Islanders repeat as N.B. senior baseball champs

The Islanders were propelled by a late rally for the second game in as many nights in their series-clinching 6-3 win over the Moncton Dixie Lee Mets in Game 6 of the best-of-seven league final Sept. 25 at Kiwanis Park. They trailed 3-0 in the fifth inning and scored six runs in the last three frames to end Moncton’s season.

The night before, in Game 5 at Victoria Park, the Mets took a nine-run lead into the fifth that vanished when the Islanders put up a combined 10 runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings en route to a 10-9 victory that gave them a 3-2 series lead.

The Islanders’ repeat marked the first time a team has won consecutive titles since the Fredericton St. Louis Bar and Grill Royals achieved the feat in 2009 and 2010. It’s also the fourth time Charlottetown has won the New Brunswick senior baseball pennant since 2015 and the third time since 2021.

Jake Beck went the distance on the mound for the Islanders after the Mets jumped out to an early three-run lead. He ended up scattering three runs on six hits while fanning two and walking four for the win.

Justin Cormier was tagged with the loss for Moncton after a complete-game effort that included six runs on 11 hits, a walk, and five strikeouts.

Max Jardine of Miramichi kicked off the Islanders’ comeback effort in the fifth with a double down the left-field line that scored Josh Myers from first base. Cole MacLaren then singled and cashed in Jardine on a wild throw from Moncton’s catcher.

Nick St. Pierre hit a home run and notched a single to drive in all three Moncton runs in Game 6. Declan Buckle went 2-for-4 at bat with a pair of singles.

Winning the league allows the Islanders to represent New Brunswick once again at the Baseball Canada Men’s National Championships. Next year’s tournament is in Regina, Sask. The Islanders went 2-2 at this year’s nationals in Tecumseh, Ont., and fell just short of a quarterfinal berth.

Charlottetown eliminated the Royals in five games in the league semifinals to punch its ticket to the final and land a date with the Mets, who needed all seven games in the other series to beat the Chatham Miramichi Honda Ironmen in Round 1.