Bangor squad eager to face world’s best

BANGOR – If 2001 was the year opportunity knocked for Bangor Senior League’s baseball program, 2002 could be the year that door gets kicked in.

Bangor won its first two games at the East Regional Tournament in New Jersey before losing its next two and coming home. This year, with a roster that remains mostly intact, the all-stars get a second chance.

A big second chance. Instead of going back to regionals, Bangor has skipped a step ahead, and as the host site’s representative team, finds itself among the 10 World Series qualifiers.

“To be frank, what other chance does a local team have to make an event like this and be part of this kind of field?” said Bangor radio station WABI (910 AM) station manager George Hale, whose station is airing live coverage of the tourney.

“I think it’s just a great opportunity, even though it isn’t quite as big as the Little League World Series,” he added. “I would almost guarantee we’ll see some future division I college players and maybe even some Major Leaguers here because there are some fine athletes in this tournament.”

If it wasn’t already enough to be included in this field, the Series is being held right in Bangor’s home ballpark, Mansfield Stadium.

“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” said 15-year-old team member Eric Anderson. “We went to New Jersey last year and some of us didn’t go because of Legion, so this is a second chance, and we get it at the World Series.”

Bangor opens its play in the round robin-format tourney with an 8:30 p.m. game Sunday against the Canadian champion. The tourney reverts to a single-elimination format in the semifinal round, which starts Saturday, Aug. 17.

“We should pack [fans] in for our games I think,” said righthanded pitcher Josh Young, who has drawn the opening game start. “During our regular [District 3] tournament to get here, we had tons of people here and there weren’t that many at the other games.”

Mansfield will host four games per day from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. with teams from North America, Europe, South America, and Asia.

“Hopefully we can feed off the intensity the crowd will give us with everyone being here,” said co-coach Dave Utterback.

Co-coach Travis Brooker says home field advantage should be a key factor in Bangor’s favor.

“Last year, a lot of relatives didn’t get to go down and see the guys play, so I think it’s going to be a thrill for them to play in front of family and friends who haven’t seen them before,” he said. “Plus it’s a unique opportunity to make an impression on a world stage.

“And I think we’ll get support from other communities too, not just Bangor.”

The Bangor team should have more support on the bench too as those players who were unavailable to play during last year’s regional tournament due to conflicts with American Legion Zone 1 and state tournament games are on the roster this year.

These are players like Young, second baseman Nate Hall, and pitcher Jordan Heath, who all distinguished themselves in this week’s Legion state tourney, in which Bangor went 2-2 and finished tied for third overall.

“This year I just happened to be able to do both and it’s the World Series to boot so we have to shine now,” said Young, who said they learned a lot from their Legion baseball experiences. “You can be up by 10, 15 runs, but it’s not a guaranteed win. And since you can’t scout these teams, you just have to play them all like they’re the best team in the tournament.”

Bangor’s other games are Tuesday against the U.S. South region champion at 8 p.m., Wednesday vs. Moscow, Russia (European champion) at 5 p.m., and Thursday against San Pedro, Calif., (U.S. West champ) at 5 p.m.

“We feel we can compete with anybody,” said Utterback. “We really don’t know what we’re up against, but we have a very talented squad that I feel would have competed well in regionals if we’d gone.

“We like the way our rotation is set up and our pitching depth. Starting-wise, I’d say we’re five pitchers deep.”

Yes, the status of being the tournament’s home team certainly brings plenty of pressure with it, but coaches and players alike are using it to motivate themselves rather than carry it as a burden.

“I think this is the year to show the rest of the country what we can do. You know? Us Maine boys from up north,” Brooker said. “The kids want to show what Bangor’s all about and that we’re not just some mid-Maine hick town who doesn’t even belong here.”