Some of the best baseball players in Alberta will be in St. Albert this weekend for the Basebal Alberta Elite League 18U provincial championship.
The St. Albert Cardinals will be playing host to teams all over Alberta, as they look to avenge their loss in last year's tournament. Last season, the Cardinals came into provincials with a young team and performed at a high level. They played well enough to make the semifinals, only to lose 10-2 to the eventual champions, Parkland Twins Gold.
This season, the Cardinals are the veteran team, with only four rookies and the rest of the players returning from last year. Their record reflects this, as the Cardinals finished first in the BAEL with a record of 26-7. The success is no surprise to head coach Kurtus Millar.
"I knew after losing the semis we were going to get better," Millar said.
However, the coach said success in the regular season doesn't always lead to success at provincials.
"Our bats need to stay consistent and we need to continue to make the routine plays on defence," he said.
The Cardinals will have home-field advantage with the games at Legion Memorial Ball Park, a fact Millar's team has embraced.
"The team is very excited," he said. "It adds motivation to be playing at home in front of our friends and family."
The BAEL provincials run July 25-28, and the Cardinals' first game will be at 3 p.m. on Thursday against the Edmonton Padres. For anyone who wants to follow on social media, you can do so at the links below.
Instagram: @baeliteleague
Facebook: Baseball Alberta Elite League
For the complete tournament schedule, visit Tournament Schedule .
