In the final of the 2018 European Champions Cup, Curaçao Neptunus was vastly dominant over A.S.D. Rimini Pirates, outscoring the Italian champion 5-0 and outhitting them 10-4.
For former Neptunus member Kevin Kelly, the outcome could not have been more bitter. Apparently, without a starting pitcher, Rimini manager Paolo Ceccaroli threw him in to be the starter. Kelly, normally a reliever, had to surrender four runs against his former team in 3.1 innings. A home run, a single, a wild pitch and a throwing error by the catcher that followed, a walk and a triple led to three runs scored in the second inning. In fact, the race was already run at that stage of the game as Orlando Yntema was practically unhittable throughout the game as he only gave up four hits and struck out eleven in a complete game shutout.
The fourth run came in the fourth inning on a solo shot by Quentin de Cuba that cleared the fence at right-center field. A throwing error in the seventh initiated the fifth run as Stijn van der Meer could reach base and move on to second. A 5-3 groundout allowed Van der Meer to advance to third base from where he scored Gianison Boekhoudt’s single through the left side.
What could Rimini do? Practically nothing. Only in the first three innings, the club managed to get runners on base but Orlando Yntema retired the side in each of the remaining six innings.
With Italian baseball already in dire straits, Neptunus may be the European champion for a few years to come, especially the way it is dominating the Dutch hoofdklasse.
For Neptunus, this was the second ECC win in a row after last year’s one in Regensburg Germany and its tenth victory overall.
Dutch Baseball Hangout 
We struggle with this in US college ball.
The issue here is that bats by approved manufacturers later become “juiced” or hopped up. Sometimes, age (usually dents) does it. Some people have the bats altered — “rolled” or shaved — to increase bounce or lighten the bats.
in US colleges, the bats are tested before league games or big tournaments. And some players find their favorite bats turned away. Every bat allowed in these games must have a label that it passed the immediate inspection.
Does this have anything to do with the European championship? Or was it just that a bat did not have a CEB blessing? If it is the latter, it seems another demonstration of CEB utter ignorance of the game. My limited observation is that these federations and the CEB are “led” by people (sometimes bureaucrats, sometimes volunteers) who just do not understand our sport. A pox upon them all.
Sorry if that seems judgmental or arrogant.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with you. Baseball isn’t serves with this. BTW , in women’s hockey in the Netherlands there is a club that has won the Ditch championship 19 times in the past twenty years.
In France btw the Rouen Huskies aren’t as dominant this year. So far they are in third place. The Montpelliers Barracudas are in first place.
LikeLike
This is not something to celebrate.
It is the reason European baseball is deteriorating: No parity.
The same teams in every nation, and in continental competition dominate. It has been that way for at least a decade — and often for 30 years.
Netherlands in European play. Rouen in France. Rotterdam in Holland. Rimini or TA in Italy. Draci in the Czech. The Squirrels in Belgium. The same team wins every year. No one else has a legitimate chance. The same dominant clubs also dominate in U18, U15, U12. Only Germany has genuine parity, with 3-4 teams having a chance to be champion..
Now, that may seem great to Rotterdam or Draci. But it is a death knell for the game in Europe.
People compete to win. To keep member interest, clubs must have a chance to win. If the league champion is known before the first pitch, kids will go looking for a soccer ball.
Why are there so many more field hockey clubs in Europe? Because everyone has a chance to win. If, in each league, only one team ever wins, there would be far fewer field hockey clubs.
European baseball lacks parity. It is stagnant. Consequently, participation is down. Clubs have fewer funds with which to build, fewer players to form teams. Before you know it, the game fades away.
LikeLike
Thanks for the compliment.
LikeLike
Knowing him and his spirit of the game, I am pretty confident the Rimini manager would have not done that – but maybe 90% of managers would. And Rotterdam was a stronger team, so it’s just for the sake of discussion. Nice website.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a rule. A lame one though. But when it comes to sportmanship, I am pretty sure the Italian manager would have done the same.
LikeLike
Among Italian baseball fans the ejection of Rimini’s Romero because of a non-approved bat sparkled a big debate. That bat is approved by MLB and Italian baseball, but not by CEB. It was accepted that the Rimini team has been naive not to check the list more carefully, but many think that the Dutch manager has shown little sportmanship by getting the best opponent player ejected in the first inning for a commercial rule… What’s the opinion from “the Dutch point of view”? P.S. Rotterdam deserved the win and would probably have won anyway – a further reason to be more elegant?
LikeLike
4 hits not 4 runs 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person