2008 playoffs good for NSSBL

The Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League playoffs may not have ended on that positive a note for the Kentville Wildcats but, boy, were they good for the league!

Halifax captured its first NSSBL title since 1992, sweeping the Wildcats four straight in a series that was far closer than the final margin would suggest. The final three games of the series, including the game four clincher, were all decided by one run; game two took 15 innings to decide.

Halifax’s young pitchers were front-and-centre, notably Barrett Bellefontaine, chosen the league’s top lefthanded chucker this season, who won two games in the series, including a complete-game one-hit shutout in the deciding contest.

What a breath of fresh air after so many years of Dartmouth domination to not only see two different teams in the final, but also for it to feature such competitive action.

Not to take anything away from Dartmouth, which has deserved every one of its many championships, but hats off to Halifax, a relatively young team that took a giant step toward long-term respectability with the win. The Pelham Canadians closed out the season in dramatic fashion with eight straight wins, overcoming a 3-0 deficit in their semifinal with Truro and then sweeping the Wildcats.

The best thing for the NSSBL was there were four teams all with a legitimate shot at winning it all - and earning a berth at next summer’s nationals in Dartmouth.

Even Sydney, which missed the playoffs, appears just a player or two (and maybe a break or two) away from making it a wide-open, five-team competition.

Truro, third in the standings, was the hottest team in the league down the stretch.

Kentville, which limped to the finish with seven straight losses to end the regular season, turned things around in their semifinal against Dartmouth, winning the first two games and the last two to eliminate the highly-favored Moosehead Dry.

Some argued Dartmouth, already ensured a berth at the 2009 nationals, simply went through the motions, but I didn’t see any indication of that in the games I attended. The Moosehead Dry definitely had something to play for: a better draw at nationals and first choice at adding players for the tournament from other teams in the league.

While it was disappointing to be swept in the final, part of me has to agree with Ian Mosher that, despite the Wildcats’ ups and downs throughout this past season, they should ultimately look back on 2008 as a positive overall.

Kudos to rookie head coach Jeff Lockhart for having the guts to go with young players Kevin Benjamin, Rob Shepherd, Ryan Pearl, Ryan Brothers and Nick Hill on a regular basis - often at the expense of more established veterans.

Then, when the team needed a pick-me-up at playoff time, Lockhart inserted Luke Smith behind the plate, moving Benjamin to first base or DH, and we watched the veteran turn back the clock with an outstanding performance. Benjamin also certainly justified Coach Lockhart’s faith, batting .402 in the regular season, third in the league, and chipping in a number of multiple-hit games in the playoffs. Both Brothers and Pearl batted over .300 in the post-season.

Everyone associated with the NSSBL is looking forward with great anticipation to 2009, which should turn out to be a landmark season. Not only is it likely to be the most competitive regular season in many years, but the nationals should be extremely entertaining, with both Halifax and Dartmouth in the field. As well, they will be played only a short drive away, allowing Valley fans to make the trip for some great baseball action.