2014 European Championship

The 2014 European Championship was held from September 12 to September 21, 2014 in the Czech Republic and Germany. The top ten teams from the 2012 European Championship automatically qualified -  Netherlands,  Italy,  Germany,  France,  Sweden,  Greece,  Czech Republic,  Belgium,  Spain and  Croatia. In the 2013 B-Level European Championship,  Russia and  United Kingdom won the last two spots, meaning no change in the field for the first time since 1979-1981. It also marks the first European Championship to be hosted by multiple countries.

The first series of round-robin events took place in two pools, one in Regensburg (Germany, Italy, Sweden, Great Britain, France, Belgium) and one in Ostrava (Czech Republic, Netherlands, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Russia). The top three from each pool went to Brno for the next round, the 4th team from each pool went to Blansko for the 7th/8th place game and the bottom four teams went to Trebic to determine which two would be relegated to the 2015 B-Level European Championship.

The Netherlands won its first title in 7 years and 21st overall, beating defending champion Italy in the finale. Curt Smith, formerly Baseball World Cup MVP, became the first player to win both Baseball World Cup MVP and European Championship MVP, with six homers in these Euros (two in the Gold Medal game).

See 2014 European Championship (Rosters) for roster information.

Games

September 12

•  Spain 15,  Greece 3. Spain bangs out 17 hits (7 doubles, 2 homers) in an opening romp. Antonio Noguera and Borja Jones combine for 14 strikeouts while Greek starter Theon Bourdaniotis gives up 8 hits and 7 runs in 3 2/3 IP. SS Oscar Angulo scores four, 1B Jesus Ustariz drives in 3 in his debut for Spain and 3B Jesús Golindano drives in four.
•  United Kingdom vs.  Sweden postponed to tomorrow due to rain.
•  Netherlands 19,  Croatia 2. The Netherlands scores 8 in chasing Dejan Marin in the first and 8 more in the second on the way to a five-inning mercy rule romp. Kevin Heijstek, Arshwin Asjes and Kevin Kellij do the pitching for the Netherlands. DH Gianison Boekhoudt homers twice and drives in five, 2B Hainley Statia hits a grand slam, 1B Curt Smith scores three, C Shawn Zarraga drives in three and SS Sharlon Schoop drives in four.
•  Italy 12,  Belgium 7. The defending champs face a surprising challenge in their opener, holding just a one-run lead entering the 9th. 2B Alessandro Vaglio (3 for 6, 3 RBI) and LF Gabriele Ermini (3 for 6, R, 2 RBI) lead the Italian offense while Belgium's 3-4-5 hitters all do well: 2B Benjamin Dille (3 R), RF Thomas De Wolf (3 RBI) and SS Dennis De Quint (4 for 5, 2 RBI) as the two teams combine for 29 wins. Yovani D'Amico gets the win, Jordy van den Heuvel the loss.
•  Czech Republic 5,  Russia 0. Martin Schneider and Andrey Lobanov each toss shutout ball for five innings but Lobanov gives up four runs in the 6th while Schneider (2 H, 0 BB, 13 K in 8 IP) never fades. Jan Tomek fans the side in the 9th. 6' 6" 1B Jakub Sládek goes 3 for 4 with homer, two runs and two RBI to lead the Czech hitters.
•  France 3,  Germany 2. France, after upsetting the Netherlands once and nearly twice in the Yoshida Challenge earlier this month, continues to show their improvement of recent years, stunning 8-time Medalist and 2010 Bronze Medalist Germany (France had won one Medal ever, in 1999). LF Moritz Buttgereit got things going against Owen Ozanich with a third-inning single, an error by 3B Maxime Lefevre and a run-scoring balk. In the 5th, CF Philipp Howard bunted his way aboard and was later singled in by Simon Gühring for a 2-0 edge. Luke Sommer no-hit France for four but collapsed in the 5th. 1B René Leveret hit a towering homer over the scoreboard to prove Sommer human. C Andy Paz walked and DH Omar Williams hit into an error by SS Lukas Jahn to put men on the corners. RF Pierre Turettes hit into a run-scoring force to tie it. 2B Jorge Hereaud grounded Turettes over and Pierre stole third. LF Jacques Boucheron doubled in Turettes with what would be the winning run. Germany had a chance in the 8th, loading the bases against Thomas Langloys and Pierrick Lemestre but Lemestre fanned Philipp Howard to end it.

