The Shelburne Schooners and Hantsport Shamrocks were supposed to meet last weekend, but there were no umpires available for their Nova Scotia Intermediate Baseball League doubleheader.
It marked the second time in a week that the Shamrocks had two games postponed. They were previously rained out in Pictou County against the expansion Royals on July 29.
Rod Conrad, a member of Baseball Nova Scotia's executive committee from Shelburne, said the number of baseball umpires in the province is “low and not increasing.”
When asked how this problem could be solved, Conrad said they “have tried different options to attract more umpires across Nova Scotia but so far those options are not working.”
A doubleheader between the Pictou County Albions and the Pictou County Royals were the only NSIBL games that were played this past weekend. The Albions swept the Royals, moving two points up on the Kennetcook Braves and into sixth place in the league standings.
This coming weekend
It will be an exceptionally busy weekend for local intermediate baseball players. Here is how the schedule stands.
Aug. 8
Pictou County Royals at Hantsport Shamrocks; games at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Yarmouth Gateways at Noel Road Blue Jays; games at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Pictou County Albions at Windsor Knights; games at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Aug. 9
Noel Road Blue Jays at Hantsport Shamrocks; games at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
