I mentioned yesterday how winning the GBL title this season has seemed like the Orange County Flyers' destiny. They had been 4-0 in extra-innings games before Tuesday's playoff loss and 21-11 in games decided by two runs or less.

Yet it was those Calgary Vipers who were openly saying from the beginning of the year about the season being a mission to avenge last season's elimination from the Northern League playoffs. Here they are back in the postseason and pushing around Canadian rival Edmonton in that North Division title matchup. It made me go back and pull the quote from manager Mike Busch when we spoke at Nettleton Stadium in June:

"In the offseason, we dedicated this season to finishing the job and getting to the postseason for a shot at the championship, and they bought right into it," he said.

Busch (pictured above) said it was a motivating factor for many of the team's top veteran performers to return this year and they truly have punished the division painfully. The Vipers can move up into the GBL title series by beating Edmonton tonight in Game 3 since the series is already at 2-0.

PHOTO COURTESY: Mark Mauno