The World All-Stars beat Team Australia with a score of 6-0 at the 2013 Futuretronics ABL All-Star Game presented by Be the Influence: Tackling Binge Drinking. The 3rd All-Star game was held at Melbourne Ballpark and is the second win for The World All-Stars after Team Australia won last year.
The best imports of the Australian Baseball League tested the pitching arms of Team Australia and came out with bats swinging throughout the game. The World All-Stars captured the lead during the 5th inning and maintained their presence throughout the game as the Australian bats struggled to respond.
Team Australia started with Lewis Thorpe making his debut for Australia on the mound, and after four batters retired the World-All Stars for the inning. Ryan Searle came in for the second and saw three up three down, to get the home side off to a strong start. But the World All-Stars started to come into their game in the third as Keon Broxton, of the Arizona Diamondbacks franchise, reached third on a fielding error. The score remained zero a piece until the fifth.
The 2013 All-Star MVP, Joey Wong of the Alcohol. Think Again Perth Heat, singled on a line drive in the bottom of the fifth scoring Broxton from second to bring home the first run of the night. With Wong on second, Jon Berti was walked and Tucker Nathan hit by a pitch loading the bases and leaving Australia looking to Richard Olson in the bullpen.
With Joe Burns pitching for World All-Stars, Ben Lodge and Matt Kennelly both fly out. Australia had an opportunity when Logan Wade reached base by error but the inning ended 3-0 with Corey Adamson striking out.
Some wild pitching by Australia in the sixth had George Barber hit by a pitch with bases loaded. Joe Sclafani singled on a ground ball scoring Brandon Tripp and Joey Rickard to round out the sixth 5-0.
The All-Star side sunk the final run in the top of the ninth as Jared Schlehuber advanced Jon Berti and Tucker Nathan to 2nd and 3rd on a line drive. Brandon Tripp then scored Berti on a sacrifice fly to finish the game.
Manager Deeble credited the World All-Stars win to experience: “They’re running ninety-plus out all the time. For our rookie ball guys they’ve got Double-A and Triple-A players.”
For Team Australia tonight’s game was an opportunity to test out the up and comers, and according to Deeble, Team Australia have some great young depth to move forward with. “Ryan Battaglia, Ryan Dale and Logan Wade all played well tonight. Lewis Thorpe and Ryan Searle were shining lights, but we will rebuild to do better as a team.”
For more information about the game visit theabl.com.au or baseball.com.au, you can also view a delay broadcast of the game on Sunday 22 at 8pm AEDT on ESPN.
