The top teams in the Saskota Baseball League are closely bunched together as they enter the final weeks of the regular season.
Entering play on Thursday night, the Carlyle Cardinals, who are seeking their third straight league title, occupy top spot with an 8-2-2 record. They sit a game up on the Carnduff Astros (7-3) and the Estevan Tower Wolves (6-2-1). The Astros have two games in hand on the Cardinals, while the Tower Wolves have played three fewer games than Carlyle.
Two teams are just 1 1/2 games back of the Cardinals: the Arcola Threshers (7-4) and the Kenosee Cubs (5-2-3). They have also played fewer games than Carlyle.
There is some separation further down the standings. The Oxbow Chiefs (5-4-3) occupy sixth, and are just 2 1/2 games behind the Cardinals.
The Wawota Pats are seventh with a 4-7 record.
The Redvers A’s sit eighth with a 3-7-1 record, and the Windthorst Pirates are ninth at 2-8-1.
Sitting in last place are the Estevan-based Southeast Fireballs (0-8-1). They are in their first season in the league, but they did pick up their first point in franchise history on Tuesday night in a 5-5 tie with the Cubs.
Teams from the Saskota Baseball League will be competing in the Big Moose Baseball Tournament in Carlyle and Kenosee Lake this weekend. They will be joined by teams from elsewhere in Saskatchewan.
Saskota teams will return to league action for a full slate of games next week. The Tower Wolves will travel to Kenosee, the Threshers will visit the Astros, the Cardinals will play in Wawota, the Chiefs will visit the Pirates, and the A’s will visit the Fireballs at Mets Field in Estevan.
Five more games will be played on July 6. The Astros will visit the Threshers, the Pirates will be at the Threshers, the Cardinals will visit the A’s and the Tower Wolves will host the Fireballs at Lynne Prime Park in a battle of the two teams from Estevan.
The A’s will then visit the Cubs on July 7.
Teams will be busy throughout the month of July, as they will be trying to get in as many games as possible before the year-end Harbourne Tournament on July 29 and 30. The final regular season game is scheduled for July 22.
