BRUNSWICK SECOND BASEMEN Kyle Hanson, center, and Skowhegan base runner Michael Berry look at the umpire on a close play at second base on Saturday. Berry was out, but Skowhegan downed the Dragons, 6-0.
A hit batter, stolen base, throwing error, two bloop singles — a 2-0 deficit.
This type of inning has been a recurring theme for the Brunswick High School baseball team through seven games this season, a combination of circumstances that has led to a tough start to the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference season.
BRUNSWICK THIRD BASEMAN Aaron Gary hauls in a pop fly during a KVAC baseball game against Skowhegan on Saturday.
For Brunswick coach Luke Potter, always a positive leader, he sees his team getting closer. But, he feels it is going to take a team leader to lead the Dragons to success.
“It starts with one kid, one that decides that he is going to make a play, refuses to let the error happen wherever it may be, a tall task for an inexperienced, young team,” said Potter. “It is just one guy that is going to muscle up, man up, and make the play, play without apprehension. We are getting better, getting close to that. Baseball is so hard. If you play on your heels, the game will find you.”
“We have been frustrated over the past couple games, but we have a mindset of working through the mistakes,” said Brunswick’s Isaac Boll. “We are focusing on having fun. That is what it is all about. Everyone here loves the game and we are excited to play baseball.”
For Brunswick on Saturday, it was a solid pitching performance by Skowhegan starter Brendan Curran and reliever Colby Espy that led the way. They combined on a one-hit shutout, the only base-knock coming from Boll against Curran in the second inning. The Dragons received five walks on the day, but only once advanced a runner to third base.
“It wasn’t anything that we haven’t seen, we just weren’t getting base hits,” said Boll of Curran.
Skowhegan (2-7) jumped ahead in the second inning against Brunswick starter Noah Goddard. Marcus Christopher was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored one out later on a throwing error. Backto back singles by Michael Berry and Adam Louder, the No. 8 and 9 hitters in the Indians’ lineup, made it 2-0.
Singles runs followed in the third and fourth innings for Skowhegan, both runs unearned, for a 4-0 advantage.
Solid outing
Goddard hung in throughout his five innings of work. He struck out two, walked two and allowed just five hits. Of the four runs he permitted, just one was earned.
“Noah pitched very well today,” said Potter of Goddard. “For a freshman, he goes out there, mixes speed and competes. That was the best pitching performance for us that I have seen. He gave us a shot today.”
Brunswick manufactured some threats. In the second, Boll singled and Scout Masse walked. But, Curran worked out of the jam.
In the fourth, an error and a walk to Aaron Gary again put two Dragons on base, with Curran escaping one more time. Curran went four innings, with four strikeouts and three walks.
Espy relieved to begin the fifth and worked a quick seven-pitch 1-2-3 frame. He gave his team three innings on three punchouts and two walks.
Skowhegan scored its final two runs in the sixth. Louder (2-for-3) and Johnny Blodgett (2-for-4, RBI) both singled, and a key Dragons error, their fourth, made for two more unearned runs against Brunswick reliever Kam Labbe (one inning, two hits, one strikeout). Boll worked the seventh on one hit.
There is no rest for the Dragons, who jump right back into action today at Camden Hills (4:30 p.m.), the first of five games for Brunswick this week.
“I can’t wait!” said Potter of his team’s upcoming schedule that includes home dates with Oxford Hills (Tuesday) and Edward Little (Wednesday). “The best thing that we can do is play baseball. We don’t need practice. We need games, to rise above whatever situation presents itself to us.”
Skowhegan 6,
Brunswick 0
Saturday, at Brunswick High School
Skowhegan — 021 102 0 — 6-8-2
Brunswick — 000 000 0 — 0-1-4
Brendan Curran, Colby Espy (5) and Adam
Louder; Noah Goddard, Kam Labbe (6), Isaac
Boll (7) and Scout Masse; Aaron Gary (5).
WP — Curran; LP — Goddard; SV — Espy.
Repeat hitters — (S) Adam Louder, Johnny
Blodgett.
Records — Skowhegan 2-7; Brunswick 0-7.
Up next for the Dragons — Today at Camden
Hills, 4:30 p.m.
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