Better safe than sorry.

They were oh, so close, but the those still playing in the New Hampshire COVID Baseball League weren’t able to make it to the finish line.

And you can blame COVID-19.

According to a story in the Valley News, Monday’s deciding game of the NHCBL Finals in Lebanon between Dover and Upper Valley was cancelled as it was learned a Dover player had possibly been exposed to someone who tested positive for the virus.

Fourth-seeded Upper Valley, which topped No. 8 Nashua in a three-game semifinal series last week thanks to a near miraculous late inning comeback from an 8-0 deficit, and No. 6 Dover were named co-champions.

Team and league officials, including league founder and Nashua manager Tim Lunn, reportedly discussed the situation early Monday and by noon the game was cancelled.

Upper Valley was 16-10 and Dover, which topped Seacoast Navy in the semis, was 13-13. Upper Valley won the opener on Saturday 15-4 in a game halted after five innings due to the mercy rule, and Dover won 3-1 on Sunday.

With schools – including colleges — starting soon, there was not enough time to delay the third game to wait out any possible test results, quarantines, etc.

“There’s a lot of logic to that,” Upper Valley team official Bruce Sacerdote told the Valley News. “Even though we think that it’s statistically unlikely that anyone on Dover has it, we can’t take that chance.”

The league was formed by Lunn after the state American Legion Junior and Senior seasons were cancelled due to the virus. Most of the teams were similar to what Legion teams would have been and there were some AAU teams included.

It’s either likely or hopeful the baseball landscape next summer will revert to what it normally is with Junior/Senior Legion returning along with AAU seasons.