2015 European Cup

The 2015 European Cup had its opening rounds in Paris and Chartres in France, and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. For the first time, a team from Belarus qualified for the European Cup. Former major leaguers Guillermo Rodriguez (Bologna) and Darwin Cubillan (San Marino) played.

Curaçao Neptunus won the title, their eighth all time. They become the first Dutch champions in eight years as teams from the Italian Baseball League had been on a roll in recent years.

Competing Teams

Paris and Chartres

• L&D Amsterdam Pirates (Netherlands) (Manager: Charles Urbanus Jr.)
• Brest Zubrs (Belarus) (Igar Lukashevich)
• Unipol Bologna (Italy) (Marco Nanni)
• Paris Université Club (France) (Jamel Boutagra)
• T&A San Marino (San Marino) (Doriano Bindi)
• Solingen Alligators (Germany) (Norman Ebehardt)

Rotterdam

• ASD Rimini (Italy) (Orlando Muñoz)
• Curaçao Neptunus (Netherlands) (Evert-Jan 't Hoen)
• Draci Brno (Czech Republic) (Arnošt Nesňal)
• Heidenheim Heideköpfe (Germany) (Klaus Eckle)
• KNTU Elizavetgrad (Ukraine) (Yuriy Boyko)
• Templiers de Sénart (France) (Rolando Meriño)

Results

June 2

Paris and Chartres

• T&A San Marino 5, Unipol Bologna 2. Rodney Rodriguez and three relievers hold Bologna to five hits in a win, Darwin Cubillan notching the save. 2B Francesco Imperiali and SS Jack Santora each drive in two for San Marino. Marquis Fleming (4 R, 6 H in 3 2/3 IP) takes the loss.
• L&D Amsterdam Pirates 11, Solingen Alligators 1. Kevin Heijstek gets the win over Chris Mezger (4 R in 3 IP). 2B Nick Urbanus finished a double shy of the cycle, with 3 runs and 2 RBI, while OF Linoy Croes has four hits and 1B Kenny Berkenbosch three RBI.
• Paris Université Club 14, Brest Zubrs 1. A Belarusian team makes its debut in a European Cup but loses a 7-inning mercy rule game. C Dan Camou has 3 runs and 3 RBI, veteran 2B Christophe Goniot scores three and James Murrey allows two hits and one unearned run while fanning 10 in a complete game. Former US minor leaguer Alex Lukashevich starts for Brest and holds France to two runs in five before fading and giving up five runs with no outs in the 6th.

Rotterdam

• Templiers de Sénart 2, Draci Brno 0. Leonel Cespedes fans 8 and allows 3 hits and 5 walks in 8 and Pierrick Lemestre fans two more for a 1-2-3 9th-inning save as the French beat Petr Minařík. SS Felix Brown goes 2 for 3 with a walk, steal and both runs for the Templiers.
• ASD Rimini 8, Heidenheim Heideköpfe 3. 1B/3B Giuseppe Mazzanti has two runs and two RBI and RF Paul Macaluso doubles twice and drives in two to back the pitching of José Escalona and Roberto Corradini (who got a 3-inning save). Luke Sommer was the losing hurler.
• Curaçao Neptunus 12, KNTU Elizavetgrad 0. Diegomar Markwell, Jorian van Acker and Floris Timmer team on a two-hitter. 2B Oleksandr Mamontov and SS Roman Boyko get the only hits for the Ukraine in the mercy rule game. SS Dwayne Kemp (4 for 4, 3 R) and 1B Rien Vernooij (4 RBI) are among the top hitters for Neptunus.

June 3

Paris and Chartres

• L&D Amsterdam Pirates 6, T&A San Marino 0. Rob Cordemans tosses a six-hit shutout and LF Roelie Henrique drives in 3 as the Dutch beat San Marino; Carlos Teran takes the defeat.
• Unipol Bologna 15, Brest Zubrs 0. DH Guillermo Rodriguez (3 for 4, 3 R, 3 RBI), 3B Martin Mondino (4 RBI) and C Marco Sabbatani (3 RBI) power Bologna in a rout. Luca Panerati, Pietro Cadoni and Lorenzo Dobboletta whiff 12, walk none and only one hit in the win. Uladizislau Ilyin is the losing pitcher, but gets the lone hit for the Zubrs.
• Solingen Alligators 17, Paris Université Club 4. The hosts take a tough loss as 2B Tanner Leighton goes 4 for 5 with three runs, two home runs and 7 RBI and 3B Dominik Wulf and Daniel Sánchez each score 3 as well. Harry Glynne is the winning pitcher, Enrique Juma (8 H, 8 R in 3 IP) the loser.

