March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Inexperienced Falcons are off to a slow start

The Brewer Falcons got off to an unaccustomed 0-3 start in Zone 1 American Legion baseball play before beating Bangor 8-6 on Sunday. But the Falcons, who had won five consecutive zone titles until finishing second to Skowhegan a year ago, are far from down and out.

“We definitely have a lot of new players but the talent and potential are there and I expect us to be very competitive in the zone,” said third-year Coach Dave Gonyar. “We just need to improve in a lot of the mental aspects of the game.”

There are only two regulars off last year’s team that went 21-10: Mel Grant and George O’Connor.

Grant has been moved from shortstop to center field and O’Connor has been switched from the outfield to second base.

“We’re counting on them to come through when we need it the most,” said Gonyar. “If they can do that, hitting becomes contagious and we’ll start hitting the ball up and down the lineup.”

Searsport High School’s Grant was an All-Zone 1 first-team selection a year ago when he hit .444 with three homers, 25 runs batted in, 26 runs scored and 21 steals during the regular season. Grant has four hits through Brewer’s first four games. Hampden Academy and Bridgton Academy product O’Connor was a .195 hitter last season, but has three hits this season.

There are only four other Falcons with Legion experience. Three of them are pitchers who combined to pitch just 44 1/3 innings last year and the other is shortstop Sean Smith, who had only 11 at-bats. Peter Kenny was 2-2 with a 5.41 earned run average in 22 innings; Brent Emerson was 0-0 with two saves and a 3.82 ERA in 11 innings and Ben Jenkins was 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA in 10 1/3 innings.

All are from Bucksport High.

Brewer’s Andy King is the catcher with Hampden’s Michael Wentworth and Bucksport’s Neil Raymond backing him up; Jenkins and Brewer’s Tim Hodgins are the first basemen; O’Connor and Smith are the double play combination, and Emerson and Brewer’s Dan Needham are the third basemen. Jeff Millett plays left field and Greg Crossman plays right when they aren’t pitching.

Kenny can play the outfield and Brewer’s Tony Brigalli is a backup outfielder. Bucksport’s Tiger Stewart is a pitcher-first baseman; Hampden’s Michael Tardif is a reserve second baseman; Brewer’s Mason Johnston is a backup infielder and Brewer’s Matt McGrath is a P-DH-1B.

Millett, Kenny, Crossman, Jenkins and lefty Hodgins will get most of the mound starts but Emerson, Needham, Stewart and McGrath provide depth.

His pitchers aren’t overpowering “but, by the middle of the year, I think they’ll be pretty solid.”

Gonyar feels team defense could be a strong point. The Falcons will run the bases aggressively, as evidenced by the eight stolen bases against Bangor, and there are plenty of line-drive hitters who can produce enough runs.


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