ABL Round 10 Wrap

James Lane

Round 10 brought the regular season to its conclusion, and while the Australian Baseball League’s Championship Series pairing had been foreshadowed a week earlier, the final answers were only locked in after a tense, rain-affected weekend.

Sydney had already punched their ticket in Round 9, but the battle for the second berth was very much alive this week as Adelaide hosted Perth, with Brisbane heading to Blacktown to face the Blue Sox. By the end of it all, Adelaide had done just enough to join Sydney, setting up a fitting finale between the league’s most consistent side and its most resilient challenger.

Bandits End Season on a High

Brisbane arrived in Sydney already eliminated, yet they played with the freedom of a team determined to spoil and to finish strongly. The Bandits’ 11–5 win on Thursday was the shock of the round, built almost entirely on a stunning eight-run sixth inning.

Sydney responded like a championship-bound side should. The Blue Sox took Friday’s 6–4 win by striking early and surviving a chaotic fourth inning, showing the composure that has defined their season. Saturday’s 1–0 Bandits win - the last game Brisbane would play this season due to rain cancellations - was tight, tense, and ultimately a consolation note for a side finishing well short of the finals, but proud to sign off with a win.

Giants Seal Championship Series Berth: Just

Over in Adelaide, the stakes were far higher. The Giants and Heat split the series, but the timing of the wins told the real story. Adelaide jumped out of the blocks on Thursday with a disciplined 6–1 victory, then followed it with a ruthless 4–0 shutout on Friday to officially clinch the second Championship Series berth.

Those two wins were the season-makers. Everything that followed - three straight Perth victories across Saturday and Sunday - served only to underline how narrow the margins were. The Heat will rue missed opportunities earlier in the series, as late shutouts and low-scoring wins came after the door had already closed.

Looking Ahead

The final standings tell a story of separation at the top and frustration below. Sydney finish 24–14 as clear frontrunners, Adelaide scrape in at 19–20, Perth close but short at 18–21, and Brisbane bring up the rear at 16–22. It’s not perfect symmetry, but it reflects two teams who found ways to win when it mattered most.

Now, it all resets. The Championship Series is set: Sydney Blue Sox vs Adelaide Giants, a three-game showdown in Sydney next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. One side chasing a dominant season’s crowning moment, the other riding momentum and belief into enemy territory.