Hungary and Spain won their respective U15 European Championship qualifying groups on Saturday, booking their places in next year’s U15 European Championship.
Hungary and Spain both served as hosts for the six days of competition, with a total of eleven national teams competing in Valencia and Budapest.
In Valencia, where six teams took the field, Spain was clearly the dominant team as it went undefeated in group play, with all but one game — against Israel, 9-2 — ending early by mercy rule. In the championship game, Spain defeated Great Britain 13-3 (box score), following up on a 23-2 victory over Team GB in group play the previous day.
In Budapest, Hungary got off to a slow start, squeezing by Lithuania 3-1 (box score) on the opening day of group play, but then coasted into the championship game against Austria after collecting another three victories by mercy rule. The championship game, however, saw Hungary pushed to the limit on its way to a 2-0 victory (box score). Hungary managed just two hits in the contest, but in the bottom of the third inning, Austria walked the bases loaded, with an error in the subsequent at-bat allowing the lone runs of the game to score. Hungary’s pitchers allowed just four hits of their own, with starter Martin Morua striking out eight batters in six innings for the W.
