Week eight of the Australian Baseball League season was played last weekend. Germany’s Jan-Niclas Stoecklin had his most impressive start so far in the ABL, going 6 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts to keep the Canberra Cavalry to one run, as his Sydney Blue Sox completed a four-game sweep on Monday. He is now 3-1 with an ERA of 2.88, as he joins the World Stars for Wednesday’s All-Star Game.
With their four wins this week the Blue Sox climbed to third in the standings with a 16-15 record. They now have won their last five in a row. Despite losing four, Canberra remains in first place. The Brisbane Bandits with Donald Lutz, who was 2-for-13 with two RBI this weekend at the plate, follow in second place with an 18-14 record. Loek van Mil conceded two hits, a run and a walk in two innings this week, earning his first win on Sunday, as his Adelaide Bite edged out the Melbourne Aces 2-1. His ERA is now at 2.45.
Standings:
| Club | W | L | PCT▼ | GB | Home | Away | L 10 | Streak | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canberra Cavalry | 19 | 13 | .594 | – | 11-5 | 8-8 | 5-5 | L4 | |
| Brisbane Bandits | 18 | 14 | .563 | 1.0 | 12-4 | 6-10 | 6-4 | W2 | |
| Sydney Blue Sox | 16 | 15 | .516 | 2.5 | 10-5 | 6-10 | 6-4 | W5 | |
| Adelaide Bite | 15 | 16 | .484 | 3.5 | 8-4 | 7-12 | 6-4 | W1 | |
| Perth Heat | 15 | 17 | .469 | 4.0 | 7-9 | 8-8 | 3-7 | L2 | |
| Melbourne Aces | 12 | 20 | .375 | 7.0 | 8-12 | 4-8 | 4-6 | L1 |