The Royals took the deciding game of the best-of-three series 5-0 Tuesday at home to land a date with the defending champ Charlottetown Gaudet’s Auto Body Islanders in the best-of-seven semifinal starting Friday at 8 p.m. at Victoria Park.
Fredericton thumped the Alpines 11-0 in Game 2 Monday in Saint John. The Alpines won the series opener 6-3 Aug. 31 at Royals Field.
The Chatham Miramichi Honda Ironmen and Moncton Dixie Lee Mets will face off in the other semifinal. Those series winners will meet in the best-of-seven league final to play for a championship and the right to represent the league at next year’s Baseball Canada Men’s National Championships in Regina, Sask.
The Ironmen and Mets have been idle since the five-team league’s regular season ended, before Charlottetown competed at this year’s nationals in Tecumseh, Ont. The Islanders went 2-2 in round-robin play and didn’t qualify for the crossovers.
Royals import Nathan Van Putten went the distance on the mound for his second consecutive start in Game 3, holding the Alpines to five hits while fanning 11 for the win. He also hit a home run and notched a scoring single. Adam Estey, Max Grant, and Craig Oliver each drove in runs for the Royals, who got on the board in the second inning, scored three runs in the third, and added one in the fifth.
Saint John’s hits came from Mark Phillips, Devan Thomas, Matt Beach, Mark Legere, and Ryan Galbraith. Losing pitcher Matt Nason conceded four runs on as many hits while walking one and striking out two Royals in three innings. Noah Woodall’s line for the Alpines included a run, a hit, and three strikeouts in three innings of work.
Van Putten tossed a one-hitter in the mercy-shortened Game 2 and punched out 10 Alpines in six innings. Van Putten and Grant each drove in three runs for Fredericton, while Josh McDonald added two RBIs. Estey and Oliver batted in a run apiece.
Connor Hill recorded the lone hit for Saint John, going 1-for-3 at bat. Losing pitcher Sherman Yeo gave up six runs on nine hits while fanning two and walking two in five innings on the mound. Nathan Betts surrendered five runs on three hits, struck out one, and walked one Fredericton batter in one inning.
The Royals put up three runs in the fourth inning before adding one in the fifth and scoring seven in the sixth to send the Alpines packing.
In Game 1, Saint John jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning and didn’t look back. The Alpines added a run in the third, fourth, and seventh innings to seal Fredericton’s fate. The Royals tacked on a run in the bottom of the fourth and added two in the sixth to stay within striking distance, but couldn’t close the gap.
Hill drove in a pair of runs for Saint John. Adam Clark and Thomas each cashed in a run, with Clark going 3-for-4 at the dish. Hill and Thomas each went 2-for-4 at bat.
Estey recorded two RBIs for Fredericton off a home run. Grant and McDonald each went 2-for-3 at the plate.
Woodall went the distance for Saint John, scattering three runs on eight hits and fanning five Royals. Colby Lyle’s losing line for the Royals included three runs on as many hits, along with two strikeouts, in one inning.
Shane Sullivan surrendered the other three Alpines runs on seven hits while walking two and sitting down four in six innings on the bump for Fredericton.
Game 2 between Fredericton and Charlottetown is Saturday at 7 p.m. in Fredericton, followed by Game 3 Sept. 9 at 8 p.m. on the Island. The series returns to Royals Field for Game 4 Sept. 10 at 8 p.m.
If needed, Game 5 is Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. in Charlottetown, with Game 6 slated for Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. in Fredericton. Game 7 is Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. at Victoria Park, if necessary.
The Chatham-Moncton series gets underway Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Kiwanis Park, with Game 2 scheduled for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Ironmen Field. Game 3 is Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in Moncton, with Game 4 being played Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in Miramichi.
If required, Game 5 is Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Hub City, with Game 6 set for Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Miramichi. The deciding contest is Sept. 15 in Moncton, if needed.
All six teams have been finalized for the 2024 New Brunswick Intermediate Baseball Championships taking place this weekend in Saint John and Rothesay.
The host KV Red Sox and Dieppe Cardinals will compete in the tournament, with Dieppe earning the higher seed after sweeping the Mariners in three straight games in the best-of-five league final. Dieppe took Game 3 by a 16-6 margin Aug. 27 after winning 12-5 in Game 2 Aug. 25 and prevailing 5-2 in the series opener Aug. 22.
In their first year back in the Capital City Intermediate Baseball League after a five-year hiatus, the Woodstock Shiretowners earned the league title with a 6-3 triumph over the first-place Fredericton Launchpad Sports Expos in Game 2 of the best-of-three final Aug. 27 at home. Woodstock beat the Expos 6-2 in Game 1 Aug. 22 at Royals Field. Both teams will attend provincials.
The Tracadie Aigles and Newcastle Mike’s Bar and Grill Cardinals are the Miramichi Valley Baseball League’s entries at provincials. The Aigles swept the Cardinals in four straight games in the best-of-seven final, capping it off by winning a 19-12 slugfest in Game 4 Aug. 27 in Newcastle.
Tracadie beat Newcastle 6-4 Aug. 25 in Game 3 at Memorial Field after winning 9-2 in Game 2 at home Aug. 23 and taking the series opener 1-0 Aug. 22 in Tracadie.
The tournament begins Friday at 4 p.m. between Woodstock and the Red Sox at Wells Recreational Field, with Dieppe and Fredericton facing off at 4 p.m. at Memorial Field. Tracadie and Newcastle will meet at 7 p.m. at Memorial.
On Saturday, Tracadie and KV will hit the field at 10 a.m. at Wells, while Woodstock and Newcastle will do battle at 9:45 a.m. at Memorial. Dieppe will play Newcastle at 1:15 p.m. at Wells, Woodstock will take on Fredericton at 1 p.m. at Memorial, Dieppe and KV will renew acquaintances at 4 p.m. at Wells, and Tracadie and Fredericton will have a 4 p.m. date at Memorial.
The semifinals are Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at both fields. The championship game is at 3 p.m. at Wells.
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