The 2015 European Cup in Rotterdam, Netherlands ended on Sunday with an entertaining final between Draci Brno and Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam. Neptunus claimed the title thanks to rallying for an 8-2 win, qualifying for the European Champions Cup final series in August.
Draci had taken a 2-0 lead midway through the second. The first batter of the game, Michal Ondracek tripled and scored on a sac fly by Martin Schneider. One frame later Jakub Hajtmar doubled the advantage on a single by Pavel Budsky. Benjamin Dille got Rotterdam on the board with a RBI single in the bottom of the second.
Afterwards pitching dominated as neither team scored again a decisive seventh innings. After Brno went down in order in the top half of the period, Curacao Neptunus erupted for five runs in the bottom half. Five RBI singles by Stijn van der Meer, Dwayne Kemp, Gianison Boekhoudt, Rien Vernooij and Christian Diaz put the host ahead by 6-2. A RBI double by Van der Meer and a RBI single by Kemp added two more runs in the eighth, putting the game into the books.
Diegomar Markwell started for Rotterdam and allowed eight hits, two runs and two walks in six innings. Kenny van den Branden replaced him in the seventh and picked up the win with three scoreless innings of one-hit relief. Radim Chroust got charged with the loss. Earlier in the game Petr Minarik, Nathan O’Brian and Michal Sobotka had kept Curacao Neptunus at bay.
During the closing ceremony Stijn van der Meer of Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam was named Most Valuable Player. Kostiantyn Boiko of KNTU Elizavetgrad as Best Batter and Martin Schneider of Draci Brno as Best Pitcher were also awarded.
Final Standings:
|
1
|
 Curaçao Neptunus (NED) |
|
2
|
 Draci Brno (CZE) |
|
3
|
 A.S.D. Rimini (ITA) |
|
4
|
 Heidenheim Heideköpfe (GER) |
|
5
|
 Templiers Senart (FRA) |
|
6
|
 KNTU Elizavetgrad (UKR) |
Complete Results, Box scores and Stats at www.baseballstats.eu