Searle's complete game keeps Bandits pushing
Starter fourth ABLer to toss complete game in 2011/12
BRISBANE, 13 January -
Ryan Searle stunned the 'Jet Courier' Melbourne Aces and Brad Dutton led the Bandits with three RBI on the night as Brisbane took the third game of the five-game set at the RNA Showgrounds in Round Ten of Australian Baseball League action on Friday night.
Searle (2-1) threw just the fourth complete game in the ABL this season, getting through his nine innings with help from the Bandits potent offense.
Andrew Campbell led the charge with three hits on the night, and Dutton and Sutherland combined to drive in five of Brisbane's runs. Josh Roberts added a 1-for-3 night, taking over the league lead in doubles with 14, and added to his team-leading total with his 27th RBI.
The Bandits were the first on the board in the third. Matt Roxburgh walked to open the frame and moved to third on a single from Ryan Battaglia. He came around on an RBI-single from Campbell. Dutton plated two more with his fifth double of the season, giving the Bandits a three-run advantage.
Brisbane (15-23) added to its total in the fifth. Battaglia led off the inning with a double, followed by a Campbell single. A fielding error by Aces second baseman Brad Harman allowed Battaglia to score and put runners on first and third with one out. Dutton drove in his third run of the night with an RBI-single, and that was the end of the night for Melbourne's starter Kevin Reese, taken out in favour of Andrew Mann.
Mann didn't fare much better as he gave up a home run to the first batter he faced, Sutherland. The two-out, two-run shot was his fourth of the season and put the home team up 7-0.
Reese (1-2) went 4 2/3 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits, with one walk and one strikeout. Mann completed 1 1/3, giving up one earned run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout, and relieved by Markus Solbach.
The Aces (18-20) appeared to figure Searle out in the seventh. Brad Harman opened up the inning with a homer, his 11th of the year. After allowing a single to Justin Huber, next batter Elliot Biddle hit his eighth long ball of the season. The Bandits escaped the inning without any further damage, bringing the score to 7-3.
That's how the game would end, as Brisbane's right-hander shut down Melbourne's offense once again for the final two frames. Searle's line shows him going nine innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits with one walk and five strikeouts.
With the win, the Bandits remain in sixth place, needing to do further damage in the remaining seven games in order to move beyond the regular season. Elsewhere in the playoff race, Melbourne moved into a tie for the second position in the standings with Adelaide (18-20). Canberra (17-20) dropped to fourth with a loss to Perth (28-9), and the Blue Sox (17-21) sit in fifth after their lost to the Bite.
Brisbane Bandits
Code: Select all
Player Pos AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
Andrew Campbell LF 4 2 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 .299
Ryan Battaglia C 3 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 .250
BATTING
2B: Roberts (14, Reese), Dutton, B (5, Reese), Battaglia (3, Reese).
HR: Sutherland (4, 5th inning off Mann, 1 on, 2 out).
TB: Campbell, A 3; Roberts 2; Dutton, B 3; Sutherland 4; Dutton, W; Battaglia 3.
RBI: Campbell, A (7), Dutton, B 3 (17), Roberts (27), Sutherland 2 (25).