Preview provided by Szenyo of the Hungarian Baseball Freaks
Defending champion Szentendre Sleepwalkers and Jánossomorja Rascals open a best-of-five series in the Hungarian Championship Final. In the previous three years the final games were always between the Szentendre and the Óbuda Brick factory. This year the four-time champion Óbuda Brick Factory was swept by the Jánossomorja Rascals in the semi-finals. The Rascals drafted the former HSV Stealers payers, Justin Prinstein for the semis and Sam Boone for the play-offs.
They also agreed with Ty Eriksen, who played with the Haar Disciples this year. Óbuda was completed in the summer with their former pitcher Zsolt Zalabai, who started this year with the Schwechat Blue Bats in the Austrian championship, and had a good performance in Barcelona during the European Championship Qualifiers. The newly drafted pitcher of Óbuda was not enough to survive the sweep against the rising Rascals, the semi-final was decided in three close games. The Jánossomorja Rascals have reached the first championship final in their history.
The opponent will be the six-time (and all-time leader) Szentendre Sleepwalkers, who swept Érd Aeros in the other semi-final leg. The two finalist team faced each other two times during the regular season and the result was 1-1. Now, the tough question to answer is whether the strengthened Rascals will be enough to beat the favorite Szentendre, or Sleepwalkers can defend their title in 2011.
Schedule:
Saturday, September 24:
14:00 Szentendre Sleepwalkers – Jánossomorja Rascals (Game 1)
Sunday, September 25:
11:00 Szentendre Sleepwalkers – Jánossomorja Rascals (Game 2)
Saturday, October 1:
13:00 Jánossomorja Rascals – Szentendre Sleepwalkers (Game 3)
Sunday, October 2:
13:00 Jánossomorja Rascals – Szentendre Sleepwalkers (Game 4)*
Saturday, October 8:
13:00 Szentendre Sleepwalkers – Jánossomorja Rasclas (Game 5)*
*if necessary