Rotterdam

• ASD Rimini 8, KNTU Elizavetgrad 1. DH Riccardo Bertagnon has 3 hits and CF Stefano De Simoni 3 walks in a balanced Rimini offensive to back the pitching of Filippo Bertolini (10 K, 1 UER in 6 2/3 IP). Maksym Lisnytskyi is the losing hurler.
• Heidenheim Heideköpfe 5, Templiers de Sénart 1. 2B Aaron Dunsmore (3 for 3, 2B, BB, 2 RBI) and CF-3B Jamie McOwen (2 for 3, 2 R, 2 RBI) lead the Heidenheim offense, Johannes Krumm gets the win and Robert Gruber the save, while Jose Manuel Valentin takes the loss.
• Curaçao Neptunus 6, Draci Brno 1. The hosts win again, as C Gianison Boekhoudt (HR, 3 RBI), 1B Rien Vernooij and CF Shaldimar Daantji each tally three hits. Orlando Yntema is the winner over Michal Sobotka.

June 4

Paris and Chartres

• L&D Amsterdam Pirates 8, Brest Zubrs 0. Jimmy Osinga (8 IP) and Daan Hendrix (1 IP) combine on a two-hit, one-walk whitewash. Eight different players score for Amsterdam. Kiryl Kazlouski is the losing hurler.
• T&A San Marino 4, Solingen Alligators 0. In the most hits allowed by a winning hurler in Paris today, Andrea Pizziconi gives up four hits and no walks while fanning nine in eight innings, with Darwin Cubillan whiffing two more and walking one in the 9th. Enorbel Marquez takes the defeat. 3B Joe Mazzuca scores twice, while RF Mario Chiarini drives in two.
• Unipol Bologna 11, Paris Université Club 0. The hosts fall hard for the second straight game, as Salomon Marinez throws a three-hitter and 2B Alessandro Vaglio goes 4 for 5 with a run and two RBI. Maxime Monbeig gives up 9 hits and 7 runs in 3 2/3 IP as the Parisian starter.

Rotterdam

• ASD Rimini 11, Templiers de Sénart 2. 3B Giuseppe Mazzanti drives in three and scores two while C Riccardo Bertagnon raps three hits for Rimini. 1B Rolando Meriño has 3 hits and 2 RBI in a losing cause. Tommaso Cherubini (2 H, 0 BB in 5 IP) is the winning hurler, while Christopher Morel surrenders 11 runs in 3 innings before some superb, too-late relief from Jacques Boucheron (3 H, 0 R in 6 IP).
• Draci Brno 11, KNTU Elizavetgrad 6. SS Martin Schneider falls a triple shy of the cycle and drives in four, while LF Adam Hajtmar drives in three, 1B Michael Kremláček scores three and Radim Chroust goes the distance despite giving up 15 hits. For Ukraine, Dmytro Limarenko takes the loss while teenaged 1B Kostiantyn Boyko goes 4 for 4 with a 3 runs.
• Curaçao Neptunus 15, Heidenheim Heideköpfe 1. The hosts win in a romp as 11 different players score, led by 1B/2B Rien Vernooij (3). RF/CF Christian Diaz has 3 hits as does SS Stijn van der Meer. Floris Timmer gets the win. Tyler Lockwood gives up 9 hits and 8 ruins in under 3 innings but only one of the runs is earned as Heidenheim has four errors in a 8-run second (two by 3B Jamie McOwen).

