SKOWHEGAN — It was the start of a recent Skowhegan Area High School baseball practice, and the Indians were taking a light round of batting practice. Even head coach Mike LeBlanc took a few cuts, hitting a few high and foul pop-ups before driving a couple hard liners to left field. After his last swing sent a ball to almost the left field wall, LeBlanc dropped the bat and looked around.

“All right, let’s clean up,” LeBlanc said.

The players removed the batting practice pitcher’s screen and lined up at first base to start baserunning drills.

At 7-6 with three games left in the regular season, the Indians are going to the playoffs for the first time since 2013, and with a few more wins, could host a Class A North quarterfinal game. In his first season with Skowhegan, with a team featuring seven seniors, LeBlanc’s laissez-faire approach is working.

“(LeBlanc) told us, if you want to get better, you get better on your own. I can’t make you get better,” senior Isaiah Vigue, a left-handed pitcher, said. “He’s given us that want to play.”

LeBlanc’s laid back demeanor in the dugout may have confused some of the players, who saw their coach decidedly more fiery as Skowhegan’s girls basketball coach last winter. LeBlanc, who coached baseball and basketball for years at Forest Hills in Jackman before returning to his hometown Skowhegan this year, said his laid-back approach was by design.

“Just let them play baseball and have fun. They had good coaching before me. It’s not like I had to redo everything. I basically let them do what they needed to do. I didn’t try to change any of their hitting stances. I just said do what you’ve been doing and we’ll be fine,” LeBlanc said.

With so many veterans on the roster, LeBlanc also didn’t want to come in and make changes for change’s sake.

“I’m coming in, I rock the boat, there could be problems,” he said.

LeBlanc inherited a team full of returning players that was bolstered by the decision of a few seniors, including Isaac Witham, to rejoin the baseball team after years away. Witham hadn’t played baseball since eighth grade. Tom Nadeau, another senior back after a long absence, hadn’t played since seventh grade.

“All my buddies have been playing for years. I wanted to go out playing a sport they’ve always played. Basically, that was it,” Witham, a 1,000-point scorer for Skowhegan’s basketball team, said.

Early in the season, Witham played a few positions. Now, he’s settled into right field, and the second spot in the lineup.

“I’m not used to playing outfield. I’ve never really played outfield, so I’m trying to get the hang of things, but it’s coming along slowly,” Witham said.

Added LeBlanc: “Witham, having him allows me to be more flexible. I can put different people at different spots… If a kid’s not performing, I can put somebody in there who can.”

Different players have come up big throughout the season, LeBlanc said.

“It’s been on any given day anybody. (Kam) Doucette and Witham were carrying us earlier. (Kyle) Dugas is starting to hit the ball more consistently now. Vigue, his last two pitching outings have been pretty good. I’ve been fortunate to have them,” LeBlanc said.

In a recent game against Lawrence, a 4-0 Skowhegan win, LeBlanc had six seniors in the starting lineup.

“Team chemistry’s been there since we were little kids, going back to when we were winning state championships as young kids. Having us all together again is a great way to end,” senior catcher Will Stinson said.

Added Vigue: “It just gives us more of a bond, because we’ve played together for a long time. We know we have to keep winning if we want to play more baseball.”

The large senior class is the core of a team that’s picked up some big wins this season. A 3-2 win over Brewer on May 5 is the signature win of the regular season so far, Stinson said.

“If we work together, like we did against Brewer in the first game, I think we can go far,” Stinson said.

As of Thursday, Skowhegan was in fifth place in Class A North, a couple points behind Lawrence, also 7-5. There’s the possibility that the Skowhegan-Lawrence rematch next Wednesday in Fairfield could be for a home game in the regional quarterfinals. At the start of the season, LeBlanc’s expectation was that the team could finish around .500 and fight for a playoff spot.

“Hopefully we can exceed them. We’d like to get a couple more wins,” LeBlanc said.

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

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