The Athletics and Metrostars are the top matchup of the weekend, pitting potential top playoff seeds against each other as the season heads into a two-week break for the European Championship Qualifier. The games will feature a number of players from the Austrian National team. In other games, the Highlanders head to Vienna to play the Wanderers, the Cubs host the Tigers, and the Vikings and Blue Bats will square off.
Friday:
Vienna Metrostars @ Attnang-Puchheim Athletics
After the hot and tough day of ball last weekend leading to a split against Schwaz, the Metrostars are already in for their next challenge. Because the A’s are celebrating their 20th year of baseball in Attnang, the festivities will start Friday night and the second game will take place on Saturday. On Friday night, Coach Tim Patrick will have to reach into deep bag of starters and send him out to the mound. Which young talent it will be is yet unknown, but they have their work cut out for them against the strong A’s offense. Walter Strasser and Josh Castanza gave the Stars few chances to get on base in the first round, ultimately giving up just one run in the two games.
Saturday:
RiCo Highlanders @ Vienna Wanderers
Motivated by their first win in a while, the Highlanders know they can still get it done. Now they’ll try to repeat that in Austrian capital against the Wanderers. The hosts are clear favorites in game one, but the nightcap will be a different story with important Wayne Ough on the mound for the guests. The Wanderers will have to have some success against the Olympic athlete in order to keep up with Attnang atop the standings. For the guests, they’ll need to do their own work at the plate in order to help their pitching out, if they want to make it a split against the Wanderers.
Sunday:
Schwaz Tigers @ Soroptimist Stockerauer Cubs
On Sunday the Tigers travel from Schwaz to Stockerau to play the Cubs. Last time around, the teams both left the field with a win, meaning the games on this day should be exciting. Michael Schneider will start for the Cubs, hopefully finding the strike zone more often than in his last start. Also needed is some run and defensive support from the guys behind him. The battery selection from the Tigers isn’t as great, but just as potent. Franz Haisjackl went 200 pitches last weekend to show just how serious they take it. Hopefully that is the exception to the rule, however, and the team from Tirol won’t need his arm to bear that load again. Fronczak will be called upon to take up some of that load and repeat his early season success.
Kufstein Vikings @ Schwechat Blue Bats
The teams in this matchup haven’t reached their goals this season, as both were tabbed for potential playoff teams. The Bats still have the chance to work their way back into the picture, and Arian Quirantes will try to provide a bit of spark for a team that hasn’t clicked well. On the other side, the Vikings are doing well internally, but injuries have put a damper on the season. Inexperienced replacements have been tabbed to plug holes haven’t been up to par, risking the teams 12th consecutive postseason appearance. It’s do or die for both teams from here on out, if they want to make the semi’s at year’s end.
{mrb-schedule:2011-07-15|2011-07-17|AT}
{mrb-standing:austria-2011}