June 5

Paris and Chartres

• Unipol Bologna 18, Solingen Alligators 10. In a slugfest, numerous hitters shine for Bologna - 2B Alessandro Vaglio leads the way (4 for 4, 2 BB, 2 2B, 3B, 5 R, 4 RBI) but gets plenty of support from guys like C Guillermo Rodriguez (4 for 5, 3 R), RF Claudio Liverziani (3 R), LF Alessandro Grimaudo (3 RBI) and 1B Alex Sambucci (3 H). Riccardo De Santis is the winner (2 R in 5 IP) but reliever Pietro Cadoni gives up 8 runs in the 7th to make it closer. 3B/2B Nils Hartkopf leads Solingen with 3 hits. André Hughes gives up 9 hits and 9 runs in 3 1/3 IP.
• T&A San Marino 15, Brest Zubrs 0. Alessandro Ercolani throws a mercy rule five-inning no-hitter, only a walk to C Dzianis Hauryliuk preventing a perfect game. SS Jack Santora and DH Gabriele Ermini each drive in three runs, while LF Lorenzo Avagnina scores three. Artsiom Lapchanka takes the loss.
• L&D Amsterdam Pirates 15, Paris Université Club 3. SS Mike Duursma (3 for 4, 2 R, 3 RBI) and CF Remco Draijer (2 R, 2 RBI) lead Amsterdam to victory, while Dennis Burgersdijk does the job on the hill. Dan Camou takes the loss, while C Douglas Rodriguez drives in all three French runs.

Rotterdam

• Heidenheim Heideköpfe 7, KNTU Elizavetgrad 5. The Ukrainians give the German entry a surprisingly close battle, with the game deadlocked at 5-5 in the 8th until backup 2B Stefan Karpf singles in RF Luke Sommer with the winning run. Aaron Dunsmore gets the win, Mykola Liakhovetsky the loss. 1B Kostiantyn Boyko again shines for Elizavetgrad, going 4 for 4 with two runs and a RBI.
• Draci Brno 6, ASD Rimini 2. Rimini is stunned in their first loss as Martin Schneider fans 8 and allows four hits in a complete game win over Carlos Richetti. LF Adam Hajtmar goes 3 for 5 with a run and a RBI, while 41-year-old DH Pavel Budský shows he can still produce with two runs and a RBI.
• Curaçao Neptunus 4, Templiers de Sénart 1. Floris Timmer, Berry van Driel, Kevin Kelly and Loek van Mil combine to hold the Templiers to two hits (by C Rolando Meriño and CF Jacques Boucheron). SS Stijn van der Meer doubles twice, scores a run and drives in a run. C Gianison Boekhoudt gets two hits and two RBI.

June 6

Paris and Chartres

• Unipol Bologna 9, L&D Amsterdam Pirates 0. Bologna punched its ticket to the group finals with a beating of their Dutch opponents as pitcher Raul Rivero limited the Pirates to 4 hits over 7 2/3 innings. Bologna scored early as 3B Francesco Fuzzi raced home from first base in the 1st when C Guillermo Rodriguez's soft fly ball ball landed between three fielders. 2B Alessandro Vaglio homered off losing pitcher Kyle Ward in the 3rd, then drove in RF Claudio Liverziani with a sacrifice fly in the 5th. Bologna blew the game open in the 7th when they scored 6 runs, taking advantage of reliever Tom de Blok's inability to retire any of the four batters he faced. LF Alessandro Grimaudo drove in the last two runs with a double, but Amsterdam was able to stave off a loss via the mercy rule. The Pirates' best scoring opportunity came in the 6th, when 2B Michael Duursma was gunned down at home while trying to score on 1B Kenny Berkenbosch's double to the right field corner.
• Solingen Alligators 20, Brest Zubrs 1. In a game between two squads already eliminated from further competition, the Belarussians managed to keep the game close for a few innings, behind the pitching of Alex Lukashevich, who gave up 4 runs in 5 innings. However, Solingen brought out the sledgehammers in the 8th, scoring 13 runs against the overmatched Bisons. LF/CF Markus Stryczek went 4 for 4 with a double and a pair of walks for the Alligators while Nils Hartkopf is the winner, allowing 1 run on 4 hits in 6 innings.
• T&A San Marino 11, Paris Université Club 1. San Marino was too strong for the host club, handing them another defeat by mercy rule. Back-to-back doubles by RF Gabriele Ermini and 1B Joe Persichina off P James Murrey highlighted a three-run 2nd, then a two-run double by 3B Joe Mazzuca, followed by a pair of errors by Paris 3B Nicolas Dubaut made the score 6-0 after 5. They then piled on for 5 more runs in the 6th against reliever Enrique Juma-Trinida, with Mazzuca contributing another two-run double. P Nicholas Morreale allowed only three singles in 6 innings. Paris finally managed to get on the board in the bottom of the 7th as DH Douglas Rodriguez led off with a triple off reliever Yovani D'Amico and scored the Parisians' lone run on a ground out. In spite of its emphatic victory, San Marino lost a complicated tie-breaker to Amsterdam and were eliminated from the competition.

