Coach Trevor DeLaite admits that he didn’t expect his Bangor Babes to be 11-0 in the team’s first season of existence in the Greater Northeast Collegiate Baseball League.
“By no means,” said DeLaite. “But they have showed up and been ready to play every day.”
The Babes will try to keep the winning streak going when they host Augusta on Thursday for a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Husson University. They have 13 regular season games left before the playoffs.
There are several Maine natives on the team who appreciate the opportunity to play and improve.
Shortstop Liam O’Neal from Tenants Harbor began the summer on a team in upstate New York.
“But they had too many infielders and I wasn’t going to get as many reps as I would here so I made the switch,” said the University of Bridgeport player and former standout at Camden Hills High School in Rockport.
“It has been a blast. It’s been awesome. I love the guys, we’re getting in some good baseball and Trevor is always looking to help us get better so we can get some extra work in at the Hillside baseball facility (in Bangor),” said O’Neal, referring to DeLaite’s training business.
Former Skowhegan High School star Tyler Annis got only six at-bats as a freshman at the University of Maine this past spring so he said it is nice to “get some at-bats, see some good pitching and work on things.”
There are other players on the team with Maine college connections.
“Everybody came in ready from the get-go,” said Babes pitcher Alex Smith from Northborough, Mass. and Bangor’s Husson University. “We have been ready at the plate and ready on the mound and that’s all you can ask for.”
Hampden’s Sam Economy, the Babes’ first baseman-outfielder, played for the Patriots in the GNCBL last year and said this has been an improvement over a year ago.
Last year, the league divided up its players from a players pool and the teams all played in the Portland area.
This season, there are five teams that are playing in their own areas. In addition to Bangor, there are teams in Augusta, Old Orchard Beach, Gorham and Biddeford. The team in Biddeford is called Sebago.
The league, which was formed in 2017, has also become a wooden bat league for the first time.
“It is a lot better than it was last year. I’m seeing a lot better competition this summer,” said Economy.
Pitcher Johnny Miles, a Lee’s Summit, Missouri native and one of several out-of-state players on the roster, said he is having a great experience.
“It’s nice to warm up and not be sweating or gasping for air when you go into the game,” said MIles, who plays at Hendrix College in Arkansas. “It’s great to come up here and work on your game in a different area.”
Colton Albertson is the general manager of the Babes and said things have gone well for the most part.
“There haven’t been many things to work out (for the future). There have definitely been a few kinks. But the big thing is we’re making it through the season. We’re doing the best we can and we’re already planning for next season and excited about it,” said the 28-old Albertson, a 2014 Skowhegan High School graduate.
One thing he expects to get rectified for next season is having a team bus for road trips.
There is no bus this season because of some insurance issues so the players are car-pooling and receiving mileage money for it.
“And the big thing we need right now is home games,” said Albertson, who pointed out that they have played only three home games. “Our guys need home games. We owe it to them to be able to play in front of their crowd.”
Albertson said they have plenty of sponsors who have stepped up to support the team including Hammond Lumber in Ellsworth, Northeast Collectibles from Bangor, Moe’s Barbecue in Bangor and Woodman’s Bar and Grill in Orono.
“They see the benefit of having a team (here) and want to help out,” said Albertson. “We want to put people in seats and make sure we put out the best product we can.”
