The Hoboken Pioneers won the 2024 Baseball European Federation Cup in Zurich, Switzerland, beating the Rattvik BSK 5-0 in the championship game on Saturday.
The Hoboken Pioneers finished undefeated at the 2024 BEFC in Group Switzerland with a record of 5-0.
The Pioneers pitching staff, between starting pitcher Ben Van Nuffel and relief pitcher Kevin Desmedt, threw nine innings and allowed four hits, two walks, and struck out eight batters in the championship game on Saturday.
Van Nuffel earned the win and threw five innings, allowing two hits, one walk, and six strikeouts.
The Rattvik BSK pitching staff with starting pitcher Benjamin Johnson, relief pitchers Sam Borjes, and Povl Erik Marqvardsen threw eight innings, allowing nine hits, five earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts.
The Hoboken Pioneers offense jumped on the scoreboard right out of the gate in the bottom of the first inning with third baseman Dennis De Quint smacking an RBI single down the left field line, scoring catcher Benjamin Goffaux for the first run of the game.
A few moments later, Hoboken Pioneers first baseman Rob Lewis drove an RBI single through the left side of the infield, scoring left fielder Xander Verspreet to extend the lead to 2-0.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Pioneers extended the lead to three runs with Goffaux reaching on a fielding error from Rattvik BSK third baseman Olle Jerfsten resulting in designated hitter Vegas Tiliakos coming into score to make it 3-0.
The Pioneers offense did not get on the board until the bottom of the seventh inning with De Quint rocking an RBI single to left field, scoring center fielder Luis Unda to extend the lead to 4-0.
During the bottom of the eighth inning, the Pioneers capitalized their fifth run of the game with Goffaux drilling an RBI single into center field, scoring right fielder Lucas Rizzi to punctuate a 5-0 lead.
In the top of the ninth inning, Desmedt attempted to close out the game and get a 12-out save, getting Rattvik BSK catcher Dustin Wilson to pop out to second baseman Wesley Janssens for the final out of the game to win the 2024 BEFC in Group Switzerland.
The Hoboken Pioneers play in the Belgium Division I operated by the Koninklijke Belgische Base en Softball Federatie. The Rättvik BSK are from Elitserien and operated by the Swedish Baseball and Softball Federation.
The Zurich Barracudas from the Switzerland Baseball and Softball Federation, the London Mets from the Britain Baseball Federation National League, and the Mariners from the Irish Baseball League operated from Baseball Ireland all participed in the 2024 Baseball European Federation Cup.
The 2024 Baseball European Federation Cup was held from June 3-8 at the Zürich Heerenschürli Baseball Stadium in Zurich, Switzerland.
The Hoboken Pioneers will play the Borgerhout Squirrels on June 16 at 6:30 a.m. EST when they return to action for their regular season. Rattvik BSK will play Alby when they return to Sweden on June 15 at 7 a.m. EST.
2024 BEFC Group Switzerland Results
June 3, 2024
Rattvik BSK (SWE) 10, Mariners (IRL) 0 F/7
June 4, 2024
(0-1) London Mets (GBR) 3, (1-0) Hoboken Pioneers (BEL) 8
(1-1) Mariners (IRL) 6, (0-2) London Mets (GBR) 1
(2-0) Rattvik BSK (SWE) 9, (0-1) Zurich Barracudas (SUI) 3
June 5, 2024
(1-2) London Mets (GBR) 2, (3-0) Rattvik BSK (SWE) 3
(0-2) Zurich Barracudas (SUI) 2, (2-0) Hoboken Pioneers (BEL) 9
June 6, 2024
(3-0) Hoboken Pioneers (BEL) 16, (3-1) Rattvik BSK (SWE) 3 F/7
(1-2) Mariners (IRL) 6, (1-2) Zurich Barracudas (SUI) 7
June 7, 2024
(4-0) Hoboken Pioneers (BEL) 13, (1-3) Mariners (IRL) 2 F/8
(1-3) Zurich Barracudas (SUI) 7, (1-3) London Mets (GBR) 8