September 13

•  United Kingdom 7,  Sweden 1. Spencer Kreisberg (who had pitched in Sweden in 2014) beat Jakob Claesson in a game closer than the final score indicates; it was 3-1 before Britain scores 4 in the 9th off Dave Long and Arvid Carlstedt. SS Zack Wiley goes 3 for 4 with 3 runs and 3 RBI. Kreisberg and David Rees combine on a two-hitter.
•  Spain 18,  Croatia 2. Spain wins in another rout while Croatia is again routed, Leslie Nacar beating Franko Vrlic. 3B Jesús Golindano homers twice, scores three and drives in five, RF Franklin Tavarez scores three as well and both SS Oscar Angulo and LF Fernando Martínez connect for three hits.
•  Italy 12,  Sweden 3. Yomel Rivera allows one run in 6 2/3 IP to beat Sweden and Kent Karlsson (9 H, 7 R in 3 IP). 1B Alex Sambucci and 3B Erick Epifano each drive in three while both DH Mario Chiarini and C Alberto Mineo have three hits (two doubles apiece). 2B Simon Emanuelsson hits a two-run homer for Sweden, taking Nicholas Morreale deep.
•  Russia 14,  Greece 1. After going winless in 2012, Russia torches Greece in a 7-inning mercy rule game. Nick Lobanov beats former Harvard player Max Warren. C Nikita Monakhov drives in 3, DH Viacheslav Vasilyev scores three and RF Ivan Kornev has 3 hits and 4 RBI.
•  France 9,  United Kingdom 5. In the first extra-inning game of the tourney, France improved to 2-0. CF Frédéric Hanvi (one of the first French-raised minor leaguers) hit game-tying homers off Jake Esch in the third and Paul Waterman in the eighth. France scores 5 runs off Dan Cooper in the 10th while Britain finally gets to Jonathan Mottay for one after four shutout innings. Hanvi finishes with three runs while LF Jacques Boucheron has three hits.
•  Netherlands 7,  Czech Republic 0. Diegomar Markwell throws a two-hitter and 1B Curt Smith drives in three in a game called after five due to rain. Pirates farmhand Marek Minařík gives up nine hits and six runs in 3 1/3 IP in the loss.
•  Germany 6,  Belgium 2. Belgium again stays in a game until surprisingly late. Kenny Vandenbranden blanks Germany for five before 1B Maik Ehmcke doubles in DH Christopher Howard in the 6th. Meanwhile, Harry Glynne shuts out Belgium until a two-run homer in the 7th by RF Thomas De Wolf following a single by 2B Benjamin Dille. Vandenbranden leaves after 7 and Germany scores five times in the 8th off Ben Van Nuffel, Cedric Desmedt and Yannick Gontier, including a steal of home by 2B Lukas Jahn. Christopher Howard and RF/LF Moritz Buttgereit each get three hits for the hosts.

