Amsterdam to semi finals of European baseball Champions Cup for Clubs
The defending champions L&D Amsterdam are already qualified for Saturday’s play offs. Friday’s match ups (Bologna-Mainz, Rotterdam-Rouen, San Marino-Rimini) will elect 3 more teams to the final four of the European Baseball champions Cup
The European baseball Champions Cup for clubs elected the first team to the semi finals: it’s the defending Champions L&D Amsterdam (The Netherlands) that defeated (9-2) the Rimini Pirates (Italy) and claimed first place in group B. The second team will be the winner of Friday’s matchup between Rimini (Italy) and San Marino. In group A the german Mainz Athletics surprised (7-6) the dutch Neptunus Rotterdam. Bologna (Italy) beat (14-0) Rouen (France) and this combination of results serves a couple of one game play offs on Friday: Mainz-Bologna and Rotterdam Rouen.
The Mainz Athletics surprised Europe as they defeated (7-6) Neptunus Rotterdam. It was a shock start of the game for Rotterdam and their starter Misja Harcksen, a former rookie league player for the LA Dodgers, who gave up 5 hits, including a grand slam by Mainz catcher and manager Boldt, and 4 walks in a scary one inning plus 6 batters. Neptunus gave the ball to Tomek to end the second inning and then turned to Mike Van den Berg, who silenced Mainz offense for 5 innings, allowing only 3 hits and leaving the mound to closer Barry Van Driel after allowing a lead off hit to DH Schulz in the bottom of the eigth.
Down 7-1 after 2, Neptunus started eroding the gap against Mainz starter Riley Barr, a former New Mexico State University hurler, in the fifth. In their eigth at bat, helped by a broken bat infield single by catcher Daniel Fernandes that kept the inning alive, Neptunus scored 3 and came within one run. Barr went back to the mound to retire the side on 8 pitches (a total of 119 for the complete game) and get the win.
The Mainz Athletics celebrate their win against Rotterdam (screenshot from Legionaere.tv)
A 5 run second at bat set the pace for Fortitudo Bologna to an easy win (14-0 in 7 innings) against the french Rouen Huskies. Third baseman Fuzzi and first baseman Sambucci went deep back to back and comined 7 runs batted in. The only starter with no hits resulted left fielder Grimaudo and 5 players had a multi hit game.
Former Odessa College and future University of Texas (NCAA Division 1) 21 year old righthander Matteo Bocchi (cover photo by Lorenzo Bellocchio) threw a no hitter, striking out 8 and allowing only one walk.
The Campions of Italy remain in the race for a spot in the semi final.
L&D Amsterdam will be the first seeded team out of group B. The defending champions beat Rimini (9-2) getting the lead in the second against left hander Di Raffaele and with no need to look back. Rimini played a scary defense (5 errors) and couldn’t produce despite 11 hits. Rimini left a total 10 men on base.
Veteran right hander Rob Cordemans earned the win for Amsterdam.
T&A San Marino eliminated the hosts Legionaere with a 13-1 mercy rule win in 7. San Marino pitching (Florian and Cherubini) left no chance to the germans, allowing only 4 hits and striking out 10. Regensburg starter Eisenhut couldn’t get an out and his reliever Woehrl (6 walks) proved too wild for this level of baseball. Legionaere defense gave some help to San Marino committing 3 errors.
