ASD San Marino – Curacao Neptunus 7-8 (Box score)
The game day on Friday started with the completion of Tuesday’s suspended game between ASD San Marino and Curacao Neptunus, which was tied 5-5 after eight innings. Neptunus would have needed a win by three or more runs to earn a ticket to the semi-finals. A tactical exchange of opposing strategies followed with Curacao Neptunus winning the game 8-7, but losing the berth to the semi-finals.
Relegation Round: VOITH Heidenheim Heidekoepfe – Arrows Ostrava 7-8 (Box score)
Arrows Ostrava won the first relegation round game against the VOITH Heidenheim Heidekoepfe on Friday afternoon 8-7 to finish the tournament tied for fifth. Heidenheim, which missed a trip to the semifinals in a three-way tie, has to settle for the game of seventh place. Ostrava took a quick 3-0 lead, which Heidenheim erased after sixth innings. But Arrows added four more runs in the seventh and an eventual crucial insurance run in the ninth for an 8-3 advantage. Heidenheim’s bats woke up in the bottom of the frame. Shawn Larry hit a grand slam to bring the Heidekoepfe within a run. The reigning German champion added two more hits. But Ostrava’s pitching eventually prevailed for the win.
Relegation Round: Curacao Neptunus – Draci Brno 6-12 (Box score)
Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam was the second team in the relegation round, which missed the semi-finals due to a three-way tie. And they were also the second team to lose their first relegation round contest, as Draci Brno won 12-6 over the Dutch power house. Draci took command of the game from the beginning, leading 6-0 midway through the third and continued to add runs every time Rotterdam threatened to come back. Pavel Budsky went 4-for-4 in the game with two runs and four RBI to lead Brno’s strong offense.
Semi-Final: L&D Amsterdam Pirates – ASD San Marino 13-9 (Box score)
L&D Amsterdam reached the final at the European Champions Cup with a 13-9 win over ASD San Marino in the first semi-final on Friday. It was a back-and-forth affair between two powerful offenses. San Marino erased an early 0-4 deficit, but Amsterdam answered right away with three more runs and sealed the outcome with a big five-run rally in the sixth. Sicnarf Loopstock led the way for the Pirates going 4-for-5 with two home runs, two doubles, four runs and five RBI. Federico Celli and Lorenzo Morresi homered for San Marino. Scott Prins picked up the win. Eduardo Peluso got charged with the loss.
Semi-Final: Bonn Capitals – ASD Parma 5-6 (Box score)
In a rematch of last year’s final at the European Champions Cup, ASD Parma once again prevailed, defeating host Bonn Capitals 6-5 after ten innings in a thrilling second semi-final on Friday. Parma was in control of the game early on, putting four runs on the board in the first five innings through home runs by Manuel Joseph Timo and Augustin Talevi and a RBI double by Alberto Mineo. While Luis Lugo was cruising through four innings, this changed in the bottom of the fifth, as Bonn tied the game on two swings thanks to two two-run home runs by Nick Miceli and Wilson Lee. The bullpens brought the game to extra-innings. Parma opened the top of the tenth frame, scoring twice on a sac fly by Noel Gonzalez and a RBI single by Joseph Timo. Bonn tried to answer in the bottom half. After a sac bunt moved the tiebreaker runners to second and third, Eric Brenk hit a long double to the fence to bring Bonn within one run. Daniel Sanchez then stepped to the plate and almost won the game on a drive to right field, but the ball dropped just outside of the foul line for a foul ball. He and Daniel Lamb-Hunt eventually struck out to seal the victory for Parma.
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Photo by Thomas Schönenborn
