BRUNSWICK

There were 15 total runs in Brunswick High School baseball’s season opener against Hampden Academy on Wednesday, but the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference wasn’t decided at the plate.

The visiting Broncos took advantage of multiple throwing errors and wild pitches by the Dragons, using a big third inning to capture a 9-6 road win.

“In situations where plays needed to be made, plays weren’t being made,” Brunswick coach Luke Potter said. “We got burned defensively. We shot ourselves in the foot a lot today. Whenever that happens in baseball, you’re going to lose baseball games.”

Sloppy start

The damage began in the second inning. After four quick outs to start the game, Brunswick (0-1) starter Alex Larson walked Jackson Gilmore, making him the first base runner of the day. A wild pick-off attempt and tag-up quickly moved Gilmore to third base before a wild pitch brought him home, giving Hampden (1-0) a 1-0 lead. Larson quickly got out of the inning, but the Broncos were just getting started.

Tommy Farrar and Brandon Smith reached base on consecutive errors to start the third inning, and were promptly driven in by a pair of hits from Jordan Dysart and Andrew Gendreau. Two RBIs from Casey Sudbeck and Alex McKenny followed, and suddenly, Hampden had five runs on the board.

Larson, who pitched 5 2-3 innings on 79 pitches, allowed eight runs, but just three were earned. He struck out a pair and the Dragons committed five errors behind him.

“Alex (Larson) went out and threw a lot of strikes,” Potter said. “Made a lot of quality pitches. Alex and Thomas (Hanson) both pitched well today — threw strikes, got outs when we needed them. The defense just has to respond better in the future.”

Hanson came on in relief, tossing 32 pitches and striking out two.

Hampden added two more insurance runs in the sixth, with the second run coming after an infield-base hit, stolen base and another error prefaced an RBI single from McKenny.

“I’m pleased, obviously. It’s game one,” Broncos coach McLean Poulin said. “We were a little sloppy there at the end, but the thing I’m proud of is we took advantage of their mistakes, so that was huge for us. We hit the ball a lot better than we have the past couple years, so I’m pleased for sure.”

Opportunistic base running was the theme of the day for the Broncos, who stole seven bases and advanced at least one base on each overthrow or error in the infield.

“A lot,” Poulin said of how much his team emphasizes smart and aggressive base running. “We like to attack offensively and we like to be aggressive and take the extra base when it’s there.”

On the mound, Farrar started off in a jam, but bounced back strongly. Hanson and Will Bessey each singled to right field to lead things off for Brunswick in the first inning, while Josh Goddard earned a six-pitch walk to load the bases. With one out, Farrar fanned the next two batters to earn his third strikeout of the inning and walk away unharmed. He finished with eight strikeouts and 78 pitches over four full innings of work.

“I definitely didn’t have my best stuff today,” Farrar said. “I know last year I came out and started the season a lot better than this season, but coach told me to just attack the hitters. I listened to him and it definitely paid off.”

Poulin said Farrar talked him into leaving him on the mound for the fourth inning, which turned out to be “his best inning,” throwing just 11 pitches.

“I knew I wasn’t done for the day,” Farrar said. “I still had some juice left in my arm. With him saying he was thinking about pulling me, I was definitely ready to come attack the hitters and get a quick inning.”

The Dragons broke through in the third inning, when Bessey and shortstop Elias Henze each doubled and scored. Nelson Gay was in scoring position before Farrar again ended the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.

Down 9-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, Gay singled and scored as part of a Brunswick final surge. Larson drove in Sam Sharpe and Cam Dunton on a two- RBI double deep in the gap, but for Potter, it was just a bit too late.

“That little rally at the end is too little, too late because of how we played defensively early in the game,” he said. “As far as the offense was concerned, a lot of quality at-bats, some hard hit balls — it was just inconsistent. We put ourselves in situations to score runs. It didn’t always happen, but that’s baseball.”

Smith came on in relief for Hampden Academy, throwing 69 pitches in three innings and giving up four runs. Farrar said that, after a slow start last year, it was important for his team to close out the game and get this campaign rolling.

“It’s definitely huge,” Farrar said. “We had a good preseason this year, and last year we started the season with a couple losses. To start the year on a good note, it’s going to get the ball rolling for us.”

As for Brunswick, which is on the road at Skowhegan Friday at 1 p.m., Wednesday was a learning experience.

“There’s an approach to the game that we didn’t show today,” Potter said. “We have a talented group of baseball players. We have some young players, we have some veteran players, but the approach has to be more aggressive, more athletic, more purposeful from inning one to inning seven and that will be part of what we’re looking to see changed from today and into our next game.”

Hampden 9, Brunswick 6

At Brunswick High School

Hampden		—	014	112	0	—	9-	7-0
Brunswick			— 002	010	3	—	6-	10-5

Tommy Farrar, Brandon Smith (5) and Cam Scott; Alex Larson, Thomas Hanson (6) and Nelson Gay. Repeat Hitters — (B) Thomas Hanson, Will Bessey, Elias Henze. Doubles — (HA) Andrew Gendreau; (B) Thomas Hanson, Will Bessey, Josh Goddard, Alex Larson. Records — Hampden 1-0, Brunswick 0-1. Up next for the Dragons — Friday at Skowhegan, 1 p.m.