The Canberra Cavalry is in danger of missing the Australian Baseball League play-offs after a 12th-inning loss to the Sydney Blue Sox dropped the reigning champions back to a three-way tie for second place.
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Blue Sox hitter Keon Broxton drove in Zach Shepherd to deliver the Blue Sox a thrilling 3-2 win against the Cavalry at Blacktown Sports Park on Sunday.
The result means the Blue Sox collect the Hume Highway Cup courtesy of a 6-5 season series advantage over their closest rivals.
But more importantly it gives the Blue Sox the tie-breaker over the Cavalry if the two teams are level at the end of the regular season. Both teams share second place on the ladder with identical 19-19 win-loss records, along with the Adelaide Bite.
The Cavalry must now regroup before hosting the top-of-the-table Perth Heat (24-13 before Sunday night's game with the Brisbane Bandits) at Narrabundah Ballpark for a four-game series starting Thursday.
The Cavalry appeared to be in for a long afternoon when it gave up two runs in the first inning, but Michael Wells scored from a Jon Berti double play in the second to reduce the deficit to a single run.
That's how it stayed until the sixth inning, Jack Murphy crossing the plate courtesy of Jason Sloan's single to left field.
The signs were promising in the top of the ninth when Berti singled with just one out.
However, he was caught attempting to steal second base when Ben Warner struck out to end the inning.
Cavalry starting pitcher Aaron Thompson settled in after his tough first inning, giving up six hits and recording three strike outs in four and two-thirds innings.
The Cavalry bullpen did a marvellous job to keep them within reach.
Relieving pitchers Clint Everts and Nick Pugliese didn't concede a run in a combined four-and-two-thirds innings.
