) are battling for the final two spots.

"Concord (with Brooks Craigue) has definitely shown themselves as being the top team," said Joe Dee, in his 23rd season as Laconia's head coach. "Lebanon is scrappy, no one really jumps out at you, but they are competitive. They play smart baseball and don't make mistakes."

State tournament schedule

The eight-team double-elimination tournament starts with four games next Friday at Holman Stadium. The championship game is scheduled for Tuesday, July 25. All games will be played at Holman.

"I've seen some really stacked teams get eliminated early, and I've seen some teams make a run that got hot going into the tournament," said Dee, who also serves as the head baseball coach at Laconia High School. "(The legion state tournament) is an absolute blast. It's one of the funnest weekends of the year for me. It's a great experience the kids. They get to see some other teams and the state does a great job running it."

The winner of the state tournament advances to the Northeast Regional in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. That double-elimination runs Aug. 2-7.

Seacoast Media Group sports editor Jay Pinsonnault contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Booma streaking as Senior Legion baseball nears state tournament