by Igor Lukashevich, Brest Zubrs
On October 8, 2010 the ceremonial opening of the first baseball-softball stadium in Belarus took place in Brest. The discovery was conducted with the participation of 8 children’s baseball teams from 4 countries: Russia, Belarus, Lithuania and Ukraine. The facilities are situated in the city center with the major sports facilities of Brest: athletic arena, the Ice Palace, a palace of water sports, a large baseball stadium which hosts national and international competitions.
The new stadium will be multi-functional and relieve the main stadium as well as at Brest Zubrs there are 7 teams of different ages.
Words of welcome to the club Brest Zubrs were told by the leaders of Brest and the construction management. In a festive atmosphere with a symbolic key to the stadium was handed to the youngest player of Brest Zubrs.
At the ceremony, noted that the construction of a baseball-softball stadium will contribute to further development in the region of baseball, including children, and the cultivation of a softball.
Together with the stadium opening on October 8 an international tournament the first Baseball Cup dedicated by NOC Representative of Belarus to Brest region took place. Welcome speech and the right to open the tournament had been granted by the executive director of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus to Brest region – Belokonenko Elena.
Eight teams from four countries participated in the tournament: Russia, Belarus, Lithuania and Ukraine. Age of players was 12 years and younger. The teams were split into 2 groups.
The first group included: Brest Zubrs-1 Brest (Brest, Belarus), Sharks (Balashikha, Russia), Northern Star (St. Petersburg, Russia), Sports Vilkay-2 (Vilnius, Lithuania). Second group: Brest Zubrs-2 (Brest, Belarus), Sport-Vilkay-1 (Vilnius, Lithuania), SYSOR-42 (Moscow, Russia), Rovno (Rivne, Ukraine). The winners of both groups advanced into the finals.
Sport-Vilkay-1 won the international tournament in baseball for the Cup of the NOC Representative of Belarus to Brest region, which was held at the new baseball-softball stadium in the city of Brest.
Brest Zubrs-1 in their group took first place with 3 wins and reached the final of the competition. The opponents for Brest Zubrs-1 from the second group were the team from Vilnius Sport Vilkay-1, needing the tie-breaker rule to clinch first place with 2 wins and 1 loss.
In the end Brest lost 0-12 to team from Vilnius. Two teams from Russia battled for third place. Baseball Sport School-42 outplayed their peers from St. Petersburg, 15-1. Fifth place went to the team from Rivne, confidently defeating a team from Balashikha Shark with a score of 16-1. Seventh and eighth place went to Sports Vilkay-2 and Brest Zubrs-2. Score of this game was 18-7.
Special prizes of the National Olympic Committee were awarded to 4 players:
- Best pitcher – Anton Kuznetsov (SDUSHOR-42, Moscow),
- Best defender – Pulinikas Lucas (Sports Vilkay-1, Vilnius)
- Best batter – Lapchenko Artem (Brest Zubrs-1, Brest)
- Best player of the tournament MVP – Balandis Marius (Sports Vilkay-1, Vilnius).
Also, gifts and prizes were given out to the best player in each team. Coaching staff got souvenirs.
Congratulations to the winners of the tournament!