Comeback heroics desert crushed Cavalry

Date: January 20, 2013

Jon Tuxworth

MOMENTUM in sport can be a fickle mistress. Just ask the Canberra Cavalry.

A day after a stirring comeback win, the Cavalry again surrendered top spot in the Australian Baseball League to the Sydney Blue Sox with a 10-2 loss at Narrabundah Ballpark on Saturday night.

The night before, the Cavalry surged from 7-1 down to score a walk-off 8-7 triumph, snapping a six-game losing slump to draw level with Sydney on top of the table.

But the Canberra bullpen struggled against a rejuvenated Blue Sox outfit, Mitch Dening and James Robbins firing with three hits apiece. The Cavalry are earning a reputation as the league's comeback kings, and brought plenty of momentum into the game after rising off the canvas again on Friday.

However, Sydney claimed the early ascendancy with a four-run third inning, and broke the Cavalry's spirit with four more in the eighth to take a commanding 10-2 lead. The visitors finished with 14 hits to Canberra's five, and the Cavalry's recent trend of giving up big early leads is shaping as a massive concern.

Canberra's defence, also an issue in its series-opening loss on Thursday, again hurt the Cavalry with four errors.

The result means the Blue Sox assumes a one-game lead over the Cavalry, heading into the final game of the series on Sunday.

A win is crucial for Canberra. The side will be desperate to avoid falling two games behind Sydney before its final regular season series in Adelaide next week.