European Cup in Rotterdam, final game

Maybe rather unexpected but certainly deserved, Draci Brno faced Curacao Neptunus in the final game of the 2015 European Cup in Rotterdam. What a game it was. This game was a true promotion for European baseball.

Draci scored a run in the first and a run in the second to take an unexpected 2-0 lead. Even though Neptunus cut Draci’s lead in half in the bottom of the second inning as Rien Vernooij scored and Christian Diaz was tagged out at homeplate as he tried to tie the game, they trailed the Czechs for 4.5 innings.

Petr Minarik, Nathan O’Brian and Michal Sobotka kept Neptunus in check very well. But Diegomar Markwell also did a fine job. After giving up Draci’s two runs in the first two innings he kept them in check rather well.

When Draci let Radim Chroust take the mound in the bottom of the seventh, the game turned around. After Benjamin Dille singled down the left field line, he advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Then Dille was replaced by Urving Kemp for the extra speed. When Stijn van der Meer singled to right center field, he could advance to second on a fielding error and Kemp scored the game tying run.

 

Then Urving’s brother Dwayne singled to through the left side of the infield and Van der Meer crossed homeplate for the go-ahead run.

After Neptunus took a 3-2 lead, Draci’s defense collapsed and Neptunus scored three more runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth to reach the final score of 8-2

Stijn van der Meer won the game’s MVP trophy.

Neptunus will face UnipolSai Bologna that won the final game in the other group.