Australian Baseball League

CANBERRA, 20 December - In the first Thursday game at the Fort at Narrabundah, the Canberra Cavalry, driven by Rolfe Renault, dropped a tough loss to the Brisbane Bandits 5-2. This is only the Cavalry's third loss in 11 games as the Cavalry fall to a full game behind the first place Perth Heat.

The game started out rough for the Cavalry when the leadoff batter, Andrew Campbell, hit a long ball over the fence to give the Bandits a 1-0 lead.

Both the Cavalry and Bandit bats remained quiet until the fifth inning. The Bandits added another run in the top of the fifth when a sacrifice fly drove the runner in from third to make it 2-0. The Cavalry answered back in similar fashion when, after back to back singles from Ben Warner and Kody Hightower put runners on the corners, Koehi Shibata drove a run in on a sacrifice fly and closed the gap 2-1.

The Cavalry continued their comeback in the sixth. With two outs Jack Murphy kept the inning going with a single then Michael Wells followed suit with a single of his own to put runners on the corners again with two outs. The Cavalry then evened the score when a slow roller by Marcus Knecht plated Murphy to tie the game at two.

The seventh inning would be a tough one for the Cavalry. The Bandits answered back scoring three runs off relief pitcher Eric Massingham. Massingham would go a third of an inning giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits and striking out one. Kyle Perkins would come in to relieve in the jam and assist in a great double play to end the inning. Perkins would go one and two thirds innings giving up only one hit and striking out one.

Ben Warner started the rally in the top of the ninth with a single. Kody Hightower followed up with a single of his own. Unfortunately that's where the game would end after Jeremy Barnes would be called out on a controversial third strike for the third out of the inning and the game.

The standout player in the Cavalry line up would be Ben Warner going 3-4 with a double and a scored a run.

The Cavalry return to action tomorrow night in the second of four games. The Cavalry will be sporting special Canberra Hospital Foundation jerseys that will be auctioned off with all proceeds going to the Canberra Hospital Foundation. Come out and support a great cause. The game is slated for a 7pm start.