SMITH-TOBEY POST 21 catcher Daren Wood (top photo) is about to put the tag on Brunswick baserunner Jason Carter. Brunswick swept the Zone III American Legion baseball doubleheader in Bath, 14-3 and 7-4. In the bottom photo, Charlie Lowell drops to one knee to retire Smith- Tobey baserunner Thomas Brown (1) in the first game of a Saturday Zone III American Legion baseball game at Kelley Field in Bath.
Hitting has certainly not been a problem during the Zone III American Legion baseball season, as Brunswick, after sweeping a doubleheader from Smith- Tobey Post 21 on Saturday at Kelley Field, improved to 11- 3 and hopes to slip into the second seed come playoff time this upcoming Saturday.
Brunswick pounded out 13 hits in each game, winning the opener, 14-3, and holding on for a 7-4 win in the second.
“From the coaching perspective, when you can score runs and send guys, that is the most fun,” said Brunswick coach Luke Potter, whose squad heads to Auburn on Tuesday to take on Rogers Post. “The jayvee guys from this season are showing their growth, picking up some big hits here.”
Smith-Tobey (4-12) has struggled with numbers this year. With just 10 players to go to, Garrett Olson’s team had to finish Saturday’s second game with just eight left as two headed out to play in the Babe Ruth 13-15-year-old baseball tournament in Topsham.
“It is tough when kids don’t show up,” said Olson. “We had two pitchers today, and they pitched what they could. We had to bring in two guys who haven’t pitched. We had guys who had to leave early for a Babe Ruth tournament game. When our guys are here, we are good to go and can play. We have guys learning on the fly.”
First game
Brunswick starting pitcher John Parker admitted that he struggled with his command on Saturday. Smith-Tobey may not agree.
Parker held Smith-Tobey hitless through five innings. He struck out seven straight hitters at one point, and went the distance on 10 punchouts, five walks and three hits allowed.
“I couldn’t throw a fastball, but fortunately we scored a lot of runs and my curveball was working,” said Parker. “We are just going out there and swinging.”
Brunswick jumped on top in the first. Elias Henze led off with a triple and scored on a groundball RBI by Will Bessey for a 1-0 lead.
Smith-Tobey starting pitcher Jacob Cressey kept Brunswick off-balance, retiring eight of 10 hitters at one point.
The visitors doubled their lead in the fourth. Parker one-hopped the fence in leftcenter field for a double and scored one batter later when Andrew Kopocius doubled.
Cressey was hurt in the fifth by three errors, allowing Brunswick to tally three runs for a 5-0 lead. Charlie Lowell and Jason Carter each picked up an RBI.
Smith-Tobey got to Parker in the sixth. Four-pitch walks to Zach Holbrook and Liam McDonough, and a passed ball, put two runners into scoring position. Andrew LaCavera broke up Parker’s no-hit bid with a two-run single. Thomas Brown’s two-out RBI single made for a 5-3 contest.
But, Brunswick put the game out of reach in the seventh, scoring nine runs. Carter drove in three with two hits in the frame as 15 hitters came to the plate.
Cressey went six innings, allowing 10 hits and two walks with two strikeouts. LaCavera tossed an inning on three hits, three walks and two strikeouts.
Game 2
Smith-Tobey darted out to a 1-0 lead in the second game. McDonough singled against Lowell, stole second and came home on a single by LaCavera.
The hit parade arrived again for Brunswick, which used 12 hits over the next three innings to score seven unanswered runs.
Brady Larson, who was 4- for-6 in the doubleheader, scored a pair of runs, while Zach Meggison was 3-for-4 and picked up four RBIs. Lowell finished 2-for-3, while Henze added two more hits to go 4-for-8 in the two games.
Lowell pitched consistently, keeping the ball down along with his pitch count. He threw just 83 pitches in going the distance, with one walk, six hits and six strikeouts.
Down 7-2 in the seventh, Holbrook doubled with the bases loaded to complete the scoring.
With two games remaining and a playoff spot still up for grabs, Olson feels his team needs to finish strong.
“We need to play some good baseball,” said the coach, whose squad heads to Lewiston on Tuesday to face the Pastime Club. “I see us having the potential, even though our record doesn’t reflect it.”
LaCavera was 2-for-6 in the doubleheader to lead Smith-Tobey.
Game 1
Brunswick 14, Smith-Tobey 3
Brunswick — 100 130 9 — 14-
13-2
Smith-Tobey — 000 003 0 —
3-2-6
John Parker and Bobby Lewis;
Jacob Cressey, Andrew LaCavera (7) and Daren Wood.
Doubles — (B) John Parker (2),
Andrew Kopocius, Jason Carter.
Triple — (B) Elias Henze.
Repeat hitters — (B) Elias
Henze, Will Bessey, John Parker
(3), Brady Larson, Jason Carter.
Game 2
Brunswick 7, Smith-Tobey 4
Brunswick — 014 200 0 — 7-
13-0
Smith-Tobey — 100 100 2 —
4-6-4
Charlie Lowell and Bobby Lewis;
Dakota Jacobs, Liam McDonough (4) and Liam McDonough, Daren Wood (4).
Doubles — (B) Brady Larson,
John Parker, Zach Meggison;
(ST) Zach Holbrook.
Repeat hitters — (B) Zach Meggison (3), Cam Berry, Elias
Henze, Charlie Lowell, Brady
Larson.
Records — Brunswick 11-3;
Smith-Tobey 4-12.
Up next for Brunswick — Tuesday at Rogers Post in Auburn,
5:30 p.m.
Up next for Smith-Tobey —
Tuesday at Pastime Club at
Lewiston, 5:30 p.m.
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