Summary
Draci Brno’s perfect start to the season came to an end in Week 5 Extraliga action, with Game 3 in Draci’s second derby in as many weekends decided in rival Hrosi Brno’s favor. With a 14-1 record, Draci remains the frontrunner, with Tempo Prague winning two of three against Sokol Hluboka to secure second place in the standings with a 9-3 record.
Nuclears Trebic swept other the Brno club, Technika, to also finish the weekend’s play with nine victories (9-6 record).
There are just two weekends left to play before the Extraliga transitions into the Top6. Newcomers Technika look like longshots to make the cut, with last year’s champions Arrows Ostrava needing a late push if they want to clear the hurdle. The eastern Czech club took two of three from Eagles Prague in Week 5 to improve their chances of catching the pack. With Technika (Week 6) and Hluboka (Week 7) remaining on the schedule, and two make-up games against Tempo also needing to be played, the defending champions should not be counted out yet.
Results (box scores linked)
Hrosi Brno v. Draci Brno (3-6, 1-9, 12-6)
Tempo Prague v. Sokol Hluboka (7-3, 2-1, 2-4)
Technika Brno v. Nuclears Trebic (2-5, 6-7, 2-17)
Eagles Prague v. Arrows Ostrava (5-12, 9-3, 3-4)
Highlights
After going a combined 0-for-6 in the first two games of the Brno derby, Hrosi’s Marek Krejcirik made the difference in Game 3. He went 3-for-4, including his first home run, and drove in five RBI.
In his strongest performance of the season yet, Tempo Prague’s Jake Rabinowitz scattered four hits and allowed just one run while striking out seven and walking one batter in the 2-1 victory over Hluboka. The 34-year-old Rabinowitz’s ERA now stands at 0.86.
Trebic’s Jaylyn Williams went a combined 8-for-13 on the weekend, including his first homer of the season. He leads the league with 27 hits, five more than Draci Brno’s Martin Cervinka.
Technika Brno’s Matej Mensik leads with the league with six home runs, with Eagles Prague’s Martin Cervenka on his heels with five. Four other players have hit four over the fence.
Arrows Ostrava’s Alec Lemmon struck out 12 of the 26 batters he faced and collected the W in the weekend’s first contest against Eagles.
Standings
| W | L | ||
| Draci Brno | 14 | 1 | |
| Tempo Prague | 9 | 3 | |
| Trebic Nuclears | 9 | 6 | |
| Eagles Prague | 7 | 7 | |
| Hrosi Brno | 6 | 9 | |
| Sokol Hluboka | 6 | 9 | |
| Arrows Ostrava | 4 | 9 | |
| Technika Brno | 2 | 13 | |