The 2024 Australian Baseball League regular season is nearing its end, and the top four teams qualify for the best-of-three preliminary finals series.
Heading into round 10, the Adelaide Giants sit atop the standings, three games ahead of the second-place Brisbane Bandits. The Bandits and Giants will play a four-game series from January 18-21 to determine which organization finishes the season in first place. Adelaide must win just one game out of four in the series to ensure a first-place finish.
Perth’s Tim Kennelly Becomes All-Time ABL Home Run Leader – Outfielder Tim Kennelly of the Perth Heat has reached legendary status in the ABL, smashing the 61st home run of his career in a 9-2 win on Jan. 13 against the Melbourne Aces.
The dinger left him the all-time ABL home run record-holder, solidifying an already impressive career in Australia. The 37-year-old began his ABL career during the 2010-11 season and has spent his whole career with the Perth Heat. Kennelly is first all-time in ABL appearances, hits, RBI, and home runs.
With the home run, Kennelly surpassed former Major League Baseball infielder Luke Hughes, who played 10 seasons in the ABL, mainly with the Perth Heat.
Former Canberra Cavalry Pitcher Shota Imanga Signs With Cubs – Japanese starting pitcher Shota Imanaga is widely known for the talent he displayed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Nippon Professional Baseball. Still, he has taken his talents to the north side of Chicago, signing a four-year pact with the Cubs.
However, many fans of Imanga may have yet to learn he pitched six games in the ABL with the Canberra Cavalry during the 2018-19 season. Imanaga went 4-0, posting a 0.51 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 35 innings. He allowed just 14 hits.
“Imanga came to Canberra to perfect his skills and pitching, and in the process, he had probably the best season in ABL history,” Imanga’s Cavalry teammate Steve Kent told SpoTVNews.
