Adelaide Giants sweep reigning Australian Baseball League champion Brisbane Bandits to land first 4-0 season start since 2010
WATCH: Adelaide Giants outfielder Aaron Whitefield has clubbed a dramatic grand slam home run to secure a series sweep of reigning ABL champion Brisbane Bandits and the SA club’s first 4-0 season start since 2010.
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Adelaide Giants have demonstrated their ability to thrive in the face of adversity, as Aaron Whitefield’s dramatic eighth-inning grand slam sealed their first 4-0 season start since 2010.
The SA club swept four-time reigning champion Brisbane Bandits in their four-match weekend series at West Beach, to lay down an early marker to its Australian Baseball League rivals.
But it trailed 5-2 with bases loaded at the bottom eighth in the final game of its round-one clash on Sunday.
Up stepped Australian international outfielder Whitefield against his former team to send Ryan Bollinger’s pitch over the left field fence and turn probable defeat into a perfect opening.
Giants manager Chris Adamson said it was rich reward for his new-look side, which was chasing playoff action for the first time in three years.
“It was amazing,” Adamson said.
“I’m really proud of the guys.
“He (Whitefield) has worked really hard over the last couple of years and it’s good to see him getting some results on the big stage.
“But the biggest thing for me is the belief that this can instil in the group.
“When they went down, there was no panic.
“Everyone kept their heartbeat as low as possible and understood what it was going to take to at least give us a chance.
“If we do face a bit of adversity, we know we can overcome it.
“Hopefully we can continue that through the rest of the way.”
Ex-Major League pitcher David Holmberg threw five innings in his ABL debut on Sunday, but was unable to prevent a Bandits side boasting nine national team hitters pulling away.
Relievers Tom Fitzgerald and Tyson McKee shut down the visitor’s progress, while Philadelphia Phillies recruit Ben Aklinski’s home run sparked the Giants’ comeback.
It came after Adelaide kicked off its season with a convincing 10-3 success on Friday night thanks to catcher Mitch Edwards’ game-high three hits.
The hosts claimed a 4-0 win in the first of Saturday’s double-header, before teenager Rixon Wingrove clubbed a matchwinning solo home run to seal a walk-off 6-5 triumph.
“One of the biggest things is the way they (recruits) have fit into the group and really bought into what we’re trying to do here,” Adamson said.
“We want everyone to leave as better players and better people, so they understand the on-field stuff is just part of it.
“They’re a really tight-knit group, even after four games, so it’s been really good to have them make us better on the field, but also as a group off it.
“We notoriously haven’t been the fastest of starters.
“But it was good to see the guys get a bit of reward.”
The Giants travel to Sydney to face the Blue Sox in a four-game series starting on Thursday.