Balkan Baseball and Softball Championship 2018 in Sofia Under Way
by Alex Gorrin
Triple Ball 2018 has started on 26 April in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria. The unique WBSC- sanctioned event that brings together the baseball, fastpitch softball, and coed slowpitch softball national teams of the Balkan region is celebrating its second edition following a successful inauguration in 2015.
The baseball tournament will see hosts and defending champions Bulgaria take on the national teams of Greece, Serbia, and Romania. Games take place at the baseball field “Oktomvri” (October) next to the Technical University in Sofia from April 26 until April 28.
The women fastpitch softball tournament will see the national teams of Bulgaria, Bulgaria U19, Serbia, and defending champions Greece face off at the softball field of 73rd Elementary School of Sofia from April 26 until April 28.
The coed slowpitch softball tournament will take place once the final games of the baseball and fastpitch softball tournaments have been completed on 28 April at the “Oktomvri” baseball field. Bulgaria are defending champions from 2015.
Complete schedules, as well as stats and a selection of games live via play-by-play are available thanks to GameChanger on the following links:
https://gc.com/tmt/spring-2018/2018-balkan-baseball-championship-5adf3000bef3b1001f16e85b – Baseball
https://gc.com/tmt/spring-2018/2018-balkan-fastpitch-softball-championship-5adf3030744808002125d2e0 – Softball
Supporting Events and 30-year Anniversary of Organised Baseball in Bulgaria
The games of the Balkan Championship 2018 are the highlight in a series of initiatives Baseball and Softball Bulgaria are organizing in this landmark season. The Bulgarian Baseball Federation was officially formed and came into existence exactly 30 years ago.
A number of prominent guests are expected to attend the activities, including: Ricardo Fraccari, WBSC President, Didier Seminet and Gabriel Waage, WBSC Europe, as well as representatives of the Bulgarian Ministry of Sports, Mayor of Sofia, executives from the Bulgarian Olympic Committee, and representatives of the embassies of participating countries, as well as the embassies of Cuba, Japan, USA.
Activities include:
- Official Opening Ceremony: April 26 17:30, Baseball Field “Oktomvri” Sofia
- Ricardo Fraccari, WBSC President, lecture at Bulgaria’s National Sports Academy and award for “Honorary Professor”: April 27, 11:30, National Sports Academy Sofia
- Cocktail and 30-year Anniversary Celebration: April 27, Hotel “Vitosha” Sofia
- Players’ Party: April 28, Baseball Field “Oktomvri” Sofia
Once Triple Ball 2018 is over, the focus of the Bulgarian baseball and softball organisations will turn to the internal leagues: the Bulgarian Baseball League (BBL) and the Softball League, as well as the baseball Federations Cup Qualifier club tournament taking place in Blagoevgrad from 12 June to 17 June. Last, but definitely not least, 2018 will see a minimum of 6 junior tournaments and promotional activities held throughout the country aimed at popularizing the sports among the young Bulgarian generations.
