by Michal Hanus
On Saturday playoff series between Arrows Ostrava and Technika Brno started. The second series between Draci Brno and MZLU Express Brno begins next weekend, because Draci played successfully in the European Cup Playoff.
General expectation of the played series was that Arrows, which finished second, wins at least one of two weekend’s games. The first game started with a surprise. Ostrava started with national team member Boris Bokaj on the mound and Technika with U21 national teamer Daniel Mraz. Although Arrows led 2-0after six innings, the first victory in this series belonged to Technika, as they used five errors by the Arrows defense during the last three innings to overcome the deficit and win with a final score of 3-2.
Sunday’s game was dominated by Arrows hitting from the start, as they forgot Saturday’s result and scored six times in the first inning against American pitcher Dobyns. The first excellent inning was crowned by Citovecky homerun. Ostrava started with their pitching ace Jon Jon Robles who finished another win with 13 strikeouts. The final score of the second game was 10-2. The best of five series is tied 1-1 after the first weekend. The series continue next weekend in Brno at the home field of Technika.
The playdown series also started last weekend. In the first series Krc Altron didn’t had any troubles with Black Hill Blansko and easily transformed both games into 8-3 and 12-5 wins. The second series between Skokani Olomouc and Tegola Titans Praha looked more balanced, but Skokani presumed home field advantage winning both games 13-7 and 9-8. Krc Altron and Skokani Olomouc need only one more victory to ensure spots in the 2009 Extraleague.
The challengers from National League (2nd level), who want to take over two spots in the Extraleague next year are already known. They will play the two losers from the playdown series. The Patriots Liberec prevailed in the best of five series with the Cannibals Sumberk 3-1 (18-3, 17-6, 6-8 and 10-1). Orlice (Eagles) Chocen had to work hard work with Hrosi (Hippos) Brno, needing a 6-5 victory in game five to advance (0-4, 12-2, 10-11, 8-6 and 6-5). The Patriots and Orlice is playing another best of five series to determine the final standings in the National League. The winner of this series is playing the eighth Extraleague team and the loser the seventh ranked club.