Here's where Portsmouth Booma Post 6, Exeter Post 32 stand after Seacoast clash

EXETER — The Portsmouth Booma Post 6 American Legion baseball team is on a roll.

Booma picked up its sixth win in a row by defeating Exeter Post 32, 9-0, on Tuesday at Phillips Exeter Academy. Portsmouth improved to 11-1 on the season, not counting two non-league wins over Massachusetts teams. Exeter fell to 4-6.

Booma was led by three hits from Elliot Miles (four RBI, two runs), and two hits each from Matthew Minckler (two runs, RBI) and Miles Pratt (run). Timmy Avery (two runs), Jake Carlisle, Sebastian Lampert (RBI), Cade Murphy (run) and Bailey Wright (run, RBI) each collected one hit.

On the mound, Jason Pinsonnault went seven innings, allowing just one hit and struck out six batters to earn the win. Exeter's Shea LaFleur had the lone hit off Pinsonnault.

There was an extra motivation factor for Portsmouth: Booma avenged its lone loss to date this summer, a 7-3 setback against Exeter as part of a weekend tournament at Leary Field. The tournament also included Newburyport and Lowell of Massachusetts. Portsmouth was scheduled to play in the tournament championship game, but weather canceled the game with Lowell.

Portsmouth's loss to Exeter on June 21 snapped Portsmouth's five-game winning streak to open the summer season.

"Pretty good win," Minckler said Tuesday. "Good day for us, good day for our hitters, and Jason just kind of did what he always does. Just a good day for our hitters to kind of get everyone in, and the guys who were struggling to get some good at-bats and good swings in."

Next up for Booma is a matchup at Salem at Michele Park on Sunday, at 5:30 p.m., while Exeter will head off to Holman Stadium for a doubleheader with Nashua on Monday at 5 p.m and 7:30 p.m.

Putting the 'boom' in Booma

Portsmouth's nine runs on Tuesday brings its scoring output to 41 runs in the team's last three games in a 24-hour span.

On Monday, Portsmouth swept a doubleheader over Rochester, 17-0 in Game 1 and 15-1 in Game 2, led by Miles collecting six hits and eight RBI.

"There's no easy spots in the lineup," Portsmouth head coach Geoff Jablonsky said. "When Miles Pratt is hitting ninth, that shows your lineup has pretty good depth."

Portsmouth has four games with double-digit runs, and seven games with at least seven runs.

The pitching has been solid with Pinsonnault and Portsmouth High School rising seniors Joe Zingariello and Devin Driscoll. Lampert and Carlisle have been solid on the mound, too.

Portsmouth is currently in first place in New Hampshire's District B, and has the number one spot all but locked up as Salem's six wins are the second most in the district.

"We're an old team, as we've known the whole time," Jablonski said. "So with those guys and the guys we have coming back from Winnacunnet with (Jason Pinsonnault) and (Evan Gaffney) and those guys, we just have to stay focused. If we stay focused, pitch, play defense and hit, we'll be OK."

Lampert said the team "just knows how to win. We're not going to be scared of anyone, we think that we're better than anyone."

A big week ahead for Exeter Post 32

Exeter will need a strong finish as the season winds down to secure a New Hampshire state tournament spot, which go to the top four teams in each district.

Currently in fourth place, Exeter will play six games in the coming week: two with Nashua, two with Rochester and games with Portsmouth and Salem sandwiched in between. Both doubleheaders are on the road.

Exeter is led by players like George Young, who pitched a great game to hand Portsmouth its only loss of the season, as well as contributions from LaFleur, Cam Snee and Jack Ferrelli, who won position player of the week in mid June.

"It's just about being more consistent," Exeter head coach Tim Mitropoulus said. "Knowing who we are as a team, making sure we play that way next week with all the games we have coming up."

On the six-game week, Mitropoulus said it's one day at a time.

"Cut the week in half if you can," he said. "(Figuring out) pitching, players and figuring out who's where and stuff like that. It'll be a little bit of a puzzle, but that's what makes it fun."

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Here's where Portsmouth Booma Post 6, Exeter Post 32 stand after Seacoast clash