September 14

•  Belgium 11,  Sweden 0. Thomas De Wolf, the lone player born and raised in Belgium to sign with a MLB club, puts up one heck of a day. He fans 9 in a rain-shortened six-inning no-hitter and also scores twice and drives in two. His counterpart Joakim Claesson gives up 10 runs in 5 innings. 3B Robin Roevens drives in three.
•  Spain 12,  Russia 0. Eric González and Remigio Leal combine on a 7-hitter, whereas Nikol Chermoshentsev gives up four runs in one inning for the loss. CF Daniel Martinez and SS Oscar Angulo each drive in 3 from the top two spots of the order while DH Franklin Tavarez reaches base all four times up and scores three.
•  Germany 9,  United Kingdom 0. Jan-Niclas Stöcklin, André Hughes and Nils Hartkopf combine to strike out 15 in a six-hitter. Gavin Marshall is handed the loss. CF Philipp Howard drives in three from the leadoff slot.
•  Netherlands 11,  Greece 0. The day's first four games all end in shutouts with this one being the biggest. Mike Bolsenbroek tosses a perfect game to top De Wolf's no-hitter earlier. Greece tries 15 different batters but Bolsenbroek sends all 21 hitters down, striking out 10 and needing only 73 pitches. 1B Yurendell de Caster drives in four and falls a triple shy of the cycle while DH Gianison Boekhoudt hits a 3-run homer off Angelos Argyropoulos in the second.
•  Italy 12,  France 2. France shows it's not quite there yet with five errors in a 12-2 loss. Two of Italy's minor leaguers shine as 3B Alex Liddi (formerly a major leaguer) scores three and drives in four while C Alberto Mineo hits a grand slam. Frailyn Florian gets the win and Pat Venditte the save, while Nicolas Dubaut walks five and allows five unearned runs in three innings.
•  Czech Republic 13,  Croatia 2. 1B Jakub Sládek drives in four and both 2B Jakub Hajtmar and CF Matěj Hejma scores three. Marek Červenka, Jan Novák and Radim Chroust team on a three-hitter. Matko Dabo is the losing pitcher.

September 15

•  Belgium 5,  United Kingdom 0. Cedric Desmedt tosses a three-hit gem to top Britain and Alex Webb. CF Steven Delanoy and 1B Jamie Verheyleweghen each score twice.
•  Croatia 10,  Russia 3. Croatia ties Russia at 1-3 as 41-year-old Jimmy Summers goes the distance, 1B Andrija Tomić hits a 3-run homer and DH Ivan Račić goes 3 for 4 with a homer and four RBI. Denis Leonov is charged with 8 runs in 5 innings but only 3 are earned.
•  France 8,  Sweden 3. France goes to 3-1 and Sweden remains winless as a balanced French offense scores 7 runs in 4 innings off Albin Sivard. 2B/3B Maxime Lefevre and 1B Arthur Paturel each score twice, while LF Jacques Boucheron drives in two. Leonel Cespedes fans 9 and allows 3 hits and 2 runs (1 earned) in 7 for the win.
•  Czech Republic 17,  Greece 2. In a six-inning mercy rule romp, the Czechs pound Theon Bourdaniotis and Andy Orfanakos for 18 hits. 2B Jakub Hajtmar and CF Matěj Hejma each score three, Hajtmar, Hejma and 1B Jakub Sládek each have three hits, SS Martin Schneider goes 4 for 4 and Hejma, Sládek and C Petr Čech each drive in three.
•  Italy 5,  Germany 1. In the second, 1B Maik Ehmcke singled in LF Luke Sommer for the only run off Mike Colla. Jose Escalona, Pat Venditte and Tiago Da Silva combine for four shutout innings of relief. Markus Solbach blanks Italy for four innings before 3B Alex Liddi hits a two-run single and C Alberto Mineo adds a sacrifice fly. CF Stefano Desimoni finishes 3 for 4 with two runs.
•  Netherlands 19,  Spain 7. In a matchup of two 3-0 teams, the Netherlands crushes a Spain team that had rolled through the competition to that point. It was not as easy as the final score indicates. 3B Jesús Golindano hit a three-run homer in the first off Orlando Yntema; LF Randolph Oduber countered with a solo shot off Jorge Balboa to open the bottom of the first. In the third, SS Oscar Angulo and 2B Paco Figueroa doubled for Spain for a 4-1 lead then LF Fernando Martínez homered for a 6-1 lead. Tom Stuifbergen relieved the struggling Yntema and allowed a two-out shot to C Blake Ochoa. The Netherlands' 31-game winning streak against Spain looked in danger.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Oduber homered to close it to 7-2. With one away, 1B Curt Smith walked and stole second; DH Gianison Boekhoudt singled him in. Andres Pérez was summoned to replace Balboa but walked CF Kalian Sams, C Shawn Zarraga and RF Yurendell de Caster in order to make it 7-4. He was relieved by José Cruz. In the bottom of the 4th, Oduber got it going again, with a single, then Cruz hit 2B Hainley Statia. With one out, Boekhoudt singled in Oduber and Sams singled as well. Mauro Mazzotti tried a 4th pitcher, Iván Granados, who promptly walked Zarraga to make it 7-6. De Caster then hit a grand slam for a 10-7 lead and the Netherlands never looked back.

