Coffee News of Bangor needed some late-inning magic to beat Morrill Post 35 of South Portland for the Maine American Legion state championship on Sunday.
The Comrades look to ride the momentum of their seven-run, eighth-inning rally into the Northeast Regional Tournament, which begins Wednesday at Muzzy Field in Bristol, Connecticut.
Bangor, which has won two straight state titles after a 35-year drought since the program’s 1979 crown, now will try to claim a regional crown.
Manager David Morris’ ballclub debuts Wednesday at approximately 12:30 p.m. when it takes on the Rhode Island champion. New Hampshire and the Massachusetts “A” titlist open the tournament at 9:30 a.m.
“Every year you’re trying to get to this point and you’re trying to win a state championship and we were just lucky enough to get two in a row,” said Comrades catcher Sam Huston.
A victory against Rhode Island would place Bangor in Thursday’s finale (approximately 7:30 p.m.) against the winner of Wednesday’s contest between host Seicheprey Post 2 of Bristol and the Massachusetts “B” champion.
The Coffee News Comrades, who were the runners-up in Maine’s Zone 1, take an 18-9 record into regional play. The players believe they have outstanding chemistry in addition to their on-field talents.
“We just stick together and we trust each other,” said pitcher and outfielder Trevor DeLaite. “We have confidence in everyone.”
Morris, who features a handful of other regional veterans including Andrew Hillier, Ben Crichton, Peter Kemble and Ryan Brookings, is pleased with the level of commitment his players have shown again this summer.
“I’m really proud of these kids,” he said. “All the credit goes to them. They sacrificed their summer and they do it the right way.”
Morris believes Bangor’s Zone 1 schedule has prepared it well to take on New England’s top squads.
“I think one of the benefits in our zone is playing nine-inning games,” he said. “All year long we talk about grinding things out. If you see a good pitcher, you just try to get to their bullpen.”