Young Rams are untested, but eager for season on new field

Kelly White has proven to be a budding soccer and basketball standout. But the sport she lives for is softball.

“Ever since soccer season I’ve been wanting to get out here,” the Bangor High sophomore pitcher said Monday afternoon during a break from practice at the Union Street Complex. “It was a nice day, so we figured we’d be here at Union Street.”

The Rams were able to practice on a softball field Monday for the first time this season. In a few weeks, they’ll be on their own new field at the high school.

Construction on the field started last fall and is nearly complete. There’s grass in the outfield, dirt in the infield, and more spectator seating than ever.

The high school field was in poor shape last year, so the Rams played at Union Street. That wasn’t the perfect solution either because the fields there are made for slo-pitch softball.

“We’re all really excited to get on the new field,” White said. “It should be really nice.”

Bangor has played in some scrimmages – the Rams had a chance to get on Hampden Academy’s new artificial surface field – and traveled to Augusta for a play-in day against host Cony along with Bucksport and Deering of Portland.

“We held our own,” second-year coach Nancy Snowdeal said. “We got quality time and I think we did OK. We’re going to be competitive.”

The Rams will be strong in the circle this year as White returns as the ace. The sophomore added a curve to her repertoire.

“I think I picked up a lot of speed, too,” she said. “But I’m not sure how fast I throw. I threw 51 [miles per hour] when I was in eighth grade so hopefully I’m in the 60s now.”

Sophomore Katie MacDonald will also pitch for the Rams.

Other returning players include Jamie Kowalski (third), Kate Turner (first), Jen Wright (second) and Steph Chase (outfield).

“We have so much depth so of course none of them is going to be there all the time,” Snowdeal said. “We need to get kids in to get quality time so they’re prepared for the next couple of years.”

The Rams do have some good speed on the bases and Snowdeal likes what she has seen in the batting cage.

Bangor lost three seniors from last year’s team, plus several girls who decided not to come out for the team this year because of jobs and other commitments. That meant Snowdeal moved up several junior varsity players to the varsity.

The Rams are young and untested, but only at the high school level. Several of the younger players have been involved with Little League softball and Amateur Softball Association teams for years.

Some of the girls were on an ASA 14-and-under team that went to Indiana this summer to compete in a national tournament.

White and Turner spent several days at a tournament in Florida with an ASA team playing southern teams that are outdoors 10 months out of the year.

“We’re really benefiting from those summer programs now,” Snowdeal said. “They’ve had some good high-level competition as well as a lot of time in the local leagues.”

The Rams’ first home game is set for Saturday, April 24 when Bangor hosts a doubleheader against Presque Isle, but Snowdeal said she isn’t sure if the games will be at the new high school field or at Union Street.

“We’re getting anxious because we can see that [the field] is almost done,” Snowdeal said. “But we’re lucky that we have Union Street to fall back on. Not a lot of towns have that.”

Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.