Italy and Germany qualified for the Under-18 Baseball World Cup with victories in the semifinals of the Under-18 European Baseball Championship in Italy, while Netherlands and France will square off for the bronze medal. The other four games set up the remaining battles for placement, but the biggest outcome came in matchup between winless Poland and Hungary, with the former mounting a do-or-die comeback in the final frame to defeat the Magyars. Assuming that two countries will be relegated to the B Pool, this sent two-win Hungary to the eleventh-place game against Israel, marking both for demotion.
Semifinals
Germany never trailed in the first semi, building a 5-1 lead through three innings and scoring three more over the final three innings to close out an 8-1 win over France. Finn Niemeyer earned the win, striking out seven in four frames, while Pepe Stockhaus closed it out for the save with three shutout innings. Germany’s Benito Bull had a double and a single, driving in two, while Luis Fermín was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Eliott Limouzin was the only French batter with multiple hits.
The second semifinal was much tighter, though Italy started on the front foot with a three-run first that should have seen only one run score. With two down, the Azzurri scored one on a hit by Pablo Suárez, a walk to Leonardo Prizzon, and a RBI-single by Federico Tamburini. Corrado Resca was walked, but a bouncing ball to third led to a throwing error, and Prizzon and Tamburini crossed home.
The game would remain 3-0 through the next three innings and, with Mattia Musco cruising, it seemed like that margin might be enough for Italy. However, with one out in the fifth, Cayro Hazel bounced a ball up the middle and moved to second on a base knock by Tai Keng Lee. Guus Toemen then roped a double for the Netherlands’ first run and Italy changed pitchers. Then, suddenly, the lights went out. Ten minutes later, with the stadium illuminated once more, Fran-J Confesor was intentionally walked to load the bases. Lorenzo Willem then took four balls before the Dutch tied the game on another free pass, this time to pinch hitter Tyrick Geerman. Raffaele Geminiani induced a groundball, and Italy was finally out of the nightmare inning, by now without the lead.
For the next four half-innings, neither club could push across a go-ahead run, setting up a dramatic bottom-of-the-seventh for the 300 fans in attendance. With one down, Elia Plusigh singled through the infield, moving to third on a safety by Suárez and an error. An intentional base on balls put Prizzon on base, and Tamburini lined a hit to left for the walk-off victory. Hazel had three hits for the Dutch, while Plusigh, Suárez, and Tamburini each went 2-for-4 for Italy. Geminiani earned the win with 2.1 scoreless innings, striking out two.
Placement Round
Spain routed Austria 12-0 in five innings via the run rule, backed by a five-run first , with Lluc Mazón and Kaiet Caballero combining on a one-hitter. Mazón whiffed four in 4.1 innings in the victory and Heyson Rey had a double and two singles. Baseball Czechia was equally dominant, routing Great Britain 13-1 in five innings behind recent New York Yankees’ signing Jan Kubelka’s home run, with David Bartoň chipping a two-bagger, a base knock, and three RBI. Šimon Hanuš reached base three times and scored twice from the leadoff spot, improving his average at the U18 Baseball Euros to .500. Daniel Sobotka picked up the win with a complete game, six-strikeout effort.
Relegation Round
Poland rallied from a 6-4 deficit with six runs in the top of the seventh to beat Hungary 10-6, the final blow in a comeback which erased a 6-1 lead for Hungary through four innings. Stanisław Strumiński had a two-run single and Adam Sarota a run-scoring double in the frame. Sarota was 3-for-4, as was Jan Duda, who ripped two doubles. Márkó Morua had a two-run single in Hungary’s four-run second, adding two more hits and three stolen bases over the course of the game, but ran out of steam on the mound after moving ofter from shortstop in the second and going 5.1 innings in relief. The win ensured that Poland will compete in the next U18 Baseball Euros, while Hungary will have to attempt qualification once again.
Belgium routed Israel 12-2 in five innings via the run rule behind a complete game from Lou Meir. The Red Hawks had only scored eight runs through their first four games, but the offense has enabled Belgium to avoid relegation. Eight different players had a hit for Belgium, with Joe Spurgeon leading the offense with a double, two walks, three runs, and two ribbies. Israel, meanwhile, will have to work its way back up for the next Under-18 European Championship after mustering only two hits.
Playoffs
July 18
Relegation: Poland 10 – Hungary 6
Relegation: Israel 2 – Belgium 12 (5)
Placing: Spain 12 – Austria 0 (5)
Placing: Great Britain 1 – Czech Republic 13 (5)
Semifinal: France 1 – Germany 8
Semifinal: Netherlands 3 – Italy 4
July 19
Eleventh: Israel – Hungary
Fifth: Spain – Czech Republic
Ninth: Belgium – Poland
Third: France – Netherlands
Seventh: Great Britain – Austria
Final: Italy – Germany