The Saint John Alpines have clinched their first New Brunswick Junior Baseball League title.
The second-place Alpines swept the first-place Metro Mudcats in the best-of-five league final.
Don Dignam, the team’s head coach, says the players are really excited about the win.
“It was a hard-fought final,” said Dignam. “We ended up winning in three games but all the games were really close, really intense.
“The old adage played, good pitching and good defence usually wins championships, we certainly had both of those.”
Saint John won six of its seven playoff games this season and outscored its opponents 27-9.
Big congrats to @SJAlpinesJR. 2019 NB Junior League Champs! Perhaps most impressive, they didn't allow a single run in 21 innings. @SJAlpines @PQMiramichi @TJGreaterSJ @TJProvincial @BillHuntFreddy @_Baseball_NB @baseballcanada @959sunfm @dondarlingSJ @WayneLongSJ pic.twitter.com/ChB9SI0wOh
— Steve Mackin (@spmackin) August 28, 2019
Dignam says he hopes the win will be an encouragement for other youth who are playing baseball.
“I think it gets kids’ attention where they know there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, so to speak, if they work hard and play together as a team and win.”
Dignam says he is proud of the team’s performance this season, describing it as a special year for the club.
“We had 19 kids this year, which was a large roster. Obviously, you can only play eight or nine at a time, but the attitude of the kids on the bench when they weren’t playing, it was huge. There was no negativity in the dugout.”
Dignam says the team will now represent New Brunswick at the baseball nationals in Quebec, which take place next August.
“We were lucky enough to win two years ago with the midget AAA team and some of those kids aged out and weren’t able to go to the nationals, but those kids now are second-year kids and they’re able to go this year.”
