1949 Parma is 3-0 at the European Champions Cup. (Photo by Bob Prins/WBSC)
By Matthew Tallarini
World Baseball Network
The World Baseball Softball Confederation’s 2023 European Champions Cup had its third day of competition on Thursday at Rob Hoffman Vallei in Bussum, The Netherlands and Loek Loevendie Ballpark in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with club teams trying to climb up the rankings to the Super Round.
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Group A: Loek Loevendie Ballpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
1949 Parma Baseball Club (ITA) 6, Draci Brno (CZE) 2
Italy’s 1949 Parma Baseball Club remains undefeated at 3-0 during the 2023 European Champions Cup after beating Draci Brno (1-2) by the score of 6-2 on Thursday.
Parma starter Diego Fabiani threw six innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs, walking two batters, and striking out seven en route to the win.
In the bottom of the first inning, Parma’s Luis Gonzalez drilled a single to left field, scoring Noel Gonzalez for the first run of the game. The next batter, catcher Alberto Mineo, ripped a single up the middle as Gonzalez came to score to make it 2-0.
In the bottom of the third, Parma’s Noel Gonzalez reached base when Draci Brno right fielder Martin Kalabek dropped his routine fly ball, allowing Stefano Desimoni to come around to score and extend the lead to 3-0. A few batters later, Luis Gonzalez lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Noel Gonzalez making it 4-0.
Draci Brno finally got on the board in the top of the fifth inning when Arnost Dubovy laced a double down the left field line, scoring Filip Mostek to cut the lead to 4-1. The next batter, third baseman Andres Angulo, lined a single to center field and Dubovy came in to score to cut the lead to 4-2.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Parma added more insurance when Luis Gonzalez drove a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Desimoni to make it 5-2.
Parma’s Mattia Aldeghericame out of the bullpen to throw 2.2 innings, allowing one hit, no earned runs, walking three and striking out five.
Draci Brno starter Jan Vasourek went six innings, allowing seven hits, four earned runs, walking one batter, and striking out one.
Parma’s bullpen combined to allow one hit, no earned runs, walking three batters and striking out for their third win of the 2023 European Champions Cup.
Parma is looking for a third consecutive championship at the 2023 European Champions Cup. They’ve won the European Champions Cup 15 times in the history of the club, the most European Champions Cups of any club since the tournament began in 1963.
Parma (3-0) won the first seed out of Group A and will play in the semifinals of the 2023 Champions Cup against the Bonn Capitals (2-1) as the second seed of Group B at 1:30 p.m. EDT at Loek Loevendie Ballpark.
Group A: Loek Loevendle Ballpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Amsterdam Pirates (NED) 15, Untouchables Paderborn (GER) 0
The Amsterdam Pirates (1-2) won their first game and are the second seed of Group A of the 2023 European Champions Cup after beating the Untouchables Paderborn (1-2) 15-0 in seven innings and qualify for the semifinals on Friday. They’ll be playing against Group B first seed HCAW at 1 p.m. EDT at Rob Hoffmann Vallei in Bussum, The Netherlands.
Pirates starting pitcher Naut Kragt threw six innings allowing three hits, no walks, and struck out nine in his performance.
Untouchables Paderborn starter Mark Harrison only lasted a single out in the first inning, allowing two hits, three earned runs, walking two batters, and striking out one. The Untouchables bullpen allowed 12 earned runs, 15 hits, walked 10 and struck out seven over the remaining 6.2 innings.
The Pirates got on the board in the top of the first inning, putting up 5 runs to begin the game.
Pirates first baseman Jorrit Penseel went 3-for-4 in Thursday’s game with one run scored and one RBI. Pirates center fielder Roelle Henrique also went 3-for-4 with three hits, three runs, one RBI, and a walk.
The Untouchables Paderborn will play in the Relegation Placing Round against SKSB Arrows Ostrava at Rob Hofmann Vallei in Bussum, The Netherlands at 9 a.m. EDT.
Group B: Rob Hoffmann Vallei, Bussum, The Netherlands
Bonn Capitals (GER) 5, HCAW (NED) 2
The Bonn Capitals (2-1) earned the second seed out of Group B via the Team Quality Balance tie breaker in the 2023 European Champions Cup after beating HCAW (2-1) by the score of 5-2.
The Bonn Capitals pitchers were solid against the HCAW offense, with starting pitcher Toru Murata collecting the win after throwing five innings and allowing seven hits, one earned run, walking one, and striking out three.
Capitals relief pitcher Wilson Lee pitched four innings allowing one hit, one earned run, walking one batter, and struck out three in his performance.
In the bottom of the first inning, HCAW got on the board first as Jair Van Borkulo singled to center field, scoring Delano Selassa for the first run of the game.
The Capitals got on the scoreboard during the top of the second inning when Luis Martin hit a two-run RBI single to center field, scoring Anthony Rodriguez and Danny Lankhorst to take the lead 2-1.
During the top of the third inning, the Capitals added another run to the board when Vincent Ahrens lofted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Terrell Joyce to extend the lead to 3-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, Capitals catcher Vincent Ahrens laced a two-run single up the middle as Phildrick Llewellyn and Joyce came in to score to make it 5-1.
HCAW starting pitcher Gio De Graauw collected the loss in Thursday’s game, pitching 6.1 innings and allowing seven hits, five earned runs, one walk, and striking out five.
HCAW (2-1) will be the first seed in Group B and will play in the European Champions Cup semifinals against the second seed Group A Amsterdam Pirates (1-2) at 1 p.m. EDT at Rob Hoffmann Vallei, Bussum, The Netherlands.