It is that time of year, the time of year when all the ball teams in the area wrap up their regular league play and focus on zones and provincials.
This year is one of the best as far as North Saskatchewan River Baseball League teams registered in provincials.
At the senior AA level, the Lloydminster Meridian Twins will once again be a threat in that category with provincials in Regina starting July 30.
At the senior A level, the North Battleford Beavers are back in the hunt for a provincial title after making a run at the junior championship in the past seasons. The Beavers are scheduled to play the Border City Blue Jays in a best of the three series, and are waiting to finalize the schedule. The first round needs to be completed by July 14, with the Blue Jays having home field advantage.
The winner of the series could play another NSRBL team, or at least a combination of NSRBL teams. The Mervin Flyers combined with St. Walburg, Edam and Standard Hill and are up against the Saskatoon Brewers in a best-of-three series.
One af those four teams will head to provincials Aug. 7 and 8. The Saskatoon Diggers, a team with nearly an entire roster of NSRBL alumni, are hosting.
Wilkie, Unity and Meadow Lake all entered in senior A2 provincials, which will be held in Kindersley Aug. 7 and 8. Wilkie, the 2008 champions, are up 1-0 over the Rosetown Angels. The winner of that series will play the winner between the defending champion Unity Cardinals and Meadow Lake White Sox.
The Lloydminster Junior Redhawks, who sit second in the NSRBL, will represent the area at junior AAA provincials in Yorkton July 30 to Aug. 2.
As for the midget teams in the league, Unity will be at provincials July 23 and the Lloydminster Midget Twins will head to AA provincials in Prince Albert the same weekend.
At the Bantam level, the North Battleford Beavers will compete in the AA level in Yorkton July 16 to 18.
The Edam Blue Sox will be off to Kipling July 16 to 18 for the Bantam A2 Provincial Championships.
The North Battleford Peewee Beavers are one of eight teams that will be playing for the peewee AA championship in Lloydminster July 16 to 18.
The North Battleford Mosquito Beavers will host four other teams for the mosquito AA provincials. Those are set to start July 16 in North Battleford.
Rounding out the area's baseball teams is Turtleford. The Tigers will be in Vibank for the six-team mosquito A2 provincial championship July 16 to 18.
As for the teams using a bigger ball and shorter distances, the Northwest Vipers will join three Saskatoon teams and one Regina team at junior B provincials in Saskatoon this weekend.
The Edam Blue Sox Midget team will head to Kindersley July 9 to 11 for a midget C girls 16-team provincial tournament.
At the bantam level, the Battlefords Bandits took second place in the provincial B championships in Moosomin to the host team, Moosomin 981 Predators.
The Battlefords Bandits White and Red teams are co-hosting the peewee B girls provincial championships. The 10-team tourney starts July 9 at the Flats.
At the squirt level, the Battlefords Bandits were facing off with nine other teams during the weekend in Saskatoon. The squirts played well, but it was two Saskatoon teams playing off in the final.
One the boys' side in the fastball playoffs, the Leoville Loggers will be in Fleming this weekend with three other teams for the midget B provincial championship.
In bantam B provincials, the Leoville Loggers were in Wapella on the weekend and the host team beat Spiritwood in the final.
The local Mark's Work Warehouse softball team will be in Moose Jaw July 16 to 18 for the intermediate B provincial championship.