Wendell Floranus tossed three shutout innings to wrap it up for a save, allowing only one hit to a previously potent Spanish attack. Meanwhile, the Netherlands scored nine more off Granados and Borja Jones. Oduber finished 5 for 5 with a double, two homers and five runs while Statia, Smith and Boekhoudt each scored 3, Smith driving in 3 and Boekhoudt 4. De Caster drove in 5.

September 16

•  France 5,  Belgium 4. Belgium's chances for making the top six took a severe if not fatal blow while France finished the first round 4-1. In the bottom of the first, 2B Maxime Lefevre singled off Ben Van Nuffel and stole second, then scored on a hit up the middle by SS Felix Brown, who took second on the throw. CF Frédéric Hanvi bunted Brown to third. 1B René Leveret grounded out and LF Jacques Boucheron walked. RF Pierre Turettes singled for a 2-0 French lead. France had chances in the second and third but fell short, then Belgium loaded the bases with one out in the 4th against Owen Ozanich but he retired LF Sebastiaan Vandesompele and C Axel Poesmans.

In the 4th, Jordy van den Heuvel relieved Van Nuffel. He walked 1B Arthur Paturel, then threw a wild pitch. Lefevre laid down a bunt hit and stole second again. Brown hit a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 edge. Ozanich shut out Belgium for five but things turned south for France in the 7th with reliever Jonathan Mottay on the hill. Vandesompele drew a leadoff walk. With one out, 3B Dennis Ribbens singled. CF Steven De Lannoy (3 for 4 the rest of the way) struck out. 1B Jamie Verheyleweghen doubled in Vandesompele. Dan Camou replaced Mottay but 2B Benjamin Dille greeted him with a two-run double to tie it. RF Thomas De Wolf, the cleanup man, drew a walk, but SS Dennis De Quint flew out to end the rally.

Belgium then went ahead in the 8th. Pierrick Lemestre hit DH Robin Roevens to open the inning and Vandesompele bunted into a force at second. Backup C Sam Boermans walked. After Ribbens fanned, De Lannoy singled in Vandesompele then stole second, but Verheyleweghen went down looking. France got Boucheron to third in the bottom of the 8th but C Andy Paz struck out against Kenny Vandenbranden and backup 2B Jorge Hereaud grounded out.

Belgium had a chance for insurance in the 9th as Dille reached on a Hereaud error and took second on a wild pitch by Lemestre. De Wolf singled Dille to third, but De Quint struck out and Roevens hit into a twin killing. In the bottom of the 9th, Belgium tried to lock up the upset. Vandenbranden hit Paturel on a 0-2 pitch then threw a wild pitch before fanning Lefevre. Brown came up big, though, with a two-run homer to left for a four-RBI day, preventing the upset.

