Royals, Padres fighting for Tier 1 provincial spot as final games of season loom

The Prince Albert Royals are set to compete in U18 AA Tier 1 provincials later this month, while the Padres are looking to secure one of the final spots in the tournament as the final games of the regular season are slated for this weekend. (Image Credit: File photo/paNOW Staff)

Royals, Padres fighting for Tier 1 provincial spot as final games of season loom Both of Prince Albert’s teams in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League’s (SPBL) U18 AA division are entering the final weekend of play ahead of provincials next weekend. The Royals and the Padres are both batting for a provincial spot, where the top eight teams in U18 AA will go to Tier 1 provincials in Regina from July 24-26, while the remaining seven teams will drop down into the Tier 2 tournament that same weekend in Moose Jaw.

The Unity Cardinals have already been confirmed as the lone out-of-league participant to fill the void as the eighth team. For both P.A. squad, it all comes down to this weekend. While the Royals are currently in a Tier 1 spot at 14-11-1 (W-L-T), a pair of losses in their final two games will push them into ninth and into the #1 seed for the Tier 2 provincial tournament.

Meanwhile, the Padres will have to win their last two games of the season to move into a Tier 1 provincial spot as they currently sit ninth in league standings at 12-13-1.