AUGUSTA — The CARA baseball fields were empty for much of last summer, unused while the coronavirus pandemic spread across the state and country.
This year, Jason Douin said, it’s a different story.
“Not all of the local kids were able to play, Babe Ruth wasn’t playing, it was definitely a difficult situation,” said Douin, who along with David Stolt coaches the Augusta-Summit Real Estate American Legion team. “It’s great to see the fields being used. Every night, there seems to be a game on both Morton and McGuire, junior Legion, senior Legion, Babe Ruth. It’s pretty exciting, and I know the kids are excited.”
American Legion baseball, both the senior and junior levels, are back this season after missing the entirety of last year. There are 15 senior Legion teams split into North and South regions, and 14 junior Legion teams divided the same way. There are six local teams in senior Legion, with Augusta, Erskine, Franklin County and Central Maine returning along with new squads in Sebasticook (Newport and Pittsfield) and Ware and Butler Eagles (Mt. Abram). There are four local junior Legion teams in Skowhegan, Fairfield, Ware and Butler Eagles (Messalonskee) and Capital Area.
Across senior Legion, coaches said they’ve noticed more enthusiasm for the season among their players.
“We’re excited about having a full group for the first time in a while,” said Franklin County coach Kyle Gunzinger, whose team is made up of players from Mt. Blue, Rangeley and Spruce Mountain. “I think the year off really reignited some kids’ passion for the sport.”
“I’ve got kids that graduated last year, meaning 2020, and their whole perspective on baseball has changed,” Erskine coach Thad Barber said. “It’s funny to see it. They were excited, but not really. Now, they’re in the real world, they graduated last year, they’re not playing any more baseball, they can not wait to get to the field. … For the older kids, it got a huge uptick. Kids who haven’t been able to play realized what they were missing.”
There was a push to give the players something last summer. Gunzinger said he and Rod Stevens tried to organize a local league last year after Legion was canceled, but ran into too many obstacles.
“We got shut down at every turn,” Gunzinger said. “Originally, (Stevens) had a bunch of hours at Colby, and Colby went ‘uh, no. No one’s coming here.’ That was basically it. Everyone sort of followed suit.”
A Ware and Butler hitter waits for a pitch from a Charlie’s Family of Dealerships pitcher during an American Legion game Thursday at McGuire Field in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal Buy this Photo
Most teams are expecting strong seasons. Augusta will be pitching-heavy, with Cony players Kyle and Kam Douin and Bobby Stolt leading the staff. Also back are Hall-Dale graduates Akira Warren, who batted .358 as a freshman at Husson, and Logan Dupont. Winthrop’s Colby Emery, Cony’s Brayden Barbeau and Monmouth’s Manny Calder also make up the core.
“We’re just starting to know each other. That’s the fun part. Hopefully by the middle, toward the end of the season, we’ll start to gel more so as a team,” Jason Douin said. “Hopefully we can make something positive happen. … I feel really good about our pitching, we have some really good arms. It’s just a matter of how everybody will fit and what their role will be.”
Rusty Mercier’s Central Maine team, comprised of players from Skowhegan, Messalonskee, Winslow, Madison and Lawrence, should be a playoff contender. Skowhegan’s Zeb Tibbetts and Hunter McEwan, Lawrence’s Zach Nickerson, Winslow’s Reid Gagnon and Messalonskee’s Jacob Thomas and Andrew Mayo are among those making up the team’s core.
“I believe pitching and defense is our strength,” Mercier said. “We have a lot of speed on offense, we’ve utilized some baserunning which would be some base stealing and a lot of bunting, a lot of small ball. … If our hitting comes along and we get to the point where our hitting is consistent, I think that will be a big plus going forward.”
Charlie’s Family of Dealership baserunner Nick Barber takes a lead off third base during an American Legion game against Ware and Butler on Thursday at McGuire Field in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal Buy this Photo
Mercier said he’s encouraged by having three junior Legion teams in Skowhegan, Fairfield and Messalonskee fueling the senior team.
“I’m feeling really good about the fact that our junior teams are really competitive,” he said. “I think (junior Legion) is the best program for that age level.”
Barber’s Erskine team, sponsored this year by Charlie’s Family of Dealerships, is comprised mostly of Erskine players, along with a Gardiner player in Darien Jamison, one from Lincoln Academy in Nick Prior and three graduates from Medomak Valley. Jamison and Prior, along with Medomak’s Andrew Pruell and Erskine players Nick Barber, Grady Hotham and Lucas Anderson, will help lead the way.
“As long as we can pitch, we can be there,” Barber said. “As long as we can go deeper with our pitching and have some good defense, we will be there.”
Gunzinger’s Franklin County team is young, but could be a team that gets into the top four. Sam Wrigley, Isaac Parker and Bryce Gunzinger are the top returners, while newcomers in Hayden Dippner, Evan Burrell and Jayden Meader should provide a lift.
“We’re going to take it game by game and go from there and look for some growth,” Kyle Gunzinger said. “If it all plays out at the end and we can handle the pitching and the fielding clean like that, we would hope to sneak into the top four.”
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