•  Greece 10,  Croatia 0. Greece got their first win, while Croatia fell to 1-4 in a 7-inning mercy rule romp. C Christian Christopoulos scores four runs for Greece while Pete Sikaras fans 13 in a 7-hit shutout. Slobodan Gales takes the loss and is not helped by five Croatian errors.
•  Italy 13,  United Kingdom 1. Italy finishes Pool A unbeaten with an expected win over Britain. Carlos Teran, Nicholas Morreale, Yovani D'Amico and Filippo Crepaldi combined on a four-hitter while 2B Alessandro Vaglio drives in 3, RF Mattia Reginato doubles three times, LF Lorenzo Avagnina scores three and 3B Alex Liddi homers three times in three at-bats with four RBI and a walk. Mike Renery takes the loss.
•  Spain 9,  Czech Republic 2. In a battle for second place in the Ostrava pool, the hosts fail to stop the Spanish offense. RF Daniel Martinez drives in 3, SS Oscar Angulo homers twice and drives in four and 3B Jesús Golindano hits his fourth home run of the Euros. Ricardo Hernández gets the win over Daniel Mráz.
•  Netherlands 12,  Russia 1. 2B Nick Urbanus hits a grand slam and 1B Curt Smith homers twice and scores four runs in the expected rout. Arshwin Asjes gets the win, Artem Kulik the loss.
•  Germany 12,  Sweden 8. German parliament member Eberhard Gienger (and father of former German national team members Markus Gienger and Andreas Gienger) parachuted onto the mound to throw out the first pitch. Sweden scored twice in the first off Maurice Wilhelm but Germany torched David Long for 7 runs in the bottom of the third. Germany didn't look back and led 12-4 before Sweden put up four runs in the 9th, with a 3-run shot by DH Philip Gajzler off Nils Hartkopf the highlight. CF Peter Johannessen had 3 hits, 2 runs and 2 RBI in a loss. For Germany, 3B/2B Max Boldt and CF Kevin Kotowski each had three hits.

September 18

•  Italy 6,  Spain 4. Italy went a step further towards a repeat title while Spain's chances of the Gold Medal game got a significant blow. Italy also avenged a loss to Spain in the Italy Baseball Week finale. In the bottom of the second, Italy scored against Antonio Noguera. 3B Alex Liddi hit a single and SS Oscar Angulo made an error on the play. DH Mario Chiarini singled him in for a 1-0 lead. In the third, SS Juan Carlos Infante hit a one-out double off Noguera and CF Stefano Desimoni walked. Infante stole third, then 2B Alessandro Vaglio and 1B Alex Sambucci both singled for a 3-0 Italian lead, before Liddi hit into an inning-ending double play. Italy padded their lead further in the 5th. Infante drew a leadoff walk, then Desimoni hit into a force at second. Desimoni stole second and Vaglio drew a four-pitch walk. Andres Pérez relieved Noguera and hit Sambucci to load the bases. Liddi hit a sacrifice fly to score Desimoni with his second run. Italy led 4-0.

Carlos Richetti, meanwhile, had fanned seven and allowed only one walk and no hits through five innings against Spain's strong offense. He flagged in the 6th, though. DH Franklin Tavarez singled. With one out, he stole second and took third on a throwing error by C Alberto Mineo. CF Daniel Martinez grounded in Tavarez. SS Oscar Angulo singled to knock out Richetti. Yovani D'Amico came in but gave up a homer to 2B Paco Figueroa on his second pitch and it was suddenly a one-run game. José Escalona replaced D'Amico and ended the inning.

Pat Venditte relieved D'Amico to open the 7th. With two outs, C Blake Ochoa doubled and Tavarez single him in to tie the game at four. Italy had a good shot at retaking the lead in the bottom of the 7th. With one out, Infante drew a walk from Pérez. Desimoni doubled and Vaglio was intentionally walked to bring up cleanup man Sambucci. The move paid off as Sambucci lined out and former big leaguer Liddi struck out.

