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Class B baseball preview: Newcomer Gardiner favored in KVAC
BY GARY HAWKINS
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 04/11/2008

BY GARY HAWKINS

Staff Writer

It's tough to ignore Gardiner when talking favorites in the Class B division of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference, especially considering the success the Tigers enjoyed in Class A last season.

They return eight players from a team that finished 17-2 last season and beat Bangor for the KVAC Class A title. The team is led by senior shortstop and pitcher Kyle Stilphen, who has committed to play at the University of Maine next season.

Stilphen batted an even .500 for Gardiner last season and has capable hitters around him in Mike Abbott, Roland Kennerson and Pete Caradonna. But it's pitching that makes the Tigers one of the teams to beat.

Stilphen, Mike Lavallee, Forrest Chadwick and Donnie Cray will all likely start for the Tigers and all but Chadwick have varsity experience on the mound. Cray went 4-0 last season and Stilphen 3-1.

"We may even possibly have to look at a four-man rotation because we have to keep guys throwing," Gardiner coach Jim Palmer said.

Abbott and junior lefty Andrew Bobrowiecki are also capable pitchers and will likely be used in relief.

Maranacook and Oak Hill should be among the challengers for top honors in the KVAC while Camden Hills and Winslow could also contend.

Maranacook brings back 10 players from a team that finished 16-3 last season. Senior right-hander Travis Harwood is one of the top pitchers in the conference while Mike Rankin and Devin Gerrity will fill out the starting rotation.

"We should be right in the mix," Maranacook coach Don Plourde said. "I think we are competitive as long as we work hard and get better. I'm sure Gardiner will be pretty competitive."

The Black Bears will also have a strong hitting lineup led by Corey Palmer, Mike Brennan, Ryan Martin, Pat Norwood and Will Bardaglio.

Oak Hill also has an ace in senior Chris Ellis who went 5-2 last season. The Raiders also return eight players from a team that won 10 games a year ago.

"If everybody stays healthy and throws strikes, I think we could go quite a ways in the playoffs," Oak Hill coach Chad Drouin said.

Like the other contenders, the Raiders have plenty of pitching. Senior Tom Edgecomb is a solid No. 2 starter while Ethan Perry, Josh Sirois and Ben Rines will also see action on the mound.

Edgecomb and Brandon Plourde will hit in the middle of the order and Drouin expects big things from the sophomore trio of Rines, Brett Turcotte and Nate Jillson.

Winslow graduated eight players who started in the Class B state championship game last season, but with good athletes in the program, the Black Raiders shouldn't drop too far.

"They've got varsity experience in other sports," Winslow coach Robin Weed said. "They've already got that self-confidence."

Senior catcher Chris Brawn hit .379 last season and drove in a team-high 21 runs. The Black Raiders graduated their top three pitchers who went a combined 14-3. Seniors James Wood and Ben Grant, as well as junior Joey McLean, hope to fill that void on the mound.

Mt. View just missed the playoffs last season, and with the return of pitcher Tyler Miles, the Mustangs have a chance to reach the postseason.

Miles struck out 57 hitters in 43 innings and posted a 1.79 earned run average last season. Junior Cody Raven had a 3.38 ERA in '07, and gives the Mustangs a solid second starter.

"Pitching-wise, we have some experience," Mt. View coach Penson Bartlett said. "We've got to play better defensively."

Mt. View returns five hitters who hit at least .316 last season -- Miles (.346), Ethan Jean (.355), Josh St. Clair (.386), Derek Keller (.328) and Raven (.316).

Like Gardiner, Erskine is dropping to Class B this season due to declining enrollment. The Eagles struggled in Class A last season but return several good players led by a couple of sophomores, pitcher Camillo Tibbetts and third baseman Nick Grady.

"Offense is going to be our strength," Erskine coach Lars Jonassen said. "We've got some quickness. We're going to score some runs."

Catcher Aaron Sienkiewicz and second baseman Derek DeRose, both seniors, are two of the fastest players in the conference. Jonassen is counting on Grady and junior Andrew Ballantyne to fill out the pitching rotation.

"Our pitching is going to be solid," Jonassen said. "Our problem is depth."

First-year Waterville coach Don Sawyer has one of the youngest teams in the conference. First baseman Eli Fitzgerald and outfielder Brian Bridges are the Panthers' only seniors, and the team has just three juniors, including catcher Curtis Chaput, centerfielder Cam Bishop and pitcher/third baseman Isaac Webb.

Sawyer expects that Webb, sophomore Josh Gaudette and freshman Kyle Bishop will handle most of the pitching. Webb and Gaudette both threw for the varsity last season.

"As young as they are, they have plenty of experience," Sawyer said. "They're going to throw strikes."

At Maine Central Institute, coach John Dean is trying to rebuild with a mix of veterans and younger players. The Huskies won't have a junior varsity team this season, Dean said, so finding playing time for all 20 players in the program may be difficult.

Seniors Trevor Rowe, Ethan West and Chris Cook are three-year starters at MCI. All three can pitch, and will be throwing to junior catcher Nick Miller, who caught a number of games last season.

"We'll look for their experience to fill the gaps," Dean said.

Staff writer Travis Lazarczyk contributed to this report

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com

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