The Central Maine 13-year old Babe Ruth team is 2-0 in the New England tournament, and coach Butch Cunningham doesn’t think his team has played its best baseball yet.

“We’ve scored some runs, but we need other big hits,” Cunningham said on Monday, an off day for his team. “We can’t leave that many runners on base.”

On Sunday, Central Maine defeated Manchester, N.H., 3-2, to stay in the winners’ bracket of the eight-team, double-elimination tournament. Central Maine will play Cranston, R.I. today at 4 p.m. at Brian McMahon High School in Norwalk, Conn.

Central Maine scored all three runs against Manchester in the first inning. J.T. Nutting led off with a single, and scored on a hit by Jared Cunningham. Dan Pooler hit a two-run home run.

Nutting pitched six innings for the win, striking out 10, walking one and allowing four hits.

Central Maine left the bases loaded twice, and that’s something the team needs to improve as the tournament moves forward.

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“We’re hitting the ball, just sometimes right at them,” Coach Cunningham said.

Central Maine opened the tournament Saturday with a 3-2 win over host team Norwalk. Although the offense hasn’t come around yet, Cunningham is pleased with the rest of his team’s effort.

“Our kids are playing great defense,” Cunningham said.

Ben Frazee, who struck out five in Saturday’s win, will pitch today against Cranston. With Frazee, Nutting and Nick Mayo, who threw the seventh inning Sunday, Cunningham is confident in his pitching staff.

“I think our three pitchers are the hardest three throwers in the tournament,” Cunningham said.

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com

 


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