TRURO, N.S. – If you’re interested in seeing the D&D Bookkeeping Truro Bearcats intermediate baseball team this season, you’ll have to remain patient.
The Bearcats won't play their home opener in the Nova Scotia Intermediate Baseball League until June 30 when they host the Windsor Knights for a doubleheader at the TAAC Grounds. In the meantime, the road warrior Bearcats will see action on weekends in other parts of the province, including a twinbill Sunday, June 2 at Sherose Island, Shelburne County.
The Bearcats opened their season on May 19 with a pair of losses to the Amherst Athletics. The games were scheduled for the TAAC Grounds, however, the field wasn’t ready and the teams instead met in Kennetcook.
“I think we’ve got a good team,” said Bearcats player/assistant coach Scott Baillie. “You can’t put too much into our first two games where we haven’t been able to get on the field. So we’re behind the 8-ball … but I think we’ll figure it out. We should be in pretty good shape, I think.”
Truro is entering its third season in the league after finishing sixth the last two seasons and settling for second at the Nova Scotia AA championship both years.
The Bearcats have bolstered their rotation with the addition of pitchers Jason Smith, Tyler Smith and lefty Brandon Malally. The trio played senior ball in Truro in recent years, however, that team folded this season due to lack of players.
Baillie said having those new arms gives his team a real boost.
“They’ll be huge,” he said. “It’s quite a jump from intermediate pitching to senior. We’ll try to get them as many starts as we can and they should be in pretty good shape.”
Baillie said the team has a good core of returning players and has a roster of about 15. Former senior player Matt Mingo has also joined the intermediate Bearcats.
“We’re gonna miss some guys due to guys working shift work and stuff like that, but we should have a steady 11 or 12 every Saturday or Sunday, so that helps for sure when you’ve got some depth off the bench.”
Most league games are played on Sundays with a few Saturday’s sprinkled in.
“It is good ball,” said Baillie. “There’s some guys who could very well play senior from the other teams, as well that just don’t want to travel or who can’t because of work … it is very entertaining baseball, for sure.”
The Bearcats are coached by Gordie LeBlanc.
