The U-15 Baseball European Championship took off on Monday 17 July in Wiener Neustadt (Austria). The top 2 teams will qualify for 2018 U-15 Baseball World Cup.
Day 1 was highlighted by France defeating (8-7) the highly favorite Italy despite 4 defensive errors and thanks to a 10 hit lineup. Italy couldn’t capitalize on a 1 out double by firstbaseman Federico Ricci in the seventh.
In the cover picture (courtesy of FIBS) France celebrates the win.
BOX SCORE and PLAY BY PLAY
There were no surprises in the other 3 games, all terminated by the international mercy rule.
Czech Republic beat (17-3) Poland, Spain shut out (19-0) Lithuania and The Netherlands outscored (16-1) the hosts Austria.
Italy will already face an elimination game in day 2 against Spain.
The 10 participating teams are divided into 2 pools. The top 2 of each pool will meet in a one game play off semi final and the winners will advance to the final and qualify for WBSC 2018 World Cup.
RESULTS AND STANDINGS
Ireland and Ukraine won the qualifiers in Zuerich (Switzerland; defeating Belgium, Switzerland and Poland) and Varazdin (Croatia; defeating Austria, Slovakia and Sweden) and qualified for the 2018 U-18 Baseball European Championship.
