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Diamond Dust

Senior AA Cardinals host Westlock in Monday's playoff tiebreaker in North Central Alberta Baseball League

NCABL tiebreaker

The second tiebreaker in three years between the St. Albert Cardinals and Westlock Red Lions for a playoff berth will be played Monday in the North Central Alberta Baseball League.

First pitch is 7:15 p.m. at Legion Memorial Park.

Thursday’s 10-0 loss for the Cardinals in Westlock created a three-way tie for third place between the Edmonton Primeaus, Westlock and Cardinals at 11-9-1.

The Primeaus were awarded the third playoff spot based on their head-to-head record against Westlock and the Cardinals.

Monday's winner will be ranked fourth in the standings and will play the first-place Sherwood Park Athletics (17-4) in the best-of-three semifinal later this week, while the second series features the Primeaus against the defending NCABL champion Edmonton Blackhawks (13-8).

Thursday's loss was the third in a row for the Cardinals after winning six straight. Tuesday’s score was 8-6 in two extra innings against the Edmonton Athletics (5-14-1) in St. Albert, followed by Wednesday's 13-0 shutout by the Blackhawks in Fort Saskatchewan.

Two years ago, the Cardinals dropped a 4-1 decision in the tiebreaker at Westlock after both teams finished in a three-way deadlock with the Primeaus for the fourth playoff berth with 8-8 records.

Last year’s Cardinals (11-10) suffered a 5-4 loss to Westlock in St. Albert in the second-last game of the regular season that determined the final playoff spot.

The Cardinals joined the NCABL in 2013 and have never made the playoffs.

Tigers eliminated

The St. Albert Tigers gave the first-place Confederation Park Cubs a run for their money in the Sunburst Baseball League playoffs.

The Tigers pushed the Cubs to a third and deciding game in the semifinal series that ended in Thursday's 5-3 loss at John Fry Park.

The Cubs won the playoff opener 2-1 Tuesday in Edmonton and the Tigers rebounded with a 6-5 win Wednesday in St. Albert as Tylor Jans drove in five runs and pitched in relief for the save.

In a rebuilding year, the young Tigers finished 1-10 in the regular season and the lone win was 12-0 against the Cubs (11-6) on June 14 in St. Albert.

Last year’s record in league play was 4-14.

11U provincials

The last game of the season for St. Albert Cardinals Red was a biggie.

Sunday’s 8-2 victory over South Jasper Place completed a championship run at the Baseball Alberta 11U Tier 2A tournament in Drayton Valley.

In the final, the Cardinals jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as Rylan O’Brien went 5-1/3 innings of two-run ball before Grady Wheeler came on in relief to record the last two outs.

The Cardinals' 4-1 record at provincials included wins of 14-6 against Lacombe, 10-5 against Strathmore and 13-3 against South Jasper Place and the 15-8 loss to Drayton Valley.

Visit StAlbertToday.ca for the team’s championship picture.

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