Marshall, Driscoll lead Booma past Laconia Post 6 in legion state tournament opener

NASHUA - Portsmouth Booma Post 6 American Legion head coach Geoff Jablonski said playing in the state tournament is all about momentum.

After Laconia Post 1 grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third inning of Friday's first-round game Holman Stadium, Booma scored four runs in the bottom of the inning and held the momentum the rest of the way, earning a 6-1 win.

More: Portsmouth Booma Post 6 begins state legion tourney Friday against Laconia at Holman

"We started really slow," Jablonski said. "You could tell we were tight and nervous. Two years ago, we were an underdog. This year, we're a little more in the favorite spot that we don't want to be. Boden (Driscoll) came out and threw strikes, Jason (Pinsonnault) comes in, Bailey (Wright) comes in and when you give up one run, you tend to win those games. So it felt good to get a win."

Booma gets an unexpected day off as rain cancelled Friday night's game between Concord and Salem. That game is now scheduled for Saturday at noon, with Booma getting the winner on Sunday. Sunday's game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. All games in the double-elimination tourney are at Holman.

"I think we came out a little tense with first-game jitters, but we came around and kind of got back to being ourselves," said Booma third baseman Colin Marshall, who went 2-for-3 and scored two runs. "We started off on the right foot."

Portsmouth added one run in both the fifth and sixth innings.

"We're all here and have one goal in mind," Driscoll said. "Getting the first win is a great feeling."

Driscoll earned his seventh win of the season, allowing one run on four hits over 4 1/3 innings, striking out seven. Jason Pinsonnault pitched two hitless innings, and Bailey Wright got the final two outs.

Here are highlights from Booma's game with Laconia.

Driscoll fans side in second, six through first three innings

Driscoll was sharp, and on fire, early. The crafty left-hander was keeping Laconia batters off balance by mixing his fastball and off-speed pitches. Driscoll recorded a strikeout in the first inning - on three pitches, and didn't allow Laconia to put a ball in play in the second, striking out the side on just 13 pitches.

With already four strikeouts through two, Driscoll seemed to want to add two more to his plate, and he did just that with back-to-back strikeouts after a leadoff hit in the third.

"I got word earlier this season that (Laconia) has two really good hitters in the top of the lineup," Driscoll said. "I was just trying to pound the zone after that and get groundballs. It worked out, I got a few (strikeouts) in there."

Of Driscoll's first six strikeouts, the first five were looking.

"All year, (Driscoll) has controlled the strike zone," Jablonski said. "He controls the strike zone, he throws good strikes and today he was throwing the ball by people. He made it look easy for 4 1/3."

Booma answers Laconia's opening run in same inning

Laconia managed just one run off Driscoll, which came in the third inning on a RBI single from Laconia's Liam Waldron.

Laconia's lead didn't make it out of the inning as Booma responded with a crooked number in the bottom of the frame.

With the bases loaded, with all runners reaching base via walk, Elliot Miles delivered a one-out RBI single to center that scored Sage Beebe-Jenny, tying the game at 1-1.

Frank Krupp then hit a grounder in between third base and shortstop. The ball hit off Waldron's glove at short, and trickled into the outfield and Marshall and Max Lalime both scored, giving Booma a 3-1 lead.

"We took advantage when we needed to," Marshall said. "He had a few walks in there, we took advantage. (Miles) had a great hit for us, and we took advantage on the error and were able to capitalize. That was a great feeling going back out there with a lead."

On that same play, Miles took advantage of a Laconia miscue and scampered around the bases on Krupp's single into left.

"The left fielder was holding on to the ball, and Elliot and I both noticed he didn't know what to do with it and the catcher wasn't paying attention," Jablonski said. "So we sent him."

Miles (run, RBI), Owen Bateman (RBI), Max Lalime (RBI, run, walk) and Krupp (three RBI) each had one hit for Portsmouth.

Pitching, offense and heads-up defense

Through three innings and a 4-1 lead, Portsmouth's offense and pitching was on display, and the defense added a highlight of its own in the fourth. Driscoll allowed a leadoff single, then got Laconia's Sam Seavey to hit a liner to Beebe-Jenny at second. Beebe-Jenny snared the liner and quickly fired to first baseman Evan Gaffney for the double play.

"Sage hasn't played second for us a lot this year, but he's definitely playing well over there," Driscoll said. "I really trust him out there and hopefully he continues to get innings out there."

Marshall reaches bases three times

Marshall takes a rather patient approach during his at-bats, and more times than not, it pays off. On Friday, it did three times as Marshall got two hits, walked and scored two runs.

"I love playing (at Holman)," Marshall. "Two years ago I had a blast and I just come in here as confident as I can be and just let my training take over and play with instinct."

Marshall doubled in both the first and fifth innings.

"Anytime we're at Holman, Colin Marshall comes alive and mashes the ball and he did it again today," Jablonski said. "He hit a Leary Field home run, it was a double here. We needed hits and needed guys on base, and Colin did it, Colin got us going."

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Booma beats Laconia in American Legion state tournament opener