Rotterdam

• Draci Brno 5, Heidenheim Heideköpfe 1. Lithuania's Edvardas Matusevičius turns in a strong start for the Czech club (1 R in 5 IP), with the win going to Nathan O'Brian in scoreless four innings of relief. DH Jan Felkl drives in two and 1B Michael Kremláček goes 2 for 3 with a hit-by-pitch and a run. Luke Sommer takes the loss.
• Curaçao Neptunus 5, ASD Rimini 3. The hosts finish the round-robin with an unbeaten record. SS Stijn van der Meer goes 3 for 5 with a run and a RBI, Jorian van Acker gets the win and Loek van Mil notches the save. Victor Moreno is the losing hurler. Alexis Candelario fans 11 in 6 1/3 IP as the Rimini starter but gives up four runs, whereas Neptunus starter Gijs Timmer fans none in six innings but allows three.
• Templiers de Sénart 7, KNTU Elizavetgrad 3. C-Manager Rolando Meriño (4 for 5, 2B, R, 2 RBI, 2 SB) and DH/P Pierrick Lemestre (3 for 5, 2 RBI) pace the French offensive to back another good start by Leonel Cespedes (8 K in 7 IP). Serhiy Shtapura is the losing hurler with 5 runs in 1 2/3 IP but his bullpen does well (2 R in 7 1/3 IP). 41-year-old LF Dmytro Nelipa goes 2 for 3 with a run for Elizavetgrad.

June 7

Paris

• Unipol Bologna 2, L&D Amsterdam Pirates 1. Only one Italian team made it to the final four, the worst performance by that nation in eight years, but Bologna did ensure an Italian representative in the finals for the 8th straight season with a close win today. In the bottom of the first, Bologna got all its runs. 3B Francesco Fuzzi drew a one-out walk from Kevin Heijstek, then RF Claudio Liverziani singled and an error by Amsterdam RF Linoy Croes advanced the runners. That brought up C Guillermo Rodriguez and the former major leaguer did his job, singling in both runners. Heijstek allowed four hits, one walk and no runs in the next eight innings, but the damage had been done.

Amsterdam rallied in the second off former AAA hurler Marquis Fleming (6 BB, 7 K, 3 H in 6 IP today). C Bas Nooij walked, DH Jesse Aussems singled and 3B Rashid Gerard singled to load the bags with no outs. A passed ball by Rodriguez made it 2-1. Croes flew out, then LF Roelie Henrique walked. SS Mike Duursma grounded into a double play, though, to end the threat. In the top of the 7th, Amsterdam had a shot when Aussems reached on an error by 1B Alex Sambucci to chase Fleming in favor of Justin Cicatello and advanced on a sacrifice and a fly out. Cicatello struck out Henrique and allowed only one baserunner in the 8th. In the 9th, Nick Pugliese came in to close and whiffed Bas Nooij and PH Koen Nooij then got Gerard on a grounder to wrap it up.

Rotterdam

• Curaçao Neptunus 8, Draci Brno 2. After several recent years of disappointing European Cup performances, Neptunus swept through their pool. They started the game on a rocky note, though. RF Michal Ondráček opened with a triple off Diegomar Markwell and scored on a sacrifice fly by SS Martin Schneider. In the second, LF Adam Hajtmar walked, C Alex Derhak singled and DH Pavel Budský singled for a 2-0 edge. The hosts closed the gap in the bottom of the second off Petr Minařík. 1B Rien Vernooij walked and RF Christian Diaz singled; they were bunted over by LF Gyenuar Lopez. 2B Benjamin Dille then singled in Vernooij, but Diaz was thrown out trying to score by CF Arnošt Dubový.

