After the successful inaugural season, the Cardinals had to make some decisions as the GSBL planned to revert back to pre-Covid 18+ and 28+ divisions for the 2021 season. The Cardinals management elected to “separate” the team into an 18+ and 28+ teams.
Even though, the Covid-19 pandemic was still occurring, it was not expected to create as much havoc to the 2021 season as the previous season as the states started to slowly open.
Merrimack Valley Cardinals 18+
The GSBL18 Division has been seeing a slow decline in teams over the course of the previous 5 or so years, but as one of 4 teams, the Cardinals a good shot to win a championship. However, they needed to fill in the roster gaps created by the “separation”. The 18+ team were able to secure additional players from the now-defunct Red Sox and the Bombers.
The 18+ Cardinals started their march towards a championship by beating the Seacoast Braves 6 to 4 in extra innings behind Brian MacDonald’s 4-RBI day. However, the Raymond Phillies would 2-hit the Cardinals in Raymond two weeks later.
Following that loss, the Cardinals will rattle off 3 straight wins to take over first place. The Cardinals, in succession, would beat the Braves 13-7, the Black Sox 8-1 and a 13-12 come from behind win over Phillies. The win over the Phillies marked the first time the Cardinals beat them. Chris Gauss hit a clutch 3-run bomb in the win as Danyer Fabian closed the door for the win.
The very next Sunday, the Phillies would turn the tables on the Cardinals with their very own comeback win by scoring 6 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning.
The Cardinals would drop a second straight game, losing to the Raphael Club Black Sox 8-3. The Cardinals record dropped to 4-3 and had fallen behind the Phillies for first place.
Cardinals rebounded a with a late-inning 3-2 victory over the Braves, which provided the Cardinals with home-field advantage in the playoffs. The Cardinals would split their remaining two games to finish 18+ regular season with a 6-4 record for the second consecutive year.
In the Wildcard Round, the Cardinals matched up with Raphael Club Black Sox, a friendly rivalry. Despite their ace Jimmy Leary on the hill, the Black Sox shocked the Cardinals winning Game 1 9-6.
In a “win or go home” situation, Alex Strempel and Chris Lavallee paced the Cardinals offense, combining for 7 hits at the bottom of the order. Meanwhile, Danyer Fabian who closed Game 1, started Game 2 and was able to provide 4 innings of solid performance.
With the series tied at 1, Damean Currier, who normally starts at short stop, was given the mound to save the Cardinals season. Currier responded with 8 effective innings for the 4-3 win. Juan Arias and Oliver Victoria provided the offensive spark in the first inning with back-to-back doubles.
The Cardinals reached the first ever championship and face the arch-rival the Raymond Phillies. However, a championship was not in the cards (pun intended) for them, as the Phillies offense was just too much. The Phillies swept the GSBL18 Championship Series by winning the first 2 games by a combined score of 34-9.
New Hampshire Cardinals 28+
As part of the franchise separation, the 28+ Cardinals officially began. While the Cardinals had several players that remained from the inaugural team, new players were needed.
The 28+ Cardinals started with a 17-4 rout of the Merrimack Brewers. Frankie McCormick and Rabel Vargas would end up winning GSBL Hitter and Pitcher of the Weeks, respectively.
The Cardinals lost a 7-6 heartbreaker to the Meredith MudDucks, who walked off in the 9th inning.
The Cardinals next traveled up to Laconia for a double-header matchup against the Lakes Region Muskrats at Robbie Mills Park. They would split the double-header with the ‘Rats.
After the Memorial Day reprieve, and with the Cardinals leaning too much on Rabel Vargas, Cardinals determined they need pitching and fast.
On short notice, the Cardinals picked up three free-agent pitchers and tossed all of them against the Rockies. Unfortunately, that did not work according to plan as Cardinals would fall 15-3.
Facing the undefeated Granite State Grizzlies, the Cardinals traveled to St. Anselm’s College in need of a win. Tied at 7’s in the 9th inning, Alex “Spark Plug” Strempel would score the game-winning run on a little league home run after two overthrows on his ground ball to third base.
With their record even at 3-3, the Cardinals were looking destined to make a move up the standings. However, the Badger Empire Red Sox had other plans. The Red Sox would sweep the Cardinals in two comeback wins. The 28+ Cardinals were at the low-point of their season, now 3-5 with the first place Lincoln A’s next up for 2 games.
However, the tides turned in another twist of fate. The Cardinals would upset the A’s, sweeping the double-header 13-0 and 12-6 to even their record at 5-5. It may of been the “Siul’s World” T-shirts that changed their season’s trajectory.
