atlanticleague.com

Half of the playoff field is set for the 2022 Atlantic League playoffs which begin on Tuesday, September 20. North Division first half champion Southern Maryland will open the playoffs on the road while South Division first half winner Gastonia will begin the postseason at home.

Their opponents are yet to be determined but the race to reach the playoffs is heating up as the Atlantic League enters the final month of the regular season.

Southern Maryland will open the playoffs against the second half North Division champion, a spot that is currently occupied by Lancaster at 25-10. The Blue Crabs are second, just 3.5 games behind the Barnstormers.

In the South, Gastonia remains as hot as they were in the first half, starting off 25-11 and opening a 5.5 game lead over the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes.

In the event of a team repeating as Division Champion, the Atlantic League will award a Wild Card spot into the playoffs to the team that has the best overall full-season record.

The Wild Card spot is currently shared by the Wild Health Genomes and Lancaster. Lancaster would reach the playoffs as North Division second half champs if it continues to hold onto first place. The most likely repeat Division Champion at this point would be Gastonia. Should the season end today, the Genomes would be in the playoffs as the Wild Card team as the Honey Hunters would have won the South Division in both halves.

However, there are still 30 or so games remaining in the second half and much can happen.

Three teams are bunched together within 1.5 games of each other. The Wild Health Genomes and Lancaster are tied for the top Wild Card spot at 54-47 with High Point 1.5 games back at 53-49. Long Island is also just five games back at 49-52.