AAABA 2026 | PHOTO GALLERY | Martella's Pharmacy trounces Brooklyn to ensure quarterfinal bid
· Yahoo Sports
Colby Rearick was a home run shy of the cycle in Martella’s Pharmacy’s 17-1 blowout win over Brooklyn at Sargent Stadium at the Point Wednesday afternoon.
Rearick, who batted ninth in the order, tallied three hits, six total bases and five RBIs in the victory.
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Martella’s Pharmacy totaled 16 hits, drew seven walks and had as many batters hit by a pitch.
The 2025 tournament runner-up will advance to the knockout bracket, where it has another chance to compete for the club’s second AAABA title.
Martella’s Pharmacy will face 3-0 New Orleans Thursday. The Boosters have outscored their opponents 26-6 in this year’s tournament.
“We certainly think we’ve got a shot to win the tournament, but we know we have a great test and a great challenge tomorrow,” Martella’s Pharmacy manager Kerry Pfeil said.
Despite the final score, this game wasn’t a breeze for Martella’s Pharmacy from the jump. Brooklyn was within reach through five innings, but poor pitching resulted in 14 total free bases and four pitching changes.
Leadoff batter Owen McDermott scored quickly when he was driven home by left fielder Steve Budash after reaching first with a single, then stealing second.
Courtesy runner Erik Radkowski – in for catcher Lucas Oleska following his base hit to center field – and second baseman Mason Pfeil scored in the second inning via McDermott’s walk and Cainen Atherton’s line drive to left.
Atherton finished with three hits and four RBIs.
The Martella’s Pharmacy offense caught a snag in the next frame when Brooklyn replaced its starting arm with right-hander Anderson Reyes.
Reyes pitched a team-high 22/3 innings, while striking out five and allowing three runs on four hits.
After making it through the third frame unscathed, Brooklyn watched Johnstown’s lead grow to 5-0 when designated hitter Ben Ryan singled to left and Rearick dashed down the first-base line to beat a throw from third, notching his first RBI of the game.
Meanwhile, Martella’s Pharmacy starter JJ Siemon cruised through the first three innings with three strikeouts and one hit in 39 pitches. The Pittsburgh product went on to allow just one run and two walks in five innings.
“His fastball has some giddy-up on it and his breaking stuff, when it comes in, it really dies at the end,” Pfeil said. “He battled through the humidity, used his legs and he did what he always does: put forth a gutsy performance for us all.”
With a comfortable 6-1 lead, thanks to a double off the left field wall from Rearick during the top of the fifth, Siemon’s day was finished.
“It absolutely eases (the offense) when he’s pitching with a lead,” Rearick said of his Pitt-Greensburg teammate. “He’s executing, we’re getting back in the dugout quickly and we just stay on offense the whole game.”
Siemon’s replacements, Carson Kensinger and Braedon Flower, each pitched an inning and struck out two and three batters, respectively, while Brooklyn went hitless for the remainder of the game.
On the contrary, Martella’s Pharmacy’s offense broke loose, scoring 11 runs in the final two innings.
Ryan scored on a sacrifice fly from first baseman Jack Messina; Mason Pfeil had an RBI single, so did Budash, and Atherton had two as well; two more runs came from a Brooklyn error.
Rearick also drove in three runs by getting hit by a pitch and blasting a triple to the right field corner.
“When the nine guy can hit a double and drive in runs, I mean, that brings a shot of adrenaline into your dugout,” Pfeil said. “That’s tough for another team to take away.”
Martella’s Pharmacy has its eyes set on another championship appearance. After falling to Mainline Pharmacy in last year’s title game, this year’s Martella’s Pharmacy team is back with more experience and hunger to win it all.
“We’re playing like we don’t want to be done yet,” said Rearick. “We want to go all the way.
“We want to win. We have Mainline’s number. We’re excited to get back there.”