In every high school baseball season, there are feel-good stories heading into the regional tournaments — players having outstanding seasons, a team making the playoffs for the first time in several years, or a coach achieving a milestone win.

This season, Kennebunk has taken a rags-to-riches path to the Western Class A tournament. Granted, no championships have been won yet, and the Rams’ postseason could end as quickly as it begins. But the fact they are in the tournament is nothing short of amazing.

Kennebunk started 0-7, but now the Rams are 6-10 and will host a preliminary-round game as the eighth seed. Kennebunk plays No. 9 Bonny Eagle (6-10) at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The playoffs open Tuesday with preliminary-round games in Western A, B and C and all four classes in Eastern Maine. The quarterfinals are Thursday.

After that 0-7 start, Kennebunk went 6-3 to reach the tournament for the first time since 2009.

For the first half of the season, it was looking pretty bleak.

“In the first seven games, we scored only two runs,” said Kennebunk Coach Brian Dill, now in his 27th season.

“We were on a pace to score five runs for the season. In those first seven, we got one-hit twice and were a victim of the 10-run rule twice. I started to think that if we went 0-16, what was I going to say at the team banquet?”

Dill tried to think of anything he could do to snap the team out of its funk. He even tried a little voodoo.

“We burned some of the wooden bats, hoping that would help,” he said.

“The coaches told the players to stay positive and things would turn around, but that’s hard for them to believe when they’re 0-7.

“You have to give our kids a lot of credit. Not too many teams start like we did and are able to make something positive out of it.”

Everything started to change for the Rams in the eighth game when Cheverus, the defending Class A state champion, came to town.

Cheverus was 5-1 and had allowed just 13 runs total in its first six games, but Kennebunk beat up the Stags, 10-2. The Rams followed up that win with an 8-5 victory over Sanford.

Although they lost 5-1 to Westbrook in their next game, their confidence had been restored.

Kennebunk beat Biddeford 4-0, and suddenly making the tournament was a possibility.

Kennebunk added a third win over a higher-ranked opponent on May 24, defeating Thornton Academy 3-1.

“We got the bats going against Cheverus and it was contagious,” said senior tri-captain Rob Eckland, who plays center field.

“We knew we had some good hitters, a lot if it had to do with regaining our confidence. We’re a completely different team now.”

While beating Cheverus has been Kennebunk’s biggest moment to date, it was the Stags’ lowest.

But Cheverus quickly turned things around and enters the tournament with nine straight wins, counting two victories last Friday in the Telegram League playoffs.

“Obviously beating us helped them feel good,” said Cheverus Coach Mac McKew, whose team has won seven of eight one-run games.

As for Kennebunk, Eckland bats leadoff as part of a strong top of the order that has sparked the team’s resurgence. Kip Richard, a freshman catcher, bats second, followed by Nick Emmons and Ned Richard, Kip’s brother.

The younger Richard is batting .350. Emmons, coming off shoulder surgery, started the season 1 for 15 but has hit .500 in the last nine games.

Senior left-hander Branden Guevin is the No. 1 pitcher and will face Bonny Eagle.

“He’s not overpowering, but he’s got good control,” said Dill. “Branden is tough if his control is strong. He’s pitched better than his 2-5 record indicates.”

Kennebunk is hosting its first playoff game since 2001. Since joining the Southern Maine Activities Association in 2003, the Rams have reached the postseason once, losing to Bonny Eagle.

“We’re hoping for a better outcome this time,” said Dill.

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be contacted at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com

Twitter: TomChardPPH