Three different winners of BACK2SCHOOL 2017

Posted on by philipp

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by Michal Hanus

Last extended weekend was in Prague dedicated to international youth baseball tournament BACK2SCHOOL. In already 4th edition 32 teams in three age categories was participated. As usually U11 category was played at Tempo, home of Tempo Titans baseball club, U13 was played at Troja which is home of SaBaT Praha and finally U15 teams played at Eagles Park, home of Eagles Praha.

In U11 category was registered 11 teams, unfortunately organizers was not successful to find twelfth team. Four groups played their games on Thursday afternoon and on Friday. Best two teams from each group was promoted to play-off games for final standings, third in each group played in a group for 9th to 11th place in final standings.

From group A was promoted to quarterfinal Trebic Nuclears and Arrows Ostrava, from group B then Hrosi Brno and SK Kotlarka, from group C SaBaT Praha and Technika Brno and finally from group D both participants North Stars and Tempo Titans Praha. Quarterfinal fights didn’t bring any surprises as Trebic, Hrosi, SaBaT and North Start won their games. Semifinals demonstrated that Trebic Nuclears and North Stars brought the best teams into tournament. Game for third place was interesting as Hrosi started very well and went for bronze, but SaBaT came back in a half of the game and did total turnover and won this game. Final game was really close till 4th inning when Nuclears scored five times and till end of the final game kept this win. Trebic Nuclears is becoming back to back winner of BACK2SCHOOL U11 category.

Final standings of U11 category:

  1. Trebic Nuclears
  2. North Stars (GER)
  3. SaBaT Praha
  4. Hrosi Brno
  5. Technika Brno
  6. SK Kotlarka Praha
  7. Tempo Titans Praha
  8. Arrows Ostrava
  9. Baseball Plzen
  10. Sokol Hluboka
  11. Blesk Jablonec

The best hitter of the tournament: Hugo Hahn (North Stars)
The best pitcher of the tournament: Benji O’Rourke (Titans)
The MVP of the tournament: Jan Bilicek (Nuclears)

U13 category has usually full teams roster already in February and there are teams on waiting list. Twelve teams played since Thursday till Friday in four groups. The system was identical like in U11 category. On Friday late afternoon started first games in a group for 9th to 12th position in tournament.

Quarterfinals with following pairs Fortitudo Bologna and SK Kotlarka, Tempo Titans and Wr. Neustadt Diving Ducks, Eagles Praha and Joudrs Praha and Arrows Ostrava with Hrosi Brno started on Saturday morning. Like in U11 category, ale in U13 category won their quarterfinal games expected favorites. Semifinal games brought great closed games with luckier Diving Ducks and Arrows Ostrava. In a bronze medal games between Eagles Praha and Fortitudo Bologna Czech team had more power, won 12:2 and returning home with 3rd place in tournament. Final game was probably the best game in a history of entire tournament. Tie break, even more walk off homerun decided about winner of this tournament. After regular 7 innings scoreboard showed score 12:12. Diving Ducks started tie break with 5 runs there, but Arrows returned with 6 runs almost thanks to three run walk off homerun of Filip Votava from Arrows Ostrava. Arrows Ostrava bringing the big trophy for the first time in a history of their regular participation at BACK2SCHOOL baseball tournament!

Final standings of U13 category:

  1. Arrows Ostrava
  2. Neustadt Diving Ducks (AUT)
  3. Eagles Praha
  4. Fortitudo Bologna (ITA)
  5. Tempo Titans Praha
  6. Joudrs Praha
  7. Hrosi Brno
  8. SK Kotlarka Praha
  9. Sokol Hluboka
  10. KMC Ambassadors (GER)
  11. SaBaT Praha
  12. BK Zagreb (CRO)

The best hitter of the tournament: Filip Votava (Arrows)
The best pitcher of the tournament: Šimon Všetečka (Arrows)
The MVP of the tournament: Eoghan Mc Garry (Diving Ducks)

In U15 late withdraw of KMC Ambassadors brought little bit troubles in a tournament schedule like that Technika Brno had no game scheduled on Saturday, but finally also this tournament finished with success. Two groups with five and four teams played their games in a groups since Thursday till Saturday. Sunday was dedicated for a games for final standings in tournament.

With the best performance in a group A was presented Hrosi Brno who won all four games. SaBaT followed Hrosi in a second position and Sokol Hluboka finished third in a group A. Group B had known winner already on Friday when Technika won all their three games during Thursday and Friday. Eagles Praha finished second and Arrows Ostrava finished third.

On Sunday games for 7th to 9th place brought two wins for Trebic Nuclears, Kotlarka Praha with one won finished 8th and BK Zagreb finished 9th in a tournament. Game for 5th place was close only after first inning that Arrows jumped from Sokol and drove game for a win 7:4. Game for 3rd place started with strong pitching from both sides, but since third inning SaBaT started their hitting contest like during entire tournament and won the game 9:3. In a final game was visible one day rest for Technika. Technika was more eager and probably less tired from tournament then Hrosi and won final game 12:6. Also for Technika it’s their first win in a tournament as this team starting in U15 category since its 1st edition.

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Final standings of U15 category:

  1. Technika Brno
  2. Hrosi Brno
  3. SaBaT Praha
  4. Eagles Praha
  5. Arrows Ostrava
  6. Sokol Hluboka
  7. Trebic Nuclears
  8. Kotlarka Praha
  9. BK Zagreb (CRO)

The best hitter of the tournament: Ondrej Hrdlicka (SaBaT)
The best pitcher of the tournament: Tomas Hrbek (Technika)
The MVP of the tournament: Yudai Kato (Technika)

Tournament fulfilled the purpose at least for Czech teams because for almost of participants it was preparation after summer holidays for upcoming national championships. We hope, that also foreign teams enjoyed tournament. All teams played excellent baseball and we are happy that tournament has a good name among Czech teams as well as European teams.

All tournament results are available on tournament webpage at www.back-2-school.net or you can download them directly from here.

We must say big thank you to all umpires and scorers who did a great job since Thursday till Sunday. We can’t forget also to say thank you to Tempo Titans Praha, SaBaT Praha and Eagles Praha for providing and preparing for us their facilities. Also big thank you to persons who managed clubhouses for providing meals and beverages for all participants and visitors. Finally we must say thank you to municipal of Prague for their continuous support of our tournament.

Tournament organizers already set a date for already 5th edition of BACK2SCHOOL international youth baseball tournament to August 30th till September 2nd 2018. We hope, that we will can invite 12 teams in U11 category, 12 teams in U13 category and 10 teams in U15 category.

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