By Gabriel Fidler, Managing Editor.
BRNO, Czechia – Spain put together three rallies late in its game with the Netherlands to claim a shocking upset victory and join Great Britain in the European Baseball Championship title game. GB secured a place in the final with a hard-fought win over Germany, and will earn its first medal since 2007 and only third overall (1967). Meanwhile, Spain’s single European title came in a 1955 championship in which the Netherlands did not take part. Its only other trips to the final resulted in silver medals in 1954 and 2016.
Elsewhere, Israel survived a close contest with Sweden and Ukraine and Italy won convincingly in the early games. Later, the Czechs impressed in a big win versus France that saw a pair of homers from Martin Červenka before a big crowd in Brno. Other winners included plucky Croatia and Greece in a rollercoaster victory over Hungary.
Třebíč
12:00 Italy 12 – Switzerland 3
18:30 Belgium 5 – Croatia 7
Hroši Brno
10:00 Ukraine 9 – Austria 0
15:00 Hungary 14 – Greece 19
Blansko
12:00 Israel 6 – Sweden 4
18:30 Spain 7 – Netherlands 6 (Semifinal)
Brno
12:00 Germany 4 – Great Britain 8 (Semifinal)
18:30 France 1 – Czechia 11 (7)
Box Scores [Link].