With the Australian Baseball League opening day right around the corner the Australian national team used the opportunity and played the Sydney Blue Sox in a three-game exhibition series this week.
The three-game set kicked off preparations for the 2013 World Baseball Classic, where the team from Down Under faces IBAF Baseball World Cup winner Netherlands, Olympic Champion Korea and a qualifying team in the first round in Taichung.
Australia prevailed 2-1 in the series against the Blue Sox. In game one on Friday Australia won 5-3, claiming an early 4-0 lead after three innings en route to the victory. Sydney cut the lead to a run in the fifth, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
In game two on Saturday Australia needed a two-run walk-off single by national team rookie Daryl George in the ninth to win 4-3. The Blue Sox had led since scoring two runs in the sixth for a 3-2 lead. Zac Shepherd, who played at the IBAF 16U and 18U Baseball World Championships in the last two years, scored twice.
In game three on Sunday JD Williams manufactured a run in the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie to give Sydney a 3-2 victory, avoiding the sweep against Australia. Luke Hughes and Daryl George drove in the two runs for the team of manager Jon Deeble.
The Australian Baseball League season 2012 starts on November 1.
