The European Cup in Rotterdam offered three close games and a big surprise on Friday. It was the second to last game day and Draci Brno handed ASD Rimini its first loss in the tournament, making the race for the finals interesting. Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam got its fourth win in as many games. The Heidenheim Heidekoepfe were the third winner. The first round ends on Saturday. The top two in the standings qualify for the finals on Sunday.
Heidenheim Heidekoepfe – KNTU Elizavetgrad 7-5
The Heidenheim Heidekoepfe erased an early 0-3 deficit on route to a 7-5 win over KNTU Elizavetgrad on Friday morning. Stefan Karpf and Philip Schulz had RBI singles in the bottom of the eighth to break the 5-5 tie. Elizavetgrad led 3-0 and 4-2 in the contest and tied the game in the seventh. However Heidenheim had the better answer each time and claimed its second win in as many games. Aaron Dunsmore pitched eight innings and drove in two runs. Mykola Liakhovetsky took the loss in relief of Dmytro Kiliyevych. Kostiantyn Boiko went 4-for-4 with a double for KNTU.
ASD Rimini – Draci Brno 2-6
The afternoon game at Family Stadium in Rotterdam saw its first big surprise of the 2015 European Cups, as Draci Brno downed the previously undefeated ASD Rimini 6-2. Five quick runs in the first three frames decided the outcome early. Michael Kremlacek got them ahead with a RBI single in the first. A two-run single by Michal Ondracek in the second and RBI hits by Pavel Budsky and Adam Hajtmar in the third made it 5-0 within the first nine outs. Rimini didn’t get on the board until the sixth, when Ray Olmedo and Stefano Desimoni scored on Leonardo Zileri’s single in combination with an error by Arnost Dubovy in center. This was the only score for the Pirates. Draci meanwhile added an insurance run in the eighth thanks to an error. Martin Schneider was the hero of the game. The utility player of Brno kept Rimini to four hits, two runs (1 ER) and two walks in a complete game effort. He struck out eight. Carlos Richetti got charged with the loss.
Templiers Senart – Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam 1-4
Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam won its fourth game in four days in the evening against the Templiers Senart by a score of 4-1. The game started with a 45-minute delay due to rain. Rotterdam took a 1-0 lead in the second thanks to a RBI groundout by Christian Diaz. Senart loaded the bases with one out in the fourth and tied the game when Florian Peyrichou was hit by a pitch. A double play got Neptunus out of the inning. They immediately regained the lead with a RBI double by Stijn van der Meer in the top of the fifth. Two runs on a single by Gianison Boekhoudt provided some insurance in the seventh. Kevin Kelly earned the win in relief thanks to another flawless outing. Floris Timmer got the start for the host, allowing two hits, an unearned run and a walk in 4 2/3 innings. Berry van Driel and Loek van Mil also pitched for Neptunus. Jonathan Mottay did a good job limiting the favorite to five hits, four runs and six walks in 6 1/3 innings, but had to take the loss. Pierrick Lemestre closed it out for the Templiers.
Outlook
On Saturday the first round ends with three games. In the morning at 10.30am the Heidenheim Heidekoepfe hope for a lopsided win against Draci Brno to win a potential three-way tie to advance to the finals. At 3pm ASD Rimini and Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam square off in a highly anticipated matchup. Rotterdam already has clinched a spot in the finals and could eliminate Rimini from contention with a win. In the evening game at 7.30pm KNTU Elizavetgrad and the Templiers Senart conclude the preliminary phase.
Standings
| Pos |
Team
|
GP
|
WO
|
LO
|
AVG
|
GB
|
|
1
|
 Curaçao Neptunus (NED) |
4
|
4
|
0
|
1000
|
0
|
|
2
|
 A.S.D. Rimini (ITA) |
4
|
3
|
1
|
750
|
1
|
|
3
|
 Draci Brno (CZE) |
4
|
2
|
2
|
500
|
2
|
|
4
|
 Heidenheim Heideköpfe (GER) |
4
|
2
|
2
|
500
|
2
|
|
5
|
 Templiers Senart (FRA) |
4
|
1
|
3
|
250
|
3
|
|
6
|
 KNTU Elizavetgrad (UKR) |
4
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
Complete Schedules and Live Play by Play at www.baseballstats.eu
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
Photo by Michel Sterrenberg