Westerly — Major League Baseball may be winding down its 2017 season, but the Tri-Town Thunder is just getting started.

At practice at Cimalore Field this week, members of the age-14-and-under team, currently at 2-2, took turns fielding grounders and fly balls at their positions for warmups. They called out plays as coach Glen Mathieu hit to them in preparation for their Saturday doubleheader in Cape Cod.

With games around New England, the ability to travel is one of many reasons why the players are enjoying their new team in its first season.

"I like traveling the distances for the games," R.J. Kelly, 13, of Pawcatuck said. As a Little League player, he said, his team would only travel within four towns.

Tri-Town Thunder, part of the New England Amateur Athletic Union District, was started by Mathieu this summer after families he has coached in other leagues reached out to him to develop a more competitive team. Mathieu, a Fitch graduate and North Stonington resident, said currently 13 boys from Pawcatuck, Westerly and the Chariho school districts are involved in the program, and he's hoping to tap into some of the baseball talent of southeastern Connecticut.

He cited baseball programs in Waterford, Mystic and Montville as examples of that talent, adding that they're able to introduce players to fundamental baseball skills early in elementary school so they're ready to play in high school and beyond. With the Thunder, players can continue honing their skills while also incorporating cross-training, nutrition and other aspects of conditioning that make them not only better players but also better people.

At Wednesday's practice, the team took a break from in-game scenarios to eat some pizza and sing "Happy Birthday" to teammate Eddy Surdam, who was sitting out due to a broken hand. Even though they've only been playing together a few weeks, several players noted how supportive the team is, and coaches say it shows in their games.

Coach Jason Woodward of Westerly, whose 12-year-old son Preston plays on the team, said he hopes to get more involvement to build a 13-and-under team for next year to provide a higher level of play for boys in his son's age group.

"This whole AAU experience has been great because the kids come every day ready to work and learn the game of baseball," he said. "It's a lot of fun."

Currently, the team has a scout program, an idea Mathieu said his wife came up with in order to keep interested players involved even if they don't make the cut for the team. He said it also would serve as a call-up opportunity in the event that someone gets hurt and can't play. A weekly baseball clinic for kids ages 9 to 16 also is in the works, as well as a scholarship program to help players with financial need.

Mathieu said the program is expanding faster than he expected, and he'll eventually change the name to Thunder Baseball Club to be more inclusive of the greater southern Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut area.

a.hutchinson@theday.com