SALEM — The Mt. Abram varsity baseball coach Ryan Palmer says it’s a good time for him to call it quits. After the recent regional quarterfinal loss to St. Dom’s, he made it official.

Palmer says he was promoted at his job at the Greater Rumford Community Center and new hours would make it very difficult to continue traveling to MTA from his Rumford home.

Palmer joined the team four years ago and saw those freshmen improve greatly. In the first two years the Roadrunners were 3-12 and 4-12 respectively. In his final two years the Roadrunners made the playoffs. Last season the team improved to an 8-9 mark and this past season they were very competitive in Western C with a 10-6 record.

Another coaching opportunity closer to home may develop for Palmer, 29. He said he might consider a position opening as the Dirigo head coach. He is also currently coaching an American Legion baseball team in Dixfield and working with many of those high school players.

Palmer said he was very thankful for his athletic director Jeff Pillsbury and his assistant coach Barry London. He also said his kids have been wonderful and he enjoyed working with a group as freshman and seeing them grow through the system and finish as seniors.

Although he’s only 29, he said, he felt like a father figure seeing these kids mature over the four years.