Canberra take early lead in ABL

Canberra have begun the Australian Baseball League season in hot form, taking the competition lead after a series of wins over Brisbane.

Hosting the Bandits (1-3), the Cavalry (3-1) won the opening game of the season 2-1 on a pair of solo home runs by veteran Jeremy Barnes and San Diego Padres prospect Ryan Miller. Toronto Blue Jays prospect David Harris led Canberra's offence in the second game, smashing a grand slam home run in the second inning as the Cavalry won 8-7.

Harris finished the weekend leading the league in hits (nine) and batting average (.563). The Cavalry claimed the third game 10-7, but the Bandits scored 12 runs on 19 hits in the series finale to win 12-4 and avoid a series sweep.

Dominant pitching by international players led the Melbourne Aces (2-2) to a series split at home against the Sydney Blue Sox (2-2).

Matt Larkins (1-0, 0.00 ERA) tossed eight shutout innings, leading the Aces to a 3-0 win in the first game of the series.

Sydney bounced back and out-hit the Aces in game two for a 7-4 win.

Japanese lefty Yasuo Sano dominated for the Aces in the third game, striking out 10 batters in 6-2/3 innings pitched as Melbourne won 4-2.

James Yates homered for the Blue Sox in the series finale, leading Sydney to a 6-4 win and the series split.

In Perth, the Heat took on the Adelaide Bite in a rematch of last seasons championship series.

Derek Peterson won the first game for Perth in dramatic fashion, with a bases-loaded walk-off triple.

The Bite took the next game 7-4, led by a three-RBI performance by Travis Demeritte.

In the third game Heat starting pitcher Nick Veale tossed six shutout innings and struck out five batters en route to a 3-2 win.

The Heat have a chance to join Canberra atop the standings with a win over the Bite in the series finale.