The Western Canadian Baseball League tried for months to get the season going and looked at many opportunities in the early stages of the pandemic.

But in May, right when in most years the games would be firing up, the 2020 baseball season was officially cancelled by the league. 

The 11-team, wood bat collegiate league, which includes the Moose Jaw Miller Express, is based in Alberta and Saskatchewan and wasn't going to be able to make this season work due to restrictions on crowd size this summer. 

There was also the issue of a lot of players coming over the border, since many players are American. 

"Pushing back the start date to July 4th or playing with only Canadian players to prevail over border issues are a couple options the league explored before cancelling," said a media release from the league issued late Wednesday night.   

"Social distancing would be a challenge in clubhouses and especially on buses that teams must use for travel..."

The league has released their 2021 schedule, with opening night only a little over five months away. When they are up and running, the league won't have the Melville Millionaires or the Yorkton Cardinals, but a new Sylvan Lake, Alta. Gulls will be playing their first season. Also of note, the Edmonton Prospects will play the entire season on the road as a new stadium is being built in Spruce Grove. 

The playoffs are scheduled to start Aug. 8-10 and continue to the final Aug. 15-17.