A Walk Along The European Foul Lines

We have to wait five more days before the Dutch hoofdklasse will start. Therefore we will have another walk along the baseball diamonds in Europe, where the season has started already.

Austria

On Friday, the Diving Ducks Wiener Neustadt clinched a surprising win vs the reigning champions Vienna Metrostars as they beat the team from the Austrian capital 9-8 in extra innings. On Saturday it was another close affair but this time the Metrostars stayed at the right side of the score: 6-5. Dutchie Rick van Dijck entered the game in the fifth inning with a 3-2 lead but eventually gave up three runs (two unearned) to be tabbed with the loss. In the third game, the Diving Ducks stayed at the right side of the score: 3-2. Normally they play two games per weekend in Austria, but in this case future obligations of the Metrostars in European baseball may be the reason that a third game was played on Saturday.

The Vienna Wanderers did not have any problems with the Schwechat Blue Bats on Friday as they routed the opponent 12-2 in seven innings. On Sunday it was a similar story. Seven innings and an 11-1 win.

The Attnang-Puchheim Athletics had an easy Saturday when they beat the Feldkirch Cardinals 18-5 and 13-1 (7 innings).

The Dornbirn Indians headed to Hard on Sunday, to face the local Bulls. The Indians made their visit worthwhile as they won game one 8-3. Game two was even an easier victory as the Indians beat the Bulls 10-0 in eight innings.

Standings Austrian Baseball Bundesliga

Czech Republic

To start with the series between Olympia Blansko and Arrows Ostrava. This three-game series was cancelled due to COVID19.

The series between Draci Brno and Sokol Hlubokà came down to the rubber game. Draci (Dragons) won the first game 2-1 but Hlubokà bounced back in game two, beating Brno 3-2.
In another close affair, the third game, on Sunday, was won by Hluboka 6-5.

Blesk Jablonek proved to be no match for Eagles Praha as they were swept by the team from the Czech capital: 8-1, 7-0
and 14-12.

Hrosi Brno clinched the series vs Tempo Praha on Saturday as both games were won: 3-1 and 5-3. Nevertheless, Tempo Praha won game three on Sunday in a convincing way: 9-2.

Trebic Nuclears also clinched the series win on Saturday. In game one they were too strong for Kotlarka Praha as they beat them 6-1. In game two, they also stayed at the right side of the score: 7-4. But on Sunday, Kotkarka Praha got some revenge as they won 7-4.

Standings Czech Extraliga

Germany

During the only game on Friday, the Munich-Haar Disciples were no match for the Guggenberger Legionäre from Regensburg as they fell 10-0 in seven innings. On Saturday, things would have a different outcome. After the Disciples had taken a 2-0, Regensburg cut the leas in half. But the Disciples would score a run in the fifth and sixth inning to take a 4-1 lead. But in the seventh, Regensburg would rally for three runs to tie the game at four. Eventually, the Disciples scored one more run in the eighth and managed to keep that lead until the final out.

In the matchup between the two cellar dwellars of the Southern Division, the It-Sure Falcons from Ulm were swept by the Tübingen Hawks. 16-15 and 12-9. As a result, the Falcons are winless and may be the main candidate for relegation baseball.

Two very close games in Heidenheim. So far, the Heideköpfe did not have to go deep against any of their opponents, but this time, the Mannheim Tornados proved to be an opponent the Heideköpfe almost choked on. After nine innings in the first game, the game was tied at five. In the top of the eleventh inning, the Tornados scored three runs and appeared to become the winner. But Heidenheim rallied for one run more and walked off as the victor: 9-8. In game two Heidenheim also needed extra innings to clinch the win. In the tenth, they scored the winning run on a solo home run by Shawn Larry.

So far this season, things aren’t going very smoothly for the Mainz Athletics yet. The Stuttgart Reds on the other hand were unbeaten until this weekend. In game one the Athletics pulled off a stunt as they won 3-1. In game two, the Reds salvaged the series as they beat the Athletics 10-8.

Standings 1. Bundesliga South:

Spain

After three rounds, the usual suspects dominate the Spanish Baseball League again. The Astros Valencia and the Tenerife Marlins are the unbeaten teams with six wins each. Viladecans from Barcelona unexpectedly follows these two teams as they have won all their games so far as well. In a Catalonian battle vs CBS Barcelona, game one was won 4-1. Game two could hardly be called a game as Viladecans already had a 15-7 lead in the fifth inning. Eventually Viladecans won in seven innings 17-7.

Tenerife Marlins swept Beisbol Navarro 12-2 and 18-6. Astros Valencia beat up Miralbueno Beisbol 14-1 and 15-0.

CBS Toros had no problems with CBS Antorcha as they beat them 11-1 in game one. In game two it looked like it would be a walk over for Antorcha as they had a 14-7 lead but eventually, CBS Toros came back to 14-10 and made the game a bit exciting in the end.

CBS Rivas Beisbol fell to San Inazio in game one 3-15 but bounced back in the second game on Sunday as they beat San Inazio 10-6.

CBS Sant Boi, once one of the powerhouses of Spanish baseball, lost game one on Sunday vs CBS Gavà 14-4 in another battle of Catalonia. But CBS Barcelona clinched its first win in the second game as it beat CBS Gavà 14-5.

Standing Spanish Baseball League