Dave Leaderhouse
Special to the Herald
Prince Albert’s 18U baseball teams have had a slow start to the Saskatchewan Premiere Baseball League season, but that is about to change in a big way as both the Royals and Padres are entering a part of the schedule that will see them each play 12 games in the month of June.
“This is actually a good thing,” says Royals’ manager Troy Semenchuk. “Baseball Saskatchewan had brought in this new rule where they were lowering the pitch count (pitches allowed to be thrown by each pitcher) for the month of May, but now that it is June it is back to normal.”
Semenchuk believed the change was brought in to lessen the wear and tear on a pitcher’s arm at the start of the season, but he said a lack of consultation with players and coaches frustrated him and others who are involved in the game.
“Kids no longer come into camp to get into shape,” explains Semechuk. “They play inside during the winter and are already in good shape by the time camp comes around.”
A late spring, and an even later snow squall, delayed the start of the season in some parts of the province. When the diamonds were ready the Royals opened the season with four straight losses before rebounding with four consecutive victories. A fifth win was in the works on Tuesday against the Sask. Five Giants, but heavy rain forced the game to be stopped with Prince Albert ahead 4-3 in the third inning. That game will be finished on June 30 in Martensville prior to a regularly-scheduled match between the Giants and Royals on that day.
“Our goal was to battle back from a winless start by the end of May and we did that,” noted Semenchuk. “We are looking to qualify for the Tier 1 playoffs. To do that we have to be in the top eight.”
The Royals, who are currently tied for eighth place in the 15-team league, return to action this weekend when they are in Regina on Saturday for a doubleheader against the Wolfpack. After that the Royals are home on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. game against the Saskatoon Phillies at Andy Zwack Field and then on June 13-14 they will entertain the Estevan Brewers and Regina Athletics in a pair of twinbills, also at Andy Zwack Field.
Prince Albert’s other entry in the 18U division, the first-year Padres, are also lagging behind the rest of the league in games played as a 6-2 victory over the North Battlefords Beavers on Wednesday improved their record to 3-2 on the season.
Jett Miller had a big night for the Padres against North Battleford as his 2-for-4 showing at the plate brought in four runs while Markus Exner was solid on the mound allowing just two hits and striking out three in four innings of work.
The Padres also get back to work this weekend when they begin a home-and-home series with the Phillies in Saskatoon on Saturday. The two clubs will complete the series on Monday at 6 p.m. at Andy Zwack Field with the Padres then having a similar June 13-14 schedule as the Royals as they too will play a pair of doubleheaders against Estevan and Regina.
In the 15U division the Royals have been idle since they earned a split with the Saskwest Sasquatch on May 24, but they will get little rest this weekend as they are home to the East Central Dodgers for a doubleheader on Saturday before heading to Martensville on Sunday for a pair against the Sask. Five Giants. The games on Saturday will be played at the Kinsmen Baseball Complex in Crescent Acres at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
