European Cup 2015: Results from Rotterdam and Paris

This morning the European Cup started in Rotterdam and in Paris.

Draci Brno @ Templiers de Sénart 0 – 2

In a game that came close to a pitchers duel, the only two runs of the game came in the bottom of the second inning. With Rolando Merino at second base, Felix Brown singled down the left field line to drive in Rolando Merino. After Julien Brelle-Andrade reached first base on a fielding error, Christopher Morel singled to center field. As he tried to stretch the single into a double he was caught in a run down on which Brelle-Andrade could score the second run for Sénart. Les Templiers had runners on third twice but could not take advantage. Leonel Cespedes lasted eight innings for the win. He allowed three hits, walked five and struck out eight. Pierrick Lemestre earned the save after pitching a perfect ninth in which he fanned two.
Petr Minarik was pulled after the fourth innig in which he threw only 63 pitches. Minarik took the loss. He allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and he struck out three. Felix Brown was the best hitter for Sénart, going 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI.

Heidenheim Heideköpfe @ ASD Rimini Pirates 3 – 8

Rather unexpected, the Heideköpfe (Moorheads), took a 1-0 lead over Rimini in the first inning. Consecutive singles to right field, hit by Aaron Dunsmore and James McOwen , followed by a walk by Simon Gühring loaded the bases for Heidenheim. When Luke Sommer drove the ball to center field for a sac fly, Dunsmore scored the opening run.
The Heideköpfe would hold the lead until the bottom of the second inning. Riccardo Bertagnon led off the second innng with a hit towards first baseman Johannes Krumm, who committed a fielding error. Paul Macaluso doubled to center field to drive in Bertagnon for the game tying run. Macaluso was driven in on his turn on a single hit by Edgar Mundarain. A groud out by Lorenzo Di Fabio made both runners advance a base. Another ground out, this time by Stefano De Simoni, allowed Edgar Mundarain to score the third run for Rimini. A four run fifth inning and a one run sixth led to the final score.
Jose Escalona earned the win after six innings of work in which he allowed three runs on six hits. He walked three and fanned seven. Luke Sommer took the loss. In five innings, he allowed seven (five earned) runs on eight hits. Sommer walked one and struck out seven. Luke Sommer went 1 for 1 at bat, with an RBI, a run scored and a walk. Best hitter for Rimini was Paul Macaluso. He went 2 for 4 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored.

KNTU Elizavetgrad @ Curacao Neptunus 0 – 12

In a one sided game (but who had thought it would have a different outcome?), Neptunus needed only three innings to reach the final score.
Four runs in the first and three runs in the second gave the team from Rotterdam a 7-0 lead. In the fourth, they stepped up one more time to reach the final score.
Stijn van der Meer led off the inning and reached on a fielding error, followed by a single hit by Dwayne Kemp. Gianison Boekhoudt loaded the bases after Raily Legito fouled out. Rien Vernooij drove in Van der Meer and Kemp with his single through the left side of the infield. Then Christian Diaz hit a bases clearing triple down the right field line. Diaz scored the final run of the game on Urving Kemp’s single through the left side of the infield.
Diegomar Markwell earned the win after five innings of work. He allowed two hits and struck out six.
Serhiy Shtapura lasted one full inning and faced three hitters in the second inning without recording an out. He gave up seven runs on six hits and gave up one walk.
For Neptunus this was like batting practice. Dwayne Kemp went 4 for 4 with a homerun, two RBI and three runs scored.

Standings after day one:

	Curaçao Neptunus (NED)	1	1	0	1000	0
2	A.S.D. Rimini (ITA)	1	1	0	1000	0
3	Templiers Senart (FRA)	1	1	0	1000	0
4	Draci Brno (CZE)	1	0	1	0	1
5	Heidenheim Heideköpfe (GER)	1	0	1	0	1
6	KNTU Elizavetgrad (UKR)	1	0	1	0	1

