2023–24 Australian Baseball League season
LeagueAustralian Baseball League
SportBaseball
Duration17 November 2023 – 4 February 2024
Number of teams6
Regular season
Postseason
ChampionsTBD
  Runners-upTBD

The 2023–24 Australian Baseball League season is the thirteenth season of the Australian Baseball League (ABL), and began on 17 November 2023.[1] Six teams will compete in the season, down from eight in the previous season, due to Auckland Tuatara being liquidated[2] and Geelong-Korea's exit from the league.[3]

Teams

Neither Auckland Tuatara nor Geelong-Korea will compete in the 2023–24 season.[2][3]

Teams in the ABL
Team State/Territory Stadium
Adelaide Giants South Australia Dicolor Australia Stadium[4]
Brisbane Bandits Queensland Viticon Stadium[5]
Canberra Cavalry Australian Capital Territory MIT Stadium[6]
Melbourne Aces Victoria Melbourne Ballpark[7]
Perth Heat Western Australia Empire Ballpark[8]
Sydney Blue Sox New South Wales Blue Sox Stadium[9]

Regular Season

The regular season began on 17 November 2023 and is scheduled to end on 21 January 2024.[1] Due to the departure of Auckland Tuatara and Geelong-Korea, the ABL returned to a six-team, single-conference model.[1] Each team will play 40 games (20 home and 20 away) across 10 rounds and will face every other team twice (once at home and once away) in four-game series.[1]

The 1 December game scheduled between Canberra and Perth was originally postponed due to rain but later cancelled due to the lack of suitable schedule space to make up the game. Adelaide was the first team to clinch a playoff position in Round 8, followed shortly after by Brisbane and Perth in the same round. Canberra was eliminated in the same round, leaving just Melbourne and Sydney to fight for the final playoff spot in the final two rounds.

Highlights from the regular season include Adelaide's Nick Ward tying the single-game hit record (6) on 14 December with Shuhei Fukuda, formerly of Brisbane.[10] Tim Kennelly surpassed Trent D'Antonio's all-time games record of 395 on 15 December 2023 and became the first player to 400 games in Round 8.[11]

Trent Thomas, the league's most capped umpire became the first to surpass 300 games 19 November 2023.

Standings

Key
Postseason
Pos Team W L Pct. GB
1Adelaide Giants2511.694—
2Brisbane Bandits2214.6113.0
3Perth Heat2015.5714.5
4Melbourne Aces1917.5286.0
5Sydney Blue Sox1125.30614.0
6Canberra Cavalry1025.28614.5

Postseason

The postseason is scheduled to begin on Australia Day, 26 January 2024, with four teams making the playoffs.[1] All postseason series will use a best-of-three format, with the highest-ranked team hosting the team ranked fourth and the team ranked second hosting the team ranked third.[1] The winners of the semi-finals will compete for the Claxton Shield, beginning on 2 February 2024.[1]

Postseason bracket

Semi-Final Series Championship Series
      
1 Team ranked 1st
4 Team ranked 4th
SF1 Winner of semi-final 1
SF2 Winner of semi-final 2
2 Team ranked 2nd
3 Team ranked 3rd

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "2023-24 Season Schedule Revealed". The Australian Baseball League. 29 August 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Trans-Tasman Divide as Auckland Tuatara Depart the Australian Baseball League". The Australian Baseball League. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Geelong-Korea Exits the Australian Baseball League ahead of the 2023/24 Season". The Australian Baseball League. 15 August 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  4. ↑ "Dicolor Australia Becomes Stadium Naming Rights Partner at West Beach". Adelaide Giants. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "The Brisbane Bandits Announce Home Venue to Be Called Viticon Stadium". Brisbane Bandits. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  6. ↑ "Contact Us". Canberra Cavalry. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  7. ↑ "About Us". Melbourne Aces. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  8. ↑ "Contact Us". Perth Heat. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  9. ↑ "About Us". Sydney Blue Sox. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  10. ↑ "RECORDS FLY IN ADELAIDE'S 27-9 WIN OVER THE CANBERRA CAVALRY - NEWS & NOTES, DECEMBER 14". Australian Baseball League. Australian Baseball League. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  11. ↑ Smith, Ben. "Australian Baseball League: Perth Heat legend Tim Kennelly could break two records against Brisbane Bandits". The West Australian. The West Australian. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
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