The 36th European baseball championship, which features the Piedmontese diamonds of Avigliana, Settimo Torinese and Turin, kicked off on Sunday with a sensational surprise, the heavy defeat of Germany, (8-2) indicated as one of the outsiders, at the hands of Croatia. A match that, among other things, also directly affects Italy which, in case of victory of group A, in the quarter-final on Friday should face the second classified of group B which, according to the forecasts, should have been the Germany, with Spain super favorite.
Supported by Josè Diaz (3bv-10so in 8 rounds), Croatia resolved the match between the fourth round (in which they scored two points) and the seventh inning with six points, thanks to a double from Rumora and a home run by Smith who he pushed home 3 points. Germany only shortened the gap to ninth with two points, but failed to go further. Highlights for Croatia Herrera (3/4)
In the morning of Avigliana the first match of group A between Austria and Belgium offers spectacle and strong emotions, won by the home team with the result of 12-11 thanks to a double walk-off by Ferdinand Obed. After a first interlocutory phase, it is in the fourth inning that the game changes face: the Belgian attack scores four points on some defensive errors of the Austrian defense before the response, at the change of court, red and white with two points that bear the signature of Philipp Eckel ( triple) and Obed (sac fly). Two attacks later Austria tried to escape with five points with Samuel Hackl’s three home runs. In the seventh to one point, Belgium still responds to Austria with Philipp Eckel’s two-point home runs but in the upper part of the eighth Belgium scores six points (two home runs from four points total, by Benjamin Gouffeaux and Robin Roevens, and a triple) and carries on. In the lower part of the ninth, one strike from defeat, Austria reopens the challenge by filling the bases (two singles and a base on ball) then emptied by a deep line of Obed.
In group D, the Czech Republic had the better of Sweden (6-1) at the end of a match that remained open until the eighth inning. Q&A between the two teams in the 3rd inning (with Hejma’s home run), then the Czechs find a two-point break at 4th, but they definitely close the match on the eighth attack, when Chlup’s double and double by Hejma (2/4, 3pbc) take home three points. Winning pitcher former Montepaschi Grosseto Boris Bokaj (5bv-3so in 7rl), loser Syren (6bv-2so).
Piedmont 2021 began with a victory for clear superiority also for the Dutch champion of Europe in the last three editions. The Oranje beat Slovakia in seven rounds, who played little more than a training session. The Kingdom of the Netherlands in attack put together 13 hits (Junior Martina 2/4, 4pbc), while the five pitchers who alternated on the hill only conceded three. Leading from the first attack, the Dutch closed the contest on the third attempt with a six-point big inning. The other four points only served to secure the 11-0 final in the seventh inning.
No problem for the Spain of manager Nelson Prada, who won 15-0 against Ukraine thanks to a total of 21 valid. The Spanish lineup, thickened with old and current knowledge of Italian baseball, does not discount the weakest Eastern European formation that fails to counter the fury of the Iberian clubs by losing in the fifth inning due to the application of the mercy rule. The red furies – for the occasion in a white uniform with yellow and red details – start immediately strong with four points in the first inning (the result of two singles and two doubles) and then score another seven points in the second inning with five doubles (Leo Rodriguez, Engel Beltre, Edison Valerio, Jesus Ustariz, Daniel Jimenez) by the first six hitters and a three-point home run by Gabriel Lino.
From the third to the fifth inning four more points with Lesther Galvan, Oscar Angulo, Yancarlo Franco and Roibert Decenaprotagonists. In addition to the starter Carlos Sierra (3IP, 2K), one inning apiece also for veterans Leslie Nacar and Ricardo Hernandez.
THE TABLE
It takes Israel ten rounds to get the better of Russia. In Turin it ends 2-1 thanks to a balk committed by Adrian Rodriguez which thus nullifies a containment work done in relief by Petr Balan and the starter Andrei Lobanov (7rl 4bv, 2bb, 10so), able to close the doors to a Israeli selection that enjoyed for eight rounds of an unsurpassed Joey Wagland with seven strikeouts and one point immediately out of three hits and a base on ball. Russia ahead in the fourth inning with a double from Geidys Soler but Israel takes little to get back in a draw and does so with a squeeze pushed by Mitch Glasser. The pitchers close the doors to bring the game to the tie-break, better exploited by the blue team.
THE TABLE
A satisfactory debut for Great Britain who make their last match of the day scheduled at the “Giovanni Paolo II” in Avigliana, beating France with the result of 7-2. It was a balanced match and fought at least until the sixth inning, where Great Britain took off putting the match in the safe. Managers’ team Spencer broke the ice in the second inning by scoring on a serve in defense choice and then increasing their lead in the third inning with two more points thanks to a solid base single from Grant Kerry. France hinted at a response in the fifth inning with Daniel Patrice breaking Alexander Webb’s no-hitter and going home dragged by Louis Brainville. The British responded two attacks later with long lines from Dawson (triple) and Kent Blackson (long double by two points) and then archived the result with a two-point home run by Grant Kerry. The eighth French point arrived with a double from Andy Paz is useless.
