Semi-Final: Netherlands – Czechia 3-0 (Box score)
The Netherlands have reached the Gold Medal Game of the U-12 Baseball European Championship with a 3-0 shutout over Czechia on Friday afternoon. Tijn Bake Luca Delemarre completely shut down the Czech offense, by striking out 12 batters in six innings, while allowing just five hits and a walk. On offense all three runs were scored by home runs. Marcelo Javier Montenegro Espinoza connected for two long balls, Krijn van der Wens for one. Otherwise Czech hurler Krystof Kotoucek matched his counterpart, but still ended up with the loss allowing four hits, three runs and a walk.
Semi-Final: Germany – Italy 10-0 (Box score)
Germany is returning to the final of the U-12 Baseball European Championship for a third straight year. The defending champion downed Italy 10-0 after an impressive performance on both ends. Germany came out firing in the first inning, scoring seven runs. Keylen Fernandez Ruiz with a solo home run, Yannick Post with a two-run double and Thore Warlies with a grand slam home run helped to decide the outcome early. Germany added three more runs in the fourth and the fifth to end the game on ten-run rule. Post came through again with a RBI single, Raphael Acbas scored on a fielder’s choice and Warlies walked off Germany with a solo home run. Meanwhile Italy couldn’t much against Germany’s starting pitcher Felix Blesing. He went the distance, while allowing just four hits in five innings, striking out nine. He threw an economic 49 strikes within 62 pitches. Gianmaria Fontana took the loss for Italy, managing just two outs in the first.
Relegation Round: Austria – Ukraine 12-2 (Box score)
In the
relegation round Austria improved his record in the tournament to 2-2 with a
12-2 win over Ukraine. Ukraine took a quick 2-0 lead in the first on runs by Tykhon
Tkachenko and Ivan Falion. But Austria answered right away with five runs and
scored in each of the five innings played. Oskar-Tim Kampichler led the way by
going 4-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored and three RBI. Theodor Mirau
collected two hits, two runs and two RBI.
Relegation Round: France – Lithuania 15-0 (Box score)
France also
improved to 2-2 in the event, celebrating a 15-0 shutout over Lithuania. Five
runs in the first, seven in the third and three in the fourth lifted them to a
15-run rule shortened victory. 11 different players scored for France. Quentin
Huet scored three times. Tim Charbonneau hit a home run and drove in three.
Three pitchers kept Lithuania to two hits, while combining for eight
strikeouts. Aistis Vidoulis and Erikas Mordas each singled in the first and the
second.
Outlook
The Gold
Medal Game between Germany and the Netherlands will be the rematch of last year’s
final in Valenciennes, France. The final is scheduled to start at 18:00. For
both teams the champion would be their fourth in the history of the tournament.
But while Germany has won in 2022 and 2023, the Netherlands haven’t raised the
trophy in this age category since 2001. Earlier in the day Ukraine will meet
Lithuania at 10:30 with the losing team being relegated. At 13:00 Austria is
taking on France in a battle for fifth place. At 15:30 Italy and Czechia are squaring
off in a battle for bronze. All games will be streamed live at www.baseballeurope.tv. Live play by
play is available through www.wbsceurope.org.
Photo by Adam Kazmierczak
