Adelaide bites way to victory

TEEING OFF: Adelaide Bite batter Aaron Whitefield looks for a big hit during the Australian Baseball League four-game series at Blue Lake Sports Park on the weekend. Picture: SMP IMAGES/ABL MEDIA

TEEING OFF: Adelaide Bite batter Aaron Whitefield looks for a big hit during the Australian Baseball League four-game series at Blue Lake Sports Park on the weekend. Picture: SMP IMAGES/ABL MEDIA

THE Australian Baseball League came to Mount Gambier over the weekend and fans were treated to four exciting ballgames.

The ABL’s newest expansion team, the Auckland Tuatara took on the Adelaide Bite in the first-ever trans-Tasman series at Blue Lake Sports Park.

The Bite reigned supreme, taking the series victory after wins on Friday night 7-2, Saturday afternoon 9-1 and Saturday night 11-7.

Kurt Heyer gave Adelaide a perfect platform with a sensational game one performance.

The starting pitcher fanned eight Tuatara hitters in seven solid innings of work, as he only conceded one earned run.

The 27-year-old brought a measured head and maturity beyond his years to the mound, with his ERA sitting at 2.55 through six starts.

San Diego Padres prospect Michael Gettys picked up his league-leading 21st RBI of the season in game one as the Bite struck first.

Adelaide local Curtis Mead will be in line for team-of-the-week honours after his best weekend in a Bite uniform.

Mead – who is signed by the Philadelphia Phillies – sent Blue Lake Sports Park into a frenzy in game two of the series, nailing his first ever ABL grand slam.

The infielder finished with 10RBI on Saturday, his most productive day for the Bite to date.

In game three, Auckland reliever Tomohito Sakai issued back-to-back walks with the bases loaded to put Adelaide back in the lead in the seventh, before a throwing error extended the Bite’s advantage to three runs.

The Bite entered the seventh down by a run after back-to-back RBI-doubles from Beau Bishop and Taiga Hirasawa gave the Tuatara another lead in a topsy-turvy battle.

Adelaide was eventually victorious.

Auckland bounced back in a big way to claim the series finale 10-3, behind an outstanding outing from Josh Collmenter.

Collmenter struck out six in seven one-run innings at the Blue Lake Sports Park, leading the Tuatara to their seventh win of the season.

Former Bite outfielder Max Brown homered for the Tuatara.

Baseball fans in Mount Gambier saw former Major League talent, current national team members and some potential future stars in action.

Baseball Australia chief executive officer Cam Vale said this history-making series is just the beginning for regional Australia.

“We have made a concerted effort to bring the Australian Baseball League to regional Australia,” Vale said.

“This Mount Gambier series is a great example of the passion for baseball across the country.

“This project has been community driven and we see this as a fantastic opportunity to continue our journey to bring high-level baseball to more regional centres.

“While events like this are significant in their own right, they can equally serve as a catalyst for longer-term projects like annual events, or a potential location for an ABL expansion team.”

Former league-MVP Aaron Whitefield finished the series with eight hits, two of which were homers as he anchored the Bite in the leadoff spot.

Eric Jenkins – a second round MLB draft pick – was Auckland’s offensive standout, as he claimed five hits and four RBI in four solid games.

Jenkins is highly touted in the Texas Rangers organisation and has potential to be an MLB star.

Adelaide’s three wins have propelled them into playoff contention, as they sit second in the ABL’s South-West Division.