The European Cup in Rotterdam, Netherlands started with three games on Tuesday and wins for the Templiers Senart, ASD Rimini and host Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam. The top two of the round robin qualify for the final on Sunday.
Templiers Senart – Draci Brno 2-0
The reigning French champion Templiers Senart shut out its Czech pendant Draci Brno 2-0 in the morning game on Tuesday at Family Stadium. Leonel Cespedes struck out eight in eight scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and five walks. Veteran Pierrick Lemestre shut down the door in the ninth. Player manager Rolando Merino and Julien Brelle scored the two runs for Senart in the second against Czech national team hurler Petr Minarik. Edvard Matusevicius and Nathan O’Brian also pitched for Brno.
ASD Rimini – Heidenheim Heidekoepfe 8-3
Italian vice champion ASD Rimini defeated German runner up Heidenheim Heidekoepfe 8-3 in the afternoon. A sac fly by Luke Sommer was all Heidenheim managed out off a bases loaded situation in the first. Then Rimini scored three runs in the second and four in the fifth to get control of the game on route to the win. Giuseppe Mazzanti and Paul Macaluso combined for four RBI with Mazzanti also scoring twice. Jose Escalona struck out seven in six innings, allowing six hits, three runs and three walks. Roberto Corradini pitched the last three frames for the save. Sommer got charged with the loss, conceding eight hits, seven runs (5 ER) and a base on balls in five innings.
Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam – KNTU Elizavetgrad 12-0 (7)
The evening match in Rotterdam was basically over after two frames. Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam delivered the second shutout on opening day with a 12-0 win over KNTU Elizavetgrad. Seven runs in the first two innings and five more in the fourth decided the outcome early. Dwayne Kemp went 4-for-4 with a home run, three runs and two RBI. Rien Vernooij collected four RBI. Christian Diaz tripled and drove in three. Diegomar Markwell and two relievers kept KNTU to two hits by Roman Boiko and Oleksandar Mamontov. Serhiy Shtapura took the loss.
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Livestreams of the European Cups:
Rotterdam (Games of ASD Rimini) http://m.ustream.tv/channel/rimini-baseball-live
Paris http://original.livestream.com/pucbaseball
Chartres http://livestream.com/accounts/13242543/events/4095514