Stretch drive
Senior Islanders to play four games in the next five days
The Charlottetown Gaudet’s Auto Body Islanders are in for a busy few days as they hit the homestretch of the New Brunswick Senior Baseball League regular season.
The Islanders (8-16) travel to Moncton tonight to play the Fisher Cats (12-11) at 7:30 p.m. to begin Week 12 of the 14-week season. Charlottetown hosts the Chatham Ironmen (10-11) Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. before travelling to Moncton Sunday for a 7 p.m. contest with the Fisher Cats.
“I imagine most of the pitching staffs are being taxed a bit down the stretch here because there’s been some games to make up,” Islanders head coach Doug Hines said Tuesday.
Darcy Affleck, who has pitched the second most innings for the Islanders in his rookie season in the senior circuit, gets the ball tonight. He is 2-3 with a 4.99 earned-run average while throwing 33 2/3 innings.
Charles MacLellan will be available in the bullpen.
“Charlie has been a real sleeper for us,” Hines said. “The last three or four outings, he’s come in and given us some great (innings) in short relief.”
Jack Kraft is expected to pitch on Saturday while others, including Porter Smith and Jonathan Arsenault, will be available as well. Hines is hoping to give Jordan Stevenson, the staff’s workhorse, a break this week, while his younger brother J.P. might pitch a game or two down the stretch.
It’s also the middle of the summer so some players have commitments that will keep them out of the lineup. But the team has played everyone all season.
“I think this is where it’s going to pay off,” Hine said. “I’m not throwing somebody in the lineup that hasn’t played.”
The Islanders are 1-3 against Moncton this season and they will play each other three more times after tonight. Charlottetown has eight games remaining before the playoffs begin.
The Islanders have won three of their last five games and with the standings tight, from second to fifth, a few wins in a row could move them up. But Hines said he is managing both the short- and long-term needs of the team.