It was only months ago that a Moncton Fisher Cats season seemed unlikely, but on Saturday, the team will take the field for the start of the playoffs.
The regular season featured uncertainty, and for a little over a month, only two teams in action, yet Moncton Fisher Cats Head Coach Patrick Tardif still describes it as “excellent.”
From June 6 until July 7, every game in the New Brunswick Senior Baseball League only featured two teams- the Fisher Cats and the Saint John Alpines- due to pandemic restrictions.
“Once you start playing, you just accept the fact that you’re only going to see two teams for a bit,” said Tardif.
On July 11, the Charlotte Islanders made their return to action as border restrictions between PEI and New Brunswick.
As the season wore on, The Fisher Cats shook off any rust caused by the cancellation of the 2020 season.
In August, the team was dominant, capturing six victories in seven regular-season games with a run differential of plus 26.
The Fisher Cats capped off their regular-season action with a thrilling 14-0 victory over the alpines, solidifying themselves as the top seed in the league.
When the team takes the field at Kiwanis Park this Saturday, they will begin a challenging quest for the 2021 NBSBL championship, with a first-round matchup against the Chatham Ironmen.
Chatham, the 2019 national champions, received a leave of absence from the NBSBL but returns for post-season action.
The Fisher Cats and Ironmen played three exhibition games in August with the latter winning two games.
Despite a solid season, Tardif believes their recipe for success includes a little bit of everything.
“Your pitching, your hitting, playing good defence and the other factor is if you can have a little bit of luck on your side, it makes a big difference.”