In the bottom of the 8th, Italy broke the tie. Mineo drew a one-out walk then came home on a double by PH Lorenzo Avagnina (2012 European Championship MVP). RF Mattia Reginato popped out, but Pérez balked Avagnina to third and walked Infante. José Cruz relieved Pérez and gave up a run-scoring single to Desimoni for a 6-4 Italian lead; Desimoni had produced three of Italy's six runs. In the 9th, Tiago Da Silva came on to close it, relieving Venditte. He went 1-2-3, fanning 3B Jesús Golindano and 1B Jesus Ustariz and getting Ochoa on a grounder.

•  Croatia 11,  Sweden 10. Sweden remained the lone winless team, losing a slugfest with Croatia. The Croatian offense is led by RF/P/1B Slobodan Gales (3 R), SS/2B Ross Vukovich (3 H), SS Antonio Horvatic (3 for 3 off the bench) and CF Dario Colovic (2 R, 2 RBI). Sweden's offense is powered by veteran 1B Magnus Pilegård (4 for 5, 3 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI) and CF Peter Johannessen (3 for 6, 2 RBI). Matija Grofelnik got the win and Gales tossed two shutout innings of relief for the save, though Grofelnik replaced Gales for the 9th (Grofelnik had moved to 1B when Gales relieved) and allowed two runs, making it an unusual save as the winning pitcher replaced the saving one. Jakob Claesson was roughed up for 8 hits and 8 runs in 4 innings in a loss; Albin Sivard provides excellent relief (1 H, 0 R, 4 K in 2 IP) but it is too late.

•  Czech Republic 14,  France 3. France's hopes for the title game took a big hit with a mercy rule loss to the hosts. SS Petr Zýma (3 R, 3 BB), 2B Jakub Hajtmar (3 H), CF Matěj Hejma (2 HR, 5 RBI) and 1B Jakub Sládek (3 R, 4 H, 4 RBI, 2 HR) all light up the French pitchers, while Boris Bokaj gets the win. Matthieu Brelle-Andrade takes the loss. Young Yoann Vaugelade is pounded for 9 runs and 7 hits in 1 1/3 innings of relief.

•  United Kingdom 10,  Greece 4. Britain's chances of falling back to the B-Level dwindled thanks to a strong win. RF Benjamin Pearson drove in four, 3B Maikel Azcuy had three hits and both DH Mitch Evans and C Chris Berset homered while Spencer Kreisberg got the victory. Costa Kapothanasis took the loss. C Christian Christopoulos had 3 RBI and CF Max Warren 3 hits in a losing cause.

•  Netherlands 10,  Germany 4. The Netherlands remained unbeaten as Kevin Heijstek allowed only two unearned runs in 7 innings, C Shawn Zarraga rapped three hits, SS Sharlon Schoop scored three times and CF Randolph Oduber had two runs and two RBI. 1B Maurice Wilhelm hit a two-run homer in the 9th off Arshwin Asjes for half the German runs. André Hughes is the losing hurler.

• 7th/8th place game -  Belgium 12,  Russia 2. Belgian had their best finish in 13 years (interestingly, Russia's best finish had been 13 years prior), winning in 8 innings thanks to the mercy rule in the lone game held in Blansko. Kevin Desmedt allowed one hit in five shutout innings and Robbe De Jongh finished it up, while former minor leaguer Nick Lobanov took the defeat. 1B Jamie Verheyleweghen and 2B Benjamin Dille each had three runs and two RBI while 3B Robin Roevens drove in four. Belgium finished 3-3.