After a 14-8 victory over the Merrimack Brewers, the Cardinals were a virtual lock for the postseason. After three weeks of rain that halted the GSBL season, the Cardinals finally clinched that playoff spot with a 10-9 comeback over the Meredith MudDucks. It was well worth the wait.
The next day, playing a little looser, the Cardinals would drop a 12-5 game against the Grizzlies to fall to 7-6. The following week, playing with a skeleton crew -- most of the guys were playing in the 18+ Wildcard Round -- the Cardinals would drop a 12-2 decision to the Nashua Rockies. Despite the loss, the Cardinals still clinched home-field advantage and the third seed.
One day before the Wildcard matchup with the Lakes Region Muskrats, the Cardinals were dealt with a major blow to the team that almost forced them to forfeit their playoff series. Ben Quick tested positive for Covid-19, which exposed most of the team. To the Muskrats credit, they did not take the easy way out. Down players due to Covid-19 and with many players at the 18+ Championship, the Cardinals played Game 1 of the series with short roster. Despite the circumstances, the Cardinals battled, but lost 14-7.
The next day, the Cardinals had most of the crew back for their elimination games. The Cardinals came out hungry, offense propelled them to 13-2 win. Kevin Veilleux and Frankie McCormick homered and Siul Mejia drove in 5 Cardinals. Craig Popsie pitched a complete game.
With nothing to lose, Popsie started the decisive Game 3, heroically pitching 6 more innings, striking out 7 and handing the bullpen a 7-3 lead. Although the pen could not hold the lead, the Cardinals were able score late for a series clinching 8-7 win. Cameron Conway robbed Jake Kleckner of a game-tying home run in the 9th inning.
The Cardinals would next face heavily favored Granite State Grizzlies. Aaron Chauvette got the Game 1 start and held the Grizzly bats at bay through the first 8 innings. However, trailing 4-1, the Grizzlies stormed back to tie in the 9th before winning it with 5 runs in the 10th inning.
The following day with Hurricane Henri looming, Grizzlies management elected to start Game 2 even though the other series was postponed. Unfortunately, Henri came and game was stopped in the 8th inning with Cardinals trailing 11-2. Cardinals with a never say die attitude and with outs remaining on the season, the Cardinals would finish the game the following week, unfortunately with a 13-3 loss, ending their season.
Cardinals Tournament Team
28+ Cape Cod Classic – September 4-5
The Cardinals headed to the Cape Cod for first tourney of the Fall Season. IN Game 1, the Cardinals were handed a wake-up call, getting trounced 18-0.
Behind Ken Breuder’s pitching performance, the Cardinals rebounded with a 5-2 win over the Boston Havoc, a tourney favorite.
The Cardinals finished the tourney off with a 11-6 win over the Monuments, which included scoring 8 runs in the 6th inning. Although they finished tied for third, the Cardinals missed out on the semifinals due to a “run differential tie-breaker”.
18+ CABL Coaches vs Cancer – October 2-3
Unlike the Cape Cod Classic, the Cardinals started out strong at “Coaches vs Cancer” tourney with a 11-4 victory over the Lowell Ballers. Rabel Vargas pitched a complete game and Damean Currier had a perfect day at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a sacrifice fly.
Mike Gamache threw the Cardinals second complete game of the day against the Norfork County Mariners. The game ended in a tie, but Cardinals were able to advance to to the Sunday semifinals. However, the Lowell Botto upended the Cardinals 7-1 to end their tournament.
35+ Laconia Fall Classic – October 16-17
For the second tourney in a row, the Cardinals started out strong. Despite playing short-handed after a good portion of the team cancelled last minute, the Cardinals prevailed 5-4 over the Angels.
However, any momentum from the win did not carry over to the following day as the Cardinals would drop both games; losing first to the Black Bears 9-3, then to rival, the Merrimack Dodgers, 7-3.
25+ Field of Screams – November 6-7
The Cardinals looked prime to get to their first tournament finals. On Day 1, the Cardinals defeated the Islanders 8-6, then blasted the Boston Dodgers 21-2.
In the Sunday semifinal game, the Cardinals started out with a 3-1 lead. However, in the fourth inning, the Cardinals suffered a devastating injury to their pitcher. Our thoughts were with our teammate, and lost all desire to play; eventually losing 4-3 in extra innings.
Overall, it was a successful season. The franchise finished with an overall record of 23-22-1.
