It seems the Boothbay Region Elementary School baseball team already has a win under its belt and hasn’t even played a game. Boothbay Region hasn’t fielded a team in the past two seasons, so just returning to the Busline League is a victory for the 14-player team led by Coach Smith Climo.

And when the Wildcats take the field April 25, they will host a team with a strong tradition in the league.

“Great Salt Bay is a very good team. I think they won the championship last year and are expected to be good again this year,” Climo said. “But we’re ready. I’m very excited about these guys. I couldn’t be happier with this group. They’re committed, come to practice on time, and are great teammates to one another.”

With spring’s arrival and another baseball season on the horizon, the players are happy to be playing a game they all enjoy. But this season will be different than past ones for most BRES players. The game will be played on a larger field. Eighth grader Jameson LaBrecque is a pitcher and third baseman. Like most of his teammates, he hasn’t played on the larger field used in middle and high schools, college and professional leagues. This season, the Wildcats will be running 90 feet between bases and hitting pitches thrown 60 feet, six inches from home plate. LaBrecque is looking forward to the challenge of playing the sport he enjoys on a larger scale.

“I like playing baseball because it’s fun. It’s a great sport and it’s an opportunity to hang out with my friends. I’m very excited about the season playing on a bigger field. It’s harder, but also a lot of fun,” he said.

Seventh grader Sam Page is a good hitter and likely to play a lot at either second base or shortstop. He believes his teammates will adapt well to the new challenges presented by the bigger field. “We have a lot of good hitters and pitchers, and we’ve all played a long time with each other and everybody knows how to play the game,” Page said.

The resurrection of middle school baseball also means Boothbay Region players can play more games this season. After the Busline League’s 10-game schedule concludes in early June, players look forward to the upcoming Babe Ruth season. 

Eighth grader Fox Elder has pitched, played third and first base, and may catch this season. He is glad to be playing his favorite sport this spring. He believes the bigger field only enhances what makes baseball so special. “I really like all the strategy involved. You’re always thinking about where to throw the baseball and what to do next,” he said.

Boothbay Region will play one non-league game in addition to the league schedule. Boothbay Region will scrimmage against Wiscasset at some point in the season, according to Climo.