One look at recent regular-season results conveys that the troika of Pastime Club of Lewiston, Bessey Motors of Oxford Hills and the Windham Merchants enters the American Legion campaign as the top teams in Zone 3.

When you factor in post-graduates and outsiders, the gap between the best and the rest appears to grow even wider.

“We have a lot of depth on the mound and speed on the bases,” Windham manager Brody Artes said. “Pastime and Bessey are both well-coached teams that have some great athletes playing for them right now.”

Pastime and Windham earned the two state tournament berths a year ago.

Windham was the only team to beat Pastime during the zone schedule, sweeping a mid-season doubleheader. Pastime rallied to reach the state final for the third consecutive year before falling to First Title of Maine, a team headlined by Cheverus High School players.

As he did during the high school season, Pastime manager Dave Jordan takes over for Todd Cifelli, who has moved into the zone commissioner’s chair.

“I think we will be in the mix,” Jordan said. “Bessey has a lot of pitching and plays great defense. Windham is similar with a very good high school team.”

Post-grads Corbin Hyde and Luke Cote are the strongest remaining ties to the 2010 and 2011 state championship teams.

They combine with Oak Hill ace Ryan Riordan to form Pastime’s potent pitching rotation. Alex Small will have the best seat in the house behind the plate, where he takes over from six-year mainstay Mekae Hyde, now with Bates College and the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide.

Bessey Motors benefits from most of the Oxford Hills roster that played in the Eastern Class A championship game less than a week ago. Dalton Rice and Ryan Godin both pitched well in the spring. Catcher Jordan Croteau was a four-year varsity starter and is a Mr. Maine Baseball finalist, and Matt Beauchesne and Nick Attaliades-Ryan anchor the middle infield.

In the words of so many television pitch men — but wait, there’s more. Fryeburg product Ian MacFawn and Lake Region standout Mike Mageles are back for another go-round. And 2012 Oxford Hills graduate Brandon Campbell provides clout in the heart of the order.

All three can pitch, too.

“I think we’ll have a lot of pitching depth. I don’t know if we have anybody like a Cody Dube or a Corbin Hyde,” Bessey manager Shane Slicer said.

Dube is the 19-year-old ace of the Windham staff, which also picks up Dennis Meehan from Gardiner High. Each is available to play a slick shortstop when the other is on the hill.

Catcher Jack Herzig, outfielders Calvin Field and Nate Boyle and twin brothers Shawn and Joey Francoeur all played pivotal roles on a Windham High team that went 14-4 and showed a penchant for late-inning heroics.

“That coupled with the additions of Dube and Meehan could make (us) a legitimate contender,” Artes said.

There’s ample talent and experience beyond the big three, though, as well as a heightened sense of urgency due to a new format for the zone tournament.

“They reduced the number of teams to six, so there are lot of teams competing for those six slots,” Bethel manager Rob Manning said. “Once we get in the playoffs, we could do some damage with our pitching.”

Bethel, which plays its home games at Gould Academy, came within a run of making its first state tournament appearance a year ago. Dube and Windham tied up the Mountaineers, 1-0, in the zone semifinals.

Don’t be surprised to see Legion veterans Kyle Peterson, Izaak Mills and Alec Manning lead Bethel back into the upper echelon. Bethel also adds Ben Holmes of Dirigo High School and Husson University.

William J. Rogers Post of New Auburn made second-half strides with a young roster in 2012.

Nate Blais and Josh Delong provide the post-grad presence. Manager Troy Crane expects Edward Little arms Nate Pushard, John Simpson and Llewellyn Jensen to anchor the pitching staff.

“With a pitching staff that gets taxed as it does in the Legion schedule, we are looking to work in some younger guys and some guys that didn’t throw much during the high school season,” Crane said. “Having a big group of younger players, it will be key for us to play mechanically sound, basic baseball.”

Hal Bridgham takes over the Tri-Town entry of Poland, Mechanic Falls and Minot this summer. Son Kaleb Bridgham and Shawn Murphy lead the attack.

Over at Leavitt-based Andy Valley, manager Wendell Strout will unleash a melting-pot pitching staff that includes hometown ace Josh Bunker, Spruce Mountain’s Payton Kennison, Buckfield’s Jonah Williams and Mountain Valley’s Adam Volkernick.

“I think we will be fairly competitive,” Strout said. “It’s great baseball, and I’m looking forward to the season.”

The midcoast’s presence in Zone 3 expands from two to three teams this season. Highland Green of Topsham gives Mt. Ararat its own outfit, joining Brunswick and Smith-Tobey of Bath.

Teams have a short window in which to play the 18-game schedule.

Zone 3’s tournament is scheduled from July 20 to 22.

“I think our team is built to win a tournament like that,” Slicer said, “but if you go up against one of the top (pitchers) in the first game, you just don’t know.”

The regular-season champion is guaranteed a spot in the 10-team state tourney, with the zone runner-up sliding into a state play-in game on Saturday, July 27.

The double-elimination state tourney proper will be played in Augusta from July 31 to August 4.

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