UnipolSai Bologna @ T&A San Marino 2 – 5

Right in game one of the group in Paris, it was a top match.
Reigning Italian champion Fortitudo Bologna took on T&A San Marino.
Bologna took a 2-0 lead after they scored a run in the second inning and one in the third. But San Marino would bounce back in the fourth. Wuillians Vasquez led off with a double to right center field and advanced to third base on a throwing error by Bologna’s right fielder. Jaro Ramos then singled to drive in Vasquez for San Marino’s first run. After a walk drawn by Joseph Mazzuca and a single hit by Mario Chiarini, the bases were loaded. After Joe Persichina flew out to center field, Francesco Imperiali singled to left field and drove in Mazzuca and Ramos. Marquis Flemming loaded the bases again after he issued a walk to Simone Albanese. Then Flemming was replaced by Raul Rivero who made Jack Santora hit into a force out at second base that allowed Chiarini to score San Marino’s fourth run. Another run in the fifth inning led to the final score of 5-2.
Rodney Rodriguez earned the win. In five ininngs he allowed two runs on four hits. He gave up four walks and fanned four. Marquis Flemming took the loss. He was pulled after 3.1 innings, in which he allowed four earned runs on six hits. He walked two and didn’t manage to strike someone out.
Jaro Ramos was the best hitter for San Marino as he went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Guillermo Rodriguez went 1 for 2 for Bologna.

L&D Amsterdam Pirates @ Solingen Alligators 11 – 1

A clear victory of the Dutch runner up of last year’s championship. Despite the 10 run difference, they needed the full nine innings to reach those numbers. After Pirates had scored three runs in the first, one in the third and one in the fifth inning, Solingen finally put itself on the board in the bottom of the fifth. After Markus Stryczek got on base thanks to an error by third baseman Rachid Gerard, he advanced on a wild pitch thrown by Kevin Heijstek. Stryczek eventually scored from third on a single by David Selsemeyer.
L&D Amsterdam Pirates had a big inning in the eighth. With the bases loaded and no outs, Roelie Henrique drove in Rachid Gerard and Jesse Aussems on a single to right center field. Michael Duursma hit into a fielder’s choice/force out at second base that allowed Linoy Croes to score the third run of the inning. Nick Urbanus added two runs to the score as he hit a homerun that cleared the right field fence. In the ninth, Pirates scored their eleventh run.
Kevin Heijstek lasted five innings for the win. He allowed one unearned run on four hits, walked one and fanned five. Chris Mezger took the loss after he was pulled after the third inning. Mezger allowed four runs on four hits, walked two and struck out two. Linoy Croes was the best hitter for Pirates with four hits out of five at bats, with an RBI and a run scored. Markus Stryczek went 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored for the Alligators.

PUC @ Brest Zubrs 14 – 1

It took PUC six innings before they started to see Aliaksei Lukashevich’ pitches well. They scored a run in the third inning and one in the fifth inning before they started to hurt the Belarus starting pitcher. Jerome Dussart led off the sixth with a single and advanced on what should have been a sacrifice bunt by Oscar Saavedra. But pitcher Lukashevich didn’t help his case as he made a throwing error towards first base on which PUC put runners in scoring position. Eddie Murray was given an intentional walk to load the bases. When Daniel Camou doubled to left field Saavedra and Dussart scored and Murray advanced to third. Lukashevich’ lack of control led to a wild pitch that allowed Eddie Murray to score and Daniel Camou to advance to third base. When Christophe Goniot reached base on a fielder’s choice/throwing error, he could easily reach second base on the error that allowed Camou to score. When Douglas Rodriguez doubled down the left field line, Christophe Goniot could score the fifth run of the inning for PUC. In the seventh inning the Parisians stepped on it one more time to end the Zubrs suffering in after seven innings. Only Brest managed to score one run in their seventh at bat.
James Murray pitched seven innings for the win. He allowed one unearned run on two hits. Aliaksei Lukashevich was labelled with the loss. He lasted five innings and allowed seven runs (four earned) on six hits. He walked as many as he struck out: five. Gael Losy went 1 for 1 in a pinch hit appearance for PUC.

Standings after day one:

Pos	Team	GP	WO	LO	AVG	GB
1	Amsterdam Pirates (NED)	1	1	0	1000	0
2	PUC (FRA)	1	1	0	1000	0
3	T & A San Marino (SMR)	1	1	0	1000	0
4	Brest Zubrs (BLR)	1	0	1	0	1
5	CNF Unipolsai Bologna (ITA)	1	0	1	0	1
6	Solingen Alligators (GER)	1	0	1	0	1