The Austrian Baseball Federation (ABF) has released the Austrian National Team official roster for the the European Championship Qualifier in Antwerp(Belgium). From July 25-30, teams representing their nation will try to win their respective groups and qualify for next year’s European Championship in the Netherlands. Austrian National Team Manager Martin Langlois was able to test prospective players during the Danube Cup and Prague-Baseball-Week, and has selected the top 18 players to represent the country. An additional eight players have been placed on the reserve list.
The defending champion Attnang-Puchheim Athletics are represented with three players, while the Vienna Metrostars (WBV Homerunners) lead the way with five players on the squad Former Metrostar Gregor Klinc will bring his years of experience from the German Bundesliga, as will Patrick Kanthak of the European Cup Qualifier winners Solingen Alligators. The Vienna Wanderers will be represented by four players, most notably the pitching trio of Christian Tomsich, Clemens Cichocki, and Johannes Godler.
Roster – European Championship Qualifier 2011 (Antwerp, Belgium)
Player (Last, First) Club Team
Astl Paul Schwaz Tigers Brenner Philipp Schwechat Blue Bats Cichocki Clemens Vienna Wanderers Ferak Peter WBV Homerunners Godler Johannes Vienna Wanderers Hackl Moritz Stockerau Cubs Husty Benjamin Vienna Wanderers Kanthak Patrick Solingen Alligators (GER) Klinc Gregor Haar Disciples (GER) Löffler Dominik WBV Homerunners Rabengruber Martin Attnang-Puchheim Athletics Rauch Lutz WBV Homerunners Salzmann Benjamin WBV Homerunners Schermer Tobias WBV Homerunners Schrittwieser Thomas Attnang-Puchheim Athletics Seiser Claus Wr. Neustadt Diving Ducks Strasser Walter Attnang-Puchheim Athletics Tomsich Christian Vienna Wanderers Reserves: Efferdinger Horst Wels Jumpin' Chickens Kelly Tate Vienna Wanderers Ludescher Stefan WBV Homerunners Niel Elias WBV Homerunners Scheicher Lukas Attnang-Puchheim Athletics Schneider Michael Stockerau Cubs Simonsen Jakob WBV Homerunners Zimmerle Felix Vienna Wanderers
Accompanying the team will be National Program Manager Martin Langlois, Head Coach Tim Patrick, Assistant Coaches Jeff Tezak and Ty Eriksen, and physiotherapist Jürgen Oberthanner.
In preparation for the European Championship Qualifier, the team will play a few warm up games. On Wednesday the 20th of July, they will face off against Czech Republic in Brno. On the road to Belgium, they will play two games against German club Mainz Athletics on the 22nd and 23rd of July.
In Belgium, the Austrians will take on the national teams from Poland, Slovakia, Latvia, and group hosts Belgium. The top two teams after the round robin play will square off on Saturday the 30th for a birth in the European Championship.
Austrian Schedule – European Championship Qualifier 2011
25. July, 18:30 – Austria @ Belgium
26. July, 14:00 – Austria @ Latvia
27. July, 18:30 – Slovakia @ Austria
28. July, 14:00 – Poland @ Austria
29. July – bye
30. July, 12:00– Final