The Australians had New Year’s Day games, which of course, were played in the middle of the night for those of us on this side of the globe.
Adelaide Bite 3, Perth Heat 2
Ryan Beckman earned his 6th Save as the Bite and the Heat struggled to get hits — they must have used them up in yesterday’s second game. Perth scored 2 runs in the 2nd inning with a double and a home run, then scattered just 4 more hits over the rest of the game. The Bite were scoreless until the 8th inning. They had base runners during the first 7 innings — 2 singles, 2 walks, and a batter reaching base on an error. 3B Stefan Welch had the walk in the 6th inning. The bottom of the 8th began with a hit batter, then a single and two outs. Welch’s single drove in the first runner, and the tying run scored on another RBI single. 1B Calvin Anderson doubled, driving in Welch with the winning run. Ryan Beckman took the mound for the Bite in the top of the 9th. He retired the side in order for the Save.
Canberra Cavalry 6, Brisbane Bandits 4
C Travis Scott gave the Cavalry the go-ahead win in the top of the 9th, as they pulled off a come-from-behind win. Each team scored one run in the 1st inning, then the Cavalry took a 3-1 lead with a 2-run homer in the 3rd inning. The Bandits scored one run in the 4th, and then took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the 6th. They scored their 2 runs on two singles, an error, and a sacrifice fly. Canberra threatened in the 7th inning, when they loaded the bases on three walks, including one to Scott, but they could not push a run across. The Cavalry caught up to the Bandits with a walk and two singles in the 8th inning. Scott led off the 9th inning with a solo home run to break the tie, then a double and a single added another insurance run for the Cavalry.
