2024 National Champions in Europe

It’s that time of the year again. Time for an anthology of national champions in European baseball. A continuation of what has become a tradition.

Unfortunately, the information of some countries is very limited as the data was hard to find.

Austria:
The Diving Ducks Wiener Neustadt repeated. But just like last year they had to go deep. On the brink of elimination, trailing 2-1 in games in a best-of-five series, the club bounced back against the Vienna Metro Stars and clinched its third overall Austrian title. In game four, the Metro Stars had an 11-4 lead but could not hold it as they fell to the Ducks 13-11. Also in game five, the Metro Stars had a big lead (7-0) but also this time, the team from the Austrian capital wasn’t able to clinch the win.

Belarus: 
No surprises here. Another year, another championship for Minsk Baseball. 
In a best-of-five series, Minsk beat the Brest Zburs 3-1. 
The results of the games were: 
W 8-4 L 7-6 W 9-2 W 6-1

Belgium:
Hoboken Pioneers reclaimed the Belgian title from last year’s champion Deurne Spartans. This year it was the other way around. Where Hoboken did not stand much of a chance last year, Deurne could clinch only one victory in this best-of-five series, although game four was a close affair: a 5-4 victory in ten innings for Hoboken. This championship is the tenth overall for the Pioneers.

Bulgaria:
Once again, the championship series in Bulgaria was a matchup between the Sofia Blues and the Blagoevgrad Buffaloes. Once again the Blues bested the Buffaloes, this time 3-1 (results: 13-3, 6-5, 14-15, 19-3). 

Croatia:
For the fourth year in a row, Olimpija Karlovac clinched the Croatian title. In a best-of -seven series, arch rival Nada Split was swept. 

Czech Republic:
A repeat in the Czech Republic as Draci Brno won its twenty-fifth championship by beating cross town rival Hrosi Brno. It was a strange best-of-five series. After Draci had taken a 3-0 lead in games, the series were postponed for nine days due to inclement weather. Hrosi (Hippos) fought its way back into the series. But game five had a bitter end for Hrosi as their pitcher threw a wild pitch in the ninth that allowed Draci to score the championship clincher. 

Denmark:
Also a repeat in Denmark. The Odense Wolves won its second overall championship after winning it all in 2023 as well. In a one-game championship, the Danish club beat the 2022 champions Malmö Pilots. For your information, Malmö is the second largest city of Sweden.

Finland:
Just like last year, the Tampere Tigers and the Espoo Expos faced each other in a best-of-five series. Just like last year, the Tampere Tigers would prevail, beating the Expos 3-1 in games (8-3; 7-3; 4-6; 9-2).

France:
After an off-year, the Rouen Huskies clinched its eighteenth overall championship by sweeping the Savigny-sur-Orge Lions in a best-of-five series. In the first two games, the Lions didn’t stand a chance as they lost 6-0 and 8-2. Game three was more of a match but still the Lions stayed at the wrong side of the score: 1-3.

Germany:
The Bonn Capitals won its third overall championship by beating the Untouchables Paderborn 3-2 in a best-of-five series. Every time Bonn won a game, Paderborn countered with a win in the following game, thus making a fifth game necessary. In game five, both team collected six hits but Bonn scored two runs for the championship. It must have been a bitter pill to swallow for the Untouchables, as they were in the German championship series for the third year in a row and were left empty handed.

Great-Britain:
Another country with a …peat. The London Mets clinched their eighth consecutive title by sweeping the Essex Arrows in a best-of-fhree series. Overall, this championship is the Mets’ eleventh.

Hungary:
The 2024 season brought a new Hungarian championship. The Erd Aeros finished on top of the standings with a 7-3 record, leading multiple Hungarian champion Budapest Red Wolves by one game.

Ireland:
This year’s Irish championship series was a copy of last year. In a best-of-three series, the Greystones Mariners took on the Dublin Spartans. In game one, the Spartans didn’t stand much of a chance as the the Mariners beat them 12-2. Game two was much closer but still the Spartans stayed at the wrong side of the score as they lost 6-5. This year’s championship was the fourth overall for the Mariners.

Italy:
For the first time since 2010 Parmaclima baseball won the Italian championship.
In a best-of-seven series, Parma beat T&A San Marino 4-1. The championship clincher was a resounding 6-0 victory. This championship was Parma’s eleventh Italian championship.

Lithuania:
For the first time since 2016, Kaunas Lituanica won the Lithuanian championship.
The club swept Baseball Club Vilnius 3-0.

the Netherlands:
After five fruitless seasons, Curaçao Neptunus finally managed to clinch its twentieth Dutch title. In a best-of-seven series, the team from Rotterdam swept HCAW from Bussum. Only the first two games were close (3-5 and 2-3 victories for Neptunus), in the final two games, HCAW hardly was a match.

Norway:
This year’s Norwegian championship game was a copy of last year’s. The Kristiansand Suns faced Vålerenga Baseball. Once again, Kristiansand stayed at the right side of the score but unlike last year’s game (10-3, this one was much closer as the final score was 4-2.

Poland:
Another Polish championship for Stal Kutno. In a best-of-five series, Kutno got off on the wrong foot as they were beaten up 15-3 by Centauri Warszawa (Warsaw). But in the following games the reigning Polish champion recovered and won three in a row for its twenty-first championship.

Portugal:
Another year, another new champion in Portugal. This year the Rivers Estarreja BBC won the championship.

Russia:
A new champion in Russia. For the first time in three years, a different team than Russtar won the championship. In a best-of-five series, Northern Stars swept MKSSHOR “Vostok” in a Moscow showdown.

Serbia:
For the third time in four years, Vojvodina from Novi Sad won the Serbian championship.
It beat Beograd 96 12-6 in the championship game.

Slovakia:
Another year, another championship for Apollo Bratislava. In a best-of-five championship series Apollo swept Angels Trnava (1-6; 4-8; 8-10).

Spain:
A new Spanish champion in 2024. For the first time since 2021, another team than Tenerife Marlins won the Spanish championship. In a best-of-three series, the Astros Valencia swept the aforementioned team (3-2 and 14-10). It was the fourth overall championship for the Astros.

Sweden:
Just like last year, the Rättvik Butchers faced the Stockholm Monarchs in the Swedish championship series. Just like last year, the Monarchs were swept in a best-of-five series (19-2; 13-8; 9-5). This is the fifth championship of the Butchers.

Switzerland:
After not winning the championship in 2023, the Therwill Flyers are back on top of Swiss baseball. The Flyers swept their opponent, the Zürich Barracudas, in a best-of-five series (6-4; 12-5; 18-10) for their sixteenth NLA championship.