ABL Week 1 Wrap

James Lane

The Australian Baseball League returned this week with an opening round that wasted absolutely no time delivering absurd scorelines, breakout performances and certainly no cooperation from the Brisbane weather.

Across Perth and Brisbane, Round 1 gave us two split series, but they were anything but equal.

Chaos in Brisbane with Two Games Postponed

Sydney walked into Brisbane looking like last year’s powerless lineup had been left behind in NSW, and perhaps in a different geological era. The Blue Sox launched seven home runs across their first two games, a staggering number considering they hit just 19 in the entire 2024–25 season.

Their thursday-night demolition set the tone: an 8–1 win featuring three homers before the Bandits had even settled into the game. Brisbane’s pitching simply couldn’t hold the dam wall. Friday saw the second game postponed due to rain, with the initial intention being to stage it on Sunday.

If Thursday night was painful for Brisbane, Saturday was worse. Much, much worse.

Sydney erupted for 11 runs in the first inning alone, eventually cruising to an 18–5 victory and at one point leading 18–0. Every Blue Sox hitter seemed to find a barrel; every Bandits pitcher seemed to find bad luck.

But Brisbane did manage to claw back a sliver of pride, in perhaps an early, season-defining moment of toughness. The later Saturday game, halted by rain with the Bandits clinging to a 1–0 lead, resumed on Sunday… and somehow that slimmest of advantages held. In a weekend dominated by offensive fireworks, Brisbane’s pitching staff came out of the delay and threw up zeros the rest of the way to salvage a 1–0 win.

And that postponed Friday matchup? Pushed further down the calendar thanks to the Saturday suspension.

Sydney takes the series 2–1, but the Bandits walk away feeling like they snatched something valuable from the wreckage.

Giants Fight Back to Split Series After Perth Dominate Early

Out west, Perth opened the season with a very clear message to the rest of the league.

The Heat’s 13–0 opening win over Adelaide was pure dominance, and featured the weekend’s defining individual performance. Chicago White Sox prospect Drake Logan introduced himself to ABL fans in style, going 3-for-5 with two homers and six RBI. Perth looked every bit like a title threat.

Friday followed the same script early: Adelaide fought back to 3–3 in the middle innings, only for Perth to break the game open with a five-run sixth, winning 8–3 and threatening to sweep the series by Saturday night.

But the Giants weren’t done.

Saturday produced one of the best games in recent memory: a four-hour grinder that needed three extra innings before Adelaide finally emerged with a 9–6 win. Their pitching backed it up in the nightcap, taking a 4–1 victory and ensuring the series ended 2–2.

From a blowout to a comeback to an extra-innings marathon, Adelaide gave Perth every possible type of contest, and showed they’re not fading quietly this year.

Looking Ahead

There’s no easing into this ABL season: Round 2 is a straight run-back. Brisbane and Sydney meet again, this time at Blacktown, where the Blue Sox will try to prove their power surge wasn’t just a Brisbane blip, and the Bandits will attempt to steady a pitching staff that just endured a historic barrage. Meanwhile, Perth’s trip to Adelaide suddenly feels a lot more intriguing than it did after Thursday’s 13–0 opener. The Heat look like a juggernaut, but the Giants now know they can go toe-to-toe with them. With both series poised for instant retaliation, Round 2 already has the feel of a litmus test: who learns, who adjusts, and who doubles down on what worked in Week 1.