Press Release Radviliskis Baseball Club
Final tournament of Pony League European Zone took place in Prague „Eagles“ fields on April 18-20. The prize for winner was a trip to USA to final tournament of the World Pony League. Lithuanian girls were not new in this tournament. Last year a 7-th place was won and this was the highest achievement. This year our team was playing under „Vilnius BC“ flag, but was complected of 7 players from Radviliskis, 3 from Vilnius and 1 from Kaunas. 13 softball teams from Europe arrived to the Pony League European Zone 2014 Tournament. After draw Lithuanian team with teams from Germany, Russia, Czech and Serbia went to group A.
The weather conditions did not allowed to show best skills of the players, but girls from Lithuania gave no chance for team Stuttgart „Select“, beating them 7:5, and few hours later „Eagles“ from Prague was also beaten 10:6 on the first day of tournament.
Teams from Russia „Marino“ and „Kalita-1“ was an oponents of lithuanians on the second day. After two more wins 5:4 and 4:2, „Vilnius BC“ team was 1-st in the group A, which guaranteed a game in semifinal.
On the third day there was a last group A game against „Arena“ from Serbia. Giving a rest for main pitcher and catcher of the team, other girls was playing in those positions to gain experience and importantless game was lost 7:12.
In semifinal „Future“ from Prague, which took a 2-nd place in group B, was waiting as an oponent. At the beginning of the game „Vilnius BC“ girls were much better at bat than the oponents and after 3 innings 6:1 „Vilnius BC“ girls were winning. Then umpires from Czech start making strange decisions. They did not want to see a proper strike zone, two in a row Out’s at first base, even bat not taken away after trying to bunt were not called a strike swinging. Looks like it is impossible to make a 3-rd Out. And when bases were loaded, player from „Future“ batted In Park Homerun hit, which made result 6:5. „Vilnius BC“ girls did their best and showed a strenght of a spirit and made a 3-rd out catching the ball in air, which announces a biggest win of Lithuanian girls ever – they went to a final game.
In other semifinal game „Friul 81“ from Italy won a game against „Eagles“ from Prague 2:1.
At 16.00 hours final game started. Just like in other games „Vilnius BC“ girls started powerfully scorring. In first inning girls scored 4 runs, and defence was on the top – no runs allowed for girls from italy. After second offense 1 more run was scored, but few errors at the defense allowed italian team to score 5 runs. After two innings 5:5. The third inning was an inning of the top defense – both teams could not score a run. The fourth inning was started by our top batters and supporters started to chant waiting for score to change. But good and strong hits to the outfield were reacheble for italian defenders and were caught in air. Game time was over, and for team from Italy was enough to score a single point to win a game. First two outs were made without a problems, but third hit to the left outfield was too strong and „Friul 81“ team scored a run. With final score 6:5 „Friul 81“ team from Italy won the game.
This tournament showed, that „Vilnius BC“ girls improved a lot, and now they are ready to win another games in tournaments, and maybe in European championships.
