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FREDERICTON - The senior baseball playoffs have seen the worst of the Fredericton DQ Peterbilt Royals this year, but they haven't seen the best yet.

That could be coming however.

After a rough couple of games in their semifinal series with the Moncton Mets, the Royals have been getting better ever since and tonight they may have to be at their best.

The Royals host the Chatham O'Donaghue's Ironmen this evening at 7 p.m. at Royals Field in a game that will determine where the series goes from here.

"We either go back to Chatham up 3-0 which is pretty much insurmountable or leading 2-1, which isn't a big lead," said Royals coach Steve Hicks summing up the meaning of tonight's contest.

With that in mind Hicks knows the Ironmen, a pretty persistent scrappy bunch by reputation, will be coming to town today looking to play desperation win at all costs baseball.

"Which is pretty much how they always play, especially against us," Hicks said. "They are the team we love to hate and they feel the same way about us, they never give an inch and we will need to play some pretty good baseball tonight to get this win... We will have to be ready to play."

Which was an issue in the Moncton series, so much so the Mets were allowed to come from 3-0 down in the series to win a couple and throw a pretty good fright into the Fredericton team.

"It may have been the best thing that happened to us," Hicks said. "It wasn't good at the time of course, but we needed that jolt. I think since then we have been coming back to where we should be as a team at this time of year, not all at once, but we've been getting better each time out with the last game just about our best."

The last time out was a 5-0 win in Game 2 of the series at Ironmen Field in Miramichi, a six-hit gem by pitcher Josh Collins in a pretty tough park to win in.

"That was a good effort by the whole team," Hicks said. "We were swinging the bats well, we were executing in the field and really cut down on mistakes. Having Josh out on the mound though was ideal, he is so calm out there, he really sets the tone for us."

Pitching should continue to be a major part of the story as the series rolls along. Tonight the Royals come back with the senior league's outstanding pitcher in the regular season, John Burns. The Ironmen will counter with their number three man who will be either veteran Gary Traer or youngster Ryan Barry.

"I think the ball is really in our court," said Hicks. "We have the top pitcher in the league going against their number three guy and we've beaten both of their top two pitchers already (Derek Wilson and Matt Jenkins). If things work out for us we may not have to face the two of them again, we're at an advantage and I don't want our guys to waste it."

Of course Mother Nature might take a hand as well, with rain in the forecast for this evening and tomorrow. If that forecast is delivered on, the durable Wilson might be able to go for Game 3 with Jenkins for four.

Game 4 is supposed to be tomorrow night in Miramichi with a possible fifth game back in Fredericton Tuesday. A couple of rainouts would be a break for Chatham.

"It would certainly change the complexion of things a bit," Hicks said. "Hopefully we can get at least one game in though and maybe both."