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Women’s Softball European Championship 2022 - Official Payoff

Defined ten of the top 12 teams of the 2022 Women's Softball European Championship

Defined ten of the top 12 teams of the 2022 Women's Softball European Championship
24/07/2022
Sixteen games took place in Barcelona on the first day of the 2022 Women's Softball European Championship. Italy, Poland, and Greece from pool A, Czech Republic, France, and Great Britain from pool C advance to the quarterfinals. Pools B and D will be defined by tomorrow's games.

The games of day 1 of the Women's Softball European Championship define ten teams out of the top 12 teams in Europe.

Pool A

Italy topped Poland in four innings to take the first position in the A pool. Pitchers Ilaria Cacciamani and Bianca Messina allowed no hits to Poland, and the defending champion's attack proved their power scoring eleven runs in two innings.

Greece defeated both Croatia, 0-3, and Belgium, 18-0, to enter in the top12 of the Championship and access to the quarterfinal.

Pool B

Kingdom of the Netherlands handed Germany in five innings, 7-0, leading the second pool and taking the most desirable spot in the quarterfinals.

Cindy Van Der Zanden, Britt Vonk, Brenda Beers, and Dinet Oosting led the Dutch to win the game, while pitchers Marjolein Merkx and Rebecca Soumeru kept the German attack under control, only allowing two hits.

The game between Ireland and Austria had to be pushed to Monday, July 25. The winner will advance to the quarterfinal. Winless Switzerland will play pool G to define their final standings.

Pool C

In a very balanced game, Czech Republic ended up topping France in the last inning to take the lead in the pool. The teams, tied until the sixth inning, gave life to a great game. In the top of the seventh, France scored twice tahnks to Kimane Rogron. Down by 2, Gabriela Slabà doubled to the outfields with bases loaded to give the win to Czechia. 

Great Britain dominated the games against Türkiye, 15-0, and Ukraine, 17-0, to advance to the semifinal.

Pool D

With a full stadium, Team Israel defeated the Spanish National Team in the opening game of the 2022 Women's Softball European Championship. 

Israel took the lead in the second, scoring once in the second inning, and secured the game in the fourth inning with five runs. Spain built a run in the fifth to stay in the game. Israel scored only once in the sixth without finding the mercy rule. 

Slovakia might advance to the quarterfinal, having won the games against Denmark, 1-3, and Finlandia, 22-1. Tomorrow, they will face Malta to define the team advancing to the quarter-final.

Follow the play-by-play, results, and standings on the WBSC Europe website.
All games were streamed on the WBSC Europe YouTube Channel.
All photos are uploaded on the WBSC Europe Flickr Profile.

Cover photo by Grega Valancic