The 100 Mile Men's Fastball League has had to deal with both the Vancouver Canucks run in the Stanley Cup playoffs and the weatherman this season, but everything is back on track.
Teams have completed their make-up games for all of the rainouts and postponed games, and the playoffs are scheduled to begin tonight (June 29).
Prior to the make-up games, Exeter Sporting Goods was sitting comfortably in first place with a four-point lead on the nearest contender. As of June 23, they were still in first, but with only a two-point lead over Shuswap Nation and three over Jake's Pub.
However, they had no more games to play and had to sit and wait for the outcome of Monday's (June 27) contest.
Behind winning pitcher Robin Gilbert, Shuswap Nation hit for four runs in the fourth inning and another four in the eighth, including an inside-the-park homerun by Mark Boyce.
With the 10-1 victory over Jake's Pub, Shuswap Nation grabbed first place in the league standings away from Exeter Sporting Goods.
Jake's played Red Rock on June 28, but it had no affect on the standings.
Tonight's (June 29) first playoff game will see Sander's Redi Mix taking on Red Rock, which finished fourth and fifth in the regular season. The winner will advance to play the first-place Shuswap Nation.
The second- and third-place showdown between Exeter and Jake's will go July 4.
All games start at 7 p.m. and are played at Lumberman's Park beside the arena,
Recent games
Chucker Mitchell Payette got the start for Sander's Redi Mix and pitched well through five innings against Red Rock on June 23.
Payette was helped by a Dale Weins' home run, and pitcher Bob Collins came in to finish the game.
Sander's tied the score at 11-11 in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Red Rock pitcher Brad Mills also threw a good game.
League spokesperson Len Goin says, "sometimes it takes one good inning at bat."
Behind by four runs, Shuswap Nation scored six runs in the top of the fourth inning on June 22.
Shuswap got a line-drive home run from Mark Boyce, some timely hits and fortuitous bounces, and a couple of throwing errors to take the lead.
Winning pitcher Kevin Neufeld also threw a strong game, as Shuswap defeated first-place Exeter 9-4.
According to Goin, it was a "great old-time ball game" on June 21 at Lumberman's Park beside the arena.
Pitcher Robin Gilbert and the Shuswap Nation were clinging to a one-run lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning with two out. However, Sander's Redi Mix chucker Greg Hooper stepped up to the plate and hit a single to bring a runner in to tie the score at two runs apiece.
On June 20, Red Rock's seven-run outburst in the bottom of the seventh inning wasn't quite enough to beat Jake's Pub winning pitcher Greg Parent.
The final score was 12-9 for Jake's.
