OAKLAND – Jim Salinetti of Lee, Mass., is running in front of the pack again entering today’s final 36 holes of the 71st New England Amateur Golf Championship.

Only this time he has a far bigger lead.

Salinetti, 22, shot his second straight 4-under-par 66 at Waterville Country Club Wednesday for a two-day total of 132 and a six-stroke lead over three other players.

Mark Plummer of Manchester, John Gilmartin of North Andover, Mass., and first-round co-leader Larry Nuger of Longmeadow, Mass., are all tied at 138. Plummer shot a second straight 69, Gilmartin had a 70, and Nuger posted a 73.

Defending champion Joey Pohle of Williamstown, Mass., and Hans Sherman of The Country Club on Brookline, Mass., are next closest at 141. Pohle shot a 72 Wednesday and Sherman a 71.

Besides Plummer, three other Maine golfers made the cut of 150. Neil Laliberte of the host club is at 149 after a 74 Wednesday, and Ron York of Brunswick Golf Club and Gary Manoogian of Falmouth Country Club are at 150. Manoogian had a 75 and York a 76. Overall, 43 players out of the field of 156 made the cut.

Salinetti led the New England Amateur after the first two rounds in 1997 and did the same last year. His record so far is 1-1, with the win in ’97.

“Last year, I shot 69-68” for the first two rounds, said Salinetti, who followed with rounds of 79-71 the final day. “I think I lost by three.”

He’s not letting that damper his enthusiasm for today’s two-round race to the title.

“It’s a tough day, but it’s one of my favorite days of the year,” said Salinetti, who also played 36 holes in the final round to win the Massachusetts Amateur last week.

Plummer, 48, doesn’t see 36 holes as necessarily being a problem.

“If you did it two or three days in a row, it might,” said Plummer, who won this event in 1979 and ’94. “Unless it’s real, real hot, I don’t think fatigue is going to be a factor.”

Nuger, who lost to Salinetti in the Mass Amateur final last week, was greatly disappointed in his round Wednesday, but realizes there is a lot of time left.

“It’s over. What happened happened,” said Nuger, 21. “This is only the halfway point. If you’re going to win it, you’re going to win it tomorrow.”

Salinetti did about as much as he could to win it Wednesday as it was possible to do.

And he intends to keep playing the same way.

“I’m not going to change strategy,” said Salinetti, who added that he’s been playing conservatively. “This is not a course you can be aggressive on.”

His plan is simple.

“Just fairways and greens. Get close and make the putt,” said Salinetti.

Salinetti had birdie putts on the first two holes, but didn’t convert. He wasn’t upset, he said, because he knew he was playing well.

The third hole was what carried his round as he eagled the 472-yard par-5. That hole, a dogleg right, required more care than usual because the tee markers were moved up, bringing the corner of the dogleg more into play.

Salinetti parred the rest of the front and added birdies on 10 and 18 to complete his bogey-free round.

That was unusual on a day when gusting winds became a factor, especially in the afternoon, when most of the top scorers from Tuesday were playing.

“It was at least two shots harder, for me, anyway,” said Plummer, who said he made up for that with better putting.

Nuger said, “It definitely played tougher today. There was a lot more wind.”

Salinetti was unfazed by it, though.

“I’m used to it,” said the University of Rhode Island graduate. “You come out of there [URI] a good wind player or you don’t play.”

The Rams’ home course is Point Judith in Narragansett, R.I., right on the bay.

“This was a slight breeze,” he said, chuckling.

Plummer made one bogey, on 12, and earned birdies on 8 and 17.

He knows he might have to go lower today.

“You don’t want to take stupid chances,” said Plummer, who won his 11th Maine Amateur title last week. “Maybe I’ll get a little more aggressive.

“Hopefully, it won’t cost me.”