With the national teams of the Netherlands and Italy impressing the experts at the 2009 World Baseball Classic on the left side of the Atlantic, the Baseball Clubs throughout Europe are in the middle of the annual preseason. The results mostly count for nothing, as the players try to get into game shape.
In Spain a few things were on the line, as the Catalonian Championship and the Apertura Tournament ended last weekend. In Montjuic the FC BARCELONA won the Catalonian title on a RBI single by Albert Diaz (see clip) through a 11-10 win over CB SANT BOI in extra innings on Saturday. A day later SANT BOI won 2-0 behind solid pitching from Oscar Alvarez, Jose Cruz, Leo Zamudio and Yaeko Vazquez.
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more clips at the Bateando website
In Irabia BASEBALL NAVARRA defeated CD PAMPLONA B on Saturday 10-0 in seven innings to win the Apertura tournament. Juan Miguel Marte and Juan Lopez pitched for NAVARRA, Alexis Fumero was on the mound for CD. SAN INAZIO BILBAO finished in second place after losing against CD PAMPLONA A on Sunday. Patrice Briones beat opposing pitchers Sergio Atxa, Alberto Magallon and Andoni Ortiz. Dirimo Chavez hit a homerun.
In Spain ended the preseason already and the ‘real’ Division de Honor season opens next weekend with ten teams. A preview for the Baseball year in Spain will come later this week on Mister-Baseball.com.
In other parts of Europe, the preparation phase is starting. In the Netherlands the matches between the two Rotterdam based Hoofdklasse clubs DOOR NEPTUNUS and SPARTA/FEYENOORD were postponed due to bad weather. HCAW MR COCKER and L&D AMSTERDAM PIRATES each won warm-up against their second teams.
In Germany the SOLINGEN ALLIGATORS and the BONN CAPITALS met in Bonn for a seven-inning doubleheader. The CAPS took game one 16-8, but lost the second 2-7.
Two European Cup participants met in Rouen, France last weekend. The HUSKIES ROUEN and the PORT OF ANTWERP GREYS split their two-game series. On Saturday ROUEN used strong outings by Robin Roy and Alexandre Sochon to shut out the GREYS and Dennis Van Hoof 17-0. The HUSKIES scored five runs in the fifth and eight in sixth to blow the score wide open. A day later the Belgian champion got some payback winning 6-4 in eight innings, scoring the decisive runs in the last frame. Their new Australian hurler Adam Crabb was on the mound to start the match, opposing Keino Perez for five innings.
Also in France the Championnat Midi-Pyrenees started with STADE TOULOUSIAN. The ‘A’ team won the first match 12-5, including a homerun by Argenis Segura. The ‘B’ team defeated MONTAUBAN 16-4 in the second game with Gwendal Beauvois on the mound.
If we missed some results, hit us at news[at]mister-baseball.com
Results:
Netherlands:
DOOR Neptunus – Sparta/Feyenoord Rotterdam cancelled
Sparta/Feyenoord Rotterdam – DOOR Neptunus cancelled
HCAW – HCAW II 12-0
L&D Amsterdam II – L&D Amsterdam 3-13
Germany:
Bonn Capitals – Solingen Alligators 16-8, 2-7
France/Belgium:
Rouen Huskies – Port of Antwerp Greys 17-0
Rouen Huskies – Port of Antwerp Greys 4-6
France:
Opening Day Championnat Midi-Pyrenees
Stade Toulousain B – Stade Toulousain A 5-12
Stade Toulousain B – Orioles de Montauban 16-4
Spain:
Catalonian Championship
FC Barcelona – CB Sant Boi 11-10 (10)
FC Barcelona – CB Sant Boi 0-2
Tournament Apertura
Pamplona B – Baseball Navarra 0-10
San Inazio Bilbao – Pamplona A 4-6
Results so far:
Catalonian Championship
CB Viladecans – FC Barcelona 5-6
CB Viladecans – FC Barcelona 2-9
CB Sant Boi – CB Viladecans 4-8
CB Sant Boi – CB Viladecans 9-1
Apertura Tournament
Pamplona B – San Inazio Bilbao 2-18
Pamplona A – Baseball Navarra 6-9
Baseball Navarra – San Inazio Bilbao postponed
Pamplona A – Pamplona B 1-6
Photo: © Diego Lázaro