EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Two teams, one charter plane heading to Indiana. On one side, about fifty members of the Capitals, including players, staff and fans. On the other hand, fewer than twenty Evansville Otters of color. There are a few media representatives.
Heading into Friday’s game, the Capitals had a numerical advantage, 2-0, on 3-of-5 finals as the two teams headed from Jean-Lesage Airport to Indiana State on Thursday. in Quebec. After the spectacular victories on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Stade Canac, the atmosphere among the Capitals players was rather relaxed. The Otters representatives were obviously less light-hearted.
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“It’s inexplicable what’s happening,” Quebec player David Glaude said Thursday, recalling the game-winning home runs by Justin Gideon and Juremi Profar in the first two games of the finale. Last year we also found ways to win, but it may not have been as spectacular and everyone gets behind the wheel.”
David Glaude takes a look at Bosse Field on Thursday in Evansville. Photo Benoit Rioux
Complete abroad
Regardless of the outcome of the following games, this baseball finale will end in Evansville.
Photo Benoit Rioux
The Capitals organization is seeking a second Frontier League title in as many seasons and a ninth overall championship since its inception in 1999. This would be a wonderful start to the team’s 25th anniversary celebrations.
“It would take a miracle to beat us three times with our good starting players,” said coach Patrick Scalabrini confidently. We wouldn’t have been dead if we lost on Wednesday night, but we’re going there with the wind at our back.”
Fuentes on the hill
Panamanian Steven Fuentes will be on the mound for the Capitals to start Friday’s game. If necessary, as Scalabrini confirmed on Thursday, Ruben Ramirez and Abdiel Saldana will be available for games four and five respectively.
The Otters’ camp is expected to have Tim Holdgrafer on the mound for Game 3. One thing is for sure: the Evansville starter has to be good, as the Capitals have planted doubts in various reliever opponents, most notably Jake Polancic.
Capitals manager Patrick Scalabrini in the stands at Bosse Field, Thursday. Photo Benoit Rioux
“We just gained quite a bit in their graduation,” Scalabrini noted, referring to Polancic. I think they have a lot of questions in their minds.”
“We will go there and finish the job,” Profar said.
The Evansville Audience
This is the rule in the Frontier League: Every year we alternate between the East Section and the West Section in order to gain home field advantage in the finals, regardless of the regular season record of the teams involved. The situation is particularly explained by the presence of an unconvincing traveling club in the East, the Empire State Grays, which directly helps the teams in this section to improve their record.
In 2022, the Capitals took the chance to triumph at home after the fourth game. Remember, the Quebec club won when Ruben Castro allowed Marc-Antoine Lebreux to cross home plate on a sacrifice ball in the bottom of the ninth inning. Glaude also contributed to this victorious advance with a brace.
This time, the Quebec team will not be able to triumph in front of its fans, except those who obviously traveled to Evansville. Normally, the Otters should expect a good crowd, as they rank seventh in the Frontier League with an average of 2,051 fans per game during the regular season. However, the old Bosse field can accommodate more than 5,000 spectators. Ghosts may also be hiding there, like in the Stade Canac.