AUBURN – Building a championship team in Little League baseball is tough. There are no agents, no multi-million dollar players and no players sneaking off into the Green Monster to take a break.
There is, however, an age limit.
For Auburn Suburban Little League, despite losing half of the team that won a second consecutive Maine Senior League championship, the pieces again fell into place last weekend. Paced by three home runs in the title game against Bucksport, the Suburban team rocked the hosts, 12-2, to claim a third straight state title, and a return trip this weekend to the Eastern Regional in West Depford, N.J.
“They went wild,” said coach Cliff Meserve. “They didn’t even bother to use the gate out of the dugout after they won. They just hopped right over the fence between them and the field to go celebrate.”
Auburban Suburban will face Loyalsock/Montoursville of Pennsylvania at 10 a.m. on Saturday in its opener in the double-elimination tournament.
With a two-year span between divisions, none of the current players was on the first of the three consecutive titles. Senior League teams are comprised of players aged 15 and 16.
“When this group was 11 and 12, they lost to Gardiner in the district finals,” said Meserve.
“Two years ago, when I was 14, we lost the first two games in the state tournament right off the top,” said 16-year-old Jake Marcum. “You can tell in just two years how much this team has grown up and how much better we are than just two years ago.”
Been there, done that
Marcum was with the team last year when it went to Thorofare for a second crack at a regional.
“It’s important to have the guys there that were there last year,” said Meserve. “They’ve showed a lot of leadership this season, and that’s helped the younger guys get used to it a little bit.”
“I think it helps,” said Marcum, “but this year is completely different than last year, too. Last year, we already had the team in place. It had won before, and we almost expected to. This year, this team together, this is the first time we win states together at any level.”
For Marcum and his fellow veterans, the task of updating the rookies has been easy.
Last year’s team won its opener, lost its second game to drop into the elimination bracket, and then won one more game before bowing out with a record of 2-2.
Fresh faces
Auburn Suburban has added five 15-year-olds to its all-star roster. All of them have made a contribution, but two stood out in Bucksport.
With his team trailing 2-0 in what proved to be the championship game, Eric Prue belted a home run that sparked the team to rally for 12 unanswered runs.
“I had hit a ball off the fence with a check swing the day before,” said Prue, “so I knew I could hit it that far. It’s great to be able to think that I helped the team get things going in an important game like that.”
Another fresh face, outfielder Kyle Bussiere, connected twice for home runs over the weekend. His nearly full beard and long hair have many likening him to Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon – in the looks department, anyway.
“There were a bunch of little kids asking for his autograph up in Bucksport,” said Meserve. “It was kind of funny, actually.”
On the field, Bussiere is playing beyond his years, too.
“The competition is going to be a lot harder in New Jersey,” said Bussiere. “We haven’t faced any pitchers better than the guys on our own team yet, so it’s been a bit easier on us. But it will get harder. We know that, and we’ll be ready.”
More laid back’
Part of the reason the players say they are doing well this year is a change of philosophy. Last year, the team would practice six times a week.
“By the time we got to states and regionals, they were worn out and burned out a bit, I think,” said Meserve, who served as an assistant coach last year. “This year, we’re taking it a bit easier, doing three or four days a week and letting them enjoy their summer. It seems to be working.”
And Meserve isn’t worried about a lack of discipline on the diamond.
“They goof around all the time,” Meserve said, “but when the umpire gets out there and yells, play ball,’ they’re ready to play.”
To many of the players, the extra time off has given them a sense of what the game is really all about.
“We just have fun, hang out with people and play some ball,” said Prue. “That’s really all it is.”
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