September 19

•  Netherlands 14,  France 5. The Netherlands locked up a spot in the title game despite Diegomar Markwell allowing five runs in seven innings; 1B René Leveret did the damage with a solo shot and three-run blast. Leonel Cespedes gave up 10 hits and 10 runs in four innings for a loss. Dutch team veterans 1B Curt Smith (3 RBI, HR) and RF Yurendell de Caster (3 H) played well, as did DH Gianison Boekhoudt (3 R, HR).
•  Sweden 2,  Greece 0. Sweden became the last team to win a game in these Euros, edging Greece in a pitching duel between Joakim Claesson (3-hitter) and Pete Sikaras (12 K). Sikaras allowed all the runs in the first. C Magnus Pilegård opened with a triple and 2B Adam Sorgi walked. CF Peter Johannessen hit into an error by SS Jamie Lekas. Sikaras whiffed DH Philip Gajzler. 3B Nico Filice singled to left then Sikaras hit LF Pontus Byström to force in Sorgi and Sweden led 2-0 with one out and the bases loaded in the first. Sikaras clamped down after that, with no more walks and scattering five hits the remainder of the way, but Claesson was too tough on the Greek hitters for it to matter.
•  Spain 4,  Germany 3. Germany remained winless among the top-six by blowing a lead late against Spain. Germany scored in the 4th against Leslie Nacar - RF Moritz Buttgereit singled, but was erased on a double play grounder by C Simon Gühring. 1B Maurice Wilhelm singled, then DH Christopher Howard doubled. LF Maik Ehmcke, fresh off his minor league debut in 2014, delivered a two-run single to center. 2B Max Boldt homered with one out in the 5th and Germany looked in good shape.

In the first four innings, Harry Glynne had allowed Spain to load the bases in the second but had not given up any runs. In the 5th, he allowed a leadoff single to DH Richard Montiel and walked 2B Daniel Sánchez (who had played in Germany in 2014). Luke Sommer relieved Glynne. CF Daniel Martinez bunted the runners over and SS Oscar Angulo flew out, but LF Paco Figueroa singled to make it 3-1. Sommer retired 3B Jesús Golindano to end that inning.

Nacar was yanked after 7, relieved by Eric González, who would go 1-2-3 in the 8th. In the bottom of the 8th, Spain staged a rally off Sommer. Golindano led off with a single and 1B Jesus Ustariz singled as well, but Golindano was picked off. PH Danny Figueroa walked on a full count. 39-year-old Cuban Enorbel Márquez, a long-time star for Germany, relieved but allowed a single to RF Franklin Tavarez to cut the lead to 3-2. Montiel flew out. In the clutch, Sánchez doubled to score PR Aritz Garcia; on the throw home, former Brewers farmhand Gühring made a crucial error to let Tavarez score the winning run. González went 1-2-3 in the 9th against Wilhelm, Howard (a strikeout) and Ehmcke to end it. Spain remained in the lead for third place.

•  United Kingdom 9,  Croatia 0. Jake Esch tosses seven perfect innings, but Alex Webb blows the perfecto by walking LF Nikola Sertić with one out in the 8th then Daniel Cooper ends the no-hitter by allowing a pinch-hit single to Mario Manojlov to open the 9th. DH Mitch Evans drives in three for Britain and C Chris Berset has two runs and two RBI.
•  Italy 9,  Czech Republic 1. Italy remained unbeaten to set up another classic match with the Netherlands. SS Juan Carlos Infante scored three runs from the leadoff slot while Frailyn Florian allows one run in 5 despite 7 hits and 4 walks; Filippo Crepaldi and Yovani D'Amico wrap it up. Orioles farmhand Jan Novák takes the loss.

September 20

•  Spain 10,  France 5. Spain wraps up third place for the 14th time (twice as many as any other nation), scoring all 10 runs in the first two innings off Nicolas Dubaut and Owen Ozanich. SS Oscar Angulo goes 4 for 5 with two runs and two RBI, LF Aritz Garcia gets three hits off the bench and DH Fernando Martínez goes 3 for 5 with a run and two RBI. 51-year-old Cuban Remigio Leal got the win. Jonathan Mottay, Thomas Langloys and Pierrick Lemestre shut out Spain for the final six innings. Manager Eric Gagne was ejected late in the game for arguing a call.
•  Germany 5,  Czech Republic 2. Germany finished 5th thanks to winning their last game. The Germans got three hits apiece from 2B Max Boldt, 3B Ludwig Glaser and SS Christoph Ziegler. Jan-Niclas Stöcklin fans 9 and walks none, allowing four hits and two runs in 7 for the win, and Markus Solbach allows only one hit and a hit batsmen in two innings for the save. Marek Červenka gave up 4 runs in 3 2/3 IP for the loss.
•  Netherlands 5,  Italy 0. Mike Bolsenbroek continues his dominance with a three-hitter to follow his perfecto last time out. 2B Hainley Statia hits a 3-run homer off Yomel Rivera and RF Yurendell de Caster goes deep off Rivera as well. Italy had won five of their last six from the Netherlands and eight of the last ten, including the last two finals from the Euros.

