Chiefs were beaten in the grand final by Northern Pirates last season but showed they’ll be one of the contenders this campaign after an 11-4 win over their arch-rivals.

  Cardinals were without player-coach Josh Dean and his Sydney Blue Sox Australian Baseball League teammate Trent D’Antonio, while pitcher Scott Sartori has a mixed day in his return after heading to America during last season.

 Cards led 4-1 in the third innings but Chiefs scored four runs in the bottom of the third, plus six runs in the sixth for a convincing win.

 With regular pitcher Blake Handley having this season off, young Chiefs starter Mitch Simon can expect plenty of opportunities and threw three innings for four hits, with four strikeouts and only one earned run in an impressive effort.

 Reliever Tyson Graham then threw four innings for only one hit, while at the batting box skipper Craig Leighton and Ash Miller went 4/5 for Chiefs.

 Sartori threw into the fifth innings, but ended up giving up six earned runs on 11 hits, while Jeremy Bec was Cards’ top hitter with 2/4.

 Chiefs out-hit Cards 19-6 in eight innings.

  In Saturday’s  other game, Berkeley Eagles beat Shoalhaven Mariners 5-0 at Eagles Field.

 Canberra Cavalry recruit Aaron Sloan was outstanding for Eagles, pitching seven innings for five hits with 10 strikeouts, plus having two hits including four RBIs.

 Adam Doyle was 2/4 for Eagles and Mick Shipp 3/5, with an RBI.

 Premiers Pirates had the bye after the first grade competition  suffered a serious blow with Kiama Braves forced to withdraw, leaving only five teams.

Braves spokesman Brett Douglas said a lack of players has forced the club to pull out of first grade and play only in second and third grade this season.

  ‘‘It’s hard when a few players leave and you can’t replace them,’’ Douglas said.

The Braves won their maiden first grade title in 1999 but  had only around 24 players for round one.

 ‘‘We were looking at only being part of Minor League (fourth, fifth, sixth grade) but have been able to commit to second grade and third grade,’’ Douglas said.

  ‘‘For round one we (had) round 11 players for second grade and 13 for thirds. Our fourth grade team will step up and play thirds this season.’’

‘‘We have has aspirations to be a first grade club and hopefully we can bounce back in the future.’’

 Ironically, while Braves are struggling, the Illawarra Minor League Sunday competition is thriving with 14 teams nominated.

 The extra teams means Illawarra baseball will feature a sixth grade comp, plus fourth and fifth grade.