September 21

• Gold Medal game:  Netherlands 6,  Italy 3. The Netherlands won after dropping the prior couple European Championships to Italy. The Dutch saved four-time Olympian Rob Cordemans for the finale as he had suffered injuries in a fire at his home the prior month. He did his share, fanning four batters in being perfect the first time through the order. CF Randolph Oduber homered off Mike Colla to open the bottom of the first and LF Kalian Sams added a solo shot in the second to give the Netherlands an early cushion.

Italy challenged in the 4th on hits by SS Juan Carlos Infante and CF Stefano Desimoni. 2B Alessandro Vaglio bunted the runners over, then Cordemans K'd 1B Alex Sambucci. DH Alex Liddi was given a free pass then Cordemans whiffed C Alberto Mineo for his sixth strikeout. In the bottom of the 4th, 1B Curt Smith homered with none out and Sams did the same with one out for Colla's fourth gopher ball, sending him from the game in favor of Jose Escalona.

Fellow Dutch team veteran David Bergman relieved Cordemans in the 5th. Italy had a chance in the 6th as Desimoni hit into an error by Statia and Vaglio drew a walk. Rain delayed the game for 10 minutes before Sambucci fanned. That brought up the Italian ex-big leaguer, Liddi, but he didn't deliver, hitting into a 5-4 double play. In the bottom of the 6th, 2B Hainley Statia singled off Italy's third hurler, Tiago Da Silva. Smith walked but Da Silva fanned the next two batters before C Shawn Zarraga hit into a Sambucci error to make it 5-0.

Italy staged a comeback in the 7th. RF Mario Chiarini hit a one-out double and 3B Erick Epifano walked. LF Lorenzo Avagnina doubled in Chiarini and Infante drew a walk as well. Desimoni drew Bergman's third walk to force in a run and he was replaced by Tom Stuifbergen, who missed the entire regular season in the Netherlands due to injury. The former Twins minor leaguer hit Vaglio to make it 5-3, though TV replays later showed he was not hit. Sambucci hit one back to the mound and Stuifbergen went home to get Infante. Liddi again came up in the clutch and again did not deliver as Stuifbergen struck him out on three pitches. Stuifbergen fanned two of three batters in the 8th as well.

The Orange padded their lead in the bottom of the 8th as Smith hit the 5th home run for the Netherlands today and his 6th of these Euros. On a walk to DH Gianison Boekhoudt, Italian manager Marco Mazzieri was ejected for arguing that call; he had also disputed home plate umpire David Kulhanek's call on a strikeout of Mineo in the 7th. Kulhanek ejected Mazzieri this time. Italy had its last chance to preserve its title in the 9th. Avagnina flew out to Sams for out number one. Infante hit a grounder to 3B Nick Urbanus, who made a nice play for out number two. That brought up Desimoni, 1 for 3 with a walk and a RBI on the day. Stuifbergen retired him on a grounder to Statia to end it.

Final Standings

1.  Netherlands
2.  Italy
3.  Spain
4.  Czech Republic
5.  Germany
6.  France
7.  Belgium
8.  Russia
9.  United Kingdom
10.  Sweden
11.  Greece
12.  Croatia

Awards

• MVP: Curt Smith, Netherlands 1B
• Outstanding Defensive Player: Alessandro Vaglio, Italy 2B