In the third, the Czechs looked to rally again as Schneider walked and 3B Přemek Chroust singled. 1B Michael Kremláček flew out to CF Shaldimar Daantji, who threw to second to get Schneider for a double play. Markwell then picked off Chroust. In the top of the 4th, Adam Hajtmar singled and was bunted over by 2B Jakub Hajtmar. Derhak flew out to Lopez, who threw out Hajtmar for the second outfielder double play in two innings. In the top of the 6th, Chroust singled and advanced on a wild pitch. With two outs, Jakub Hajtmar singled to center, but Daantji got his second assist, nailing Chroust at home.

Draci Brno still held the surprising 2-1 lead into the 7th when they brought in Radim Chroust as their fourth hurler of the day. With one out, Dille singled and advanced on a wild pitch, then was replaced by pinch-runner Urving Kemp. Daantji flew out, but SS Stijn van der Meer singled in Kemp and advanced on an error on the play by Dubový. The game was now tied 2-2. DH Dwayne Kemp singled in van der Meer with the winning run and stole second as well. 3B Raily Legito walked. Jan Vašourek relieved Chroust but was greeted by three straight RBI singles - from C Gianison Boekhoudt, Vernooij and Diaz - for a 6-2 lead. In the bottom of the 8th, Neptunus padded their lead as Daantji walked, van der Meer doubled him in and advanced on an error on the play by Ondráček and then Dwayne Kemp had a RBI single. Meanwhile, Kenny Vandenbranden had replaced Markwell in the 7th for Neptunus and was excellent (1 H, 0 BB, 3 K in 3 IP) for the relief win.

August 6

• Fortitudo Bologna 5, Curaçao Neptunus 3. Neptunus hurler Orlando Yntema was fresh off a no-hitter in his last start in the Hoofdklasse, but was off from the get-go. He walked SS Juan Carlos Infante to start off then walked RF Claudio Liverziani with one out. With two outs, 2B Alessandro Vaglio hit a pop to third but veteran 3B Raily Legito made a two-run error. In the bottom of the 5th, Yntema walked DH Francesco Fuzzi and Liverziani hit into an error by 2B Benjamin Dille. Yntema was yanked after 4 hits and 4 walks in 4 innings, having thrown 94 pitches. Kevin Kelly relieved and served up a three-run dinger to 3B Cesar Suarez. After being blanked for 7 by Marquis Fleming (who fanned 9), Neptunus came back against reliever Filippo Crepaldi in the 8th with a 3-run homer by C Gianison Boekhoudt. Nick Pugliese relieved; in the 9th, though, he allowed a leadoff single to CF Shaldimar Daantji and walked LF Urving Kemp, putting the #8 and 9 hitters aboard. DH Dwayne Kemp fanned, though, and Pugliese got Dille to hit into a game-ending double play to notch the save; Fleming got the win.

August 8

• Curaçao Neptunus 3, Fortitudo Bologna 2. Having lost on the road, Neptunus went home and won a close game in front of 1,600 fans to tie it up. Raul Rivero (pitching star of the first round in Paris) and Diegomar Markwell (over a decade on the Dutch national team) had a fine pitching duel as the two teams combined for just ten hits. In the bottom of the third, the hosts got on the board as CF Shaldimar Daantji doubled, was bunted over by LF Urving Kemp and scored on a sacrifice fly by DH Dwayne Kemp. In the top of the 4th, RF Claudio Liverziani walked. 3B Cesar Suarez bunted for a single and an error by C Gianison Boekhoudt tied the game at one. No baserunners reached from the bottom of the 4th through the top of the 7th. In the home half of the 7th, 2B Benjamin Dille doubled, advanced on a grounder by SS Stijn van der Meer and scored on a wild pitch by Rivero to make it 2-1. Italy came back in the top of the 8th on a walk to CF Paolino Ambrosino, then C Marco Sabbatani bunted him over. Loek van Mil relieved and PH Alex Russo hit a game-tying single. With two outs, DH Francesco Fuzzi singled and Liverziani drew another walk to bring up cleanup man Suarez, but he was retired by the towering van Mil. In the bottom of the 8th, Urving Kemp drew a leadoff walk; with two away, 3B Raily Legito singled. Boekhoudt grounded to 2B Alessandro Vaglio, who threw it away for a game-costing error, Kemp scoring the winning run. In the 9th, van Mil allowed only a single to 1B Alex Sambucci to get the win in relief.

August 9

• Curaçao Neptunus 7, Fortitudo Bologna 3. At a sunny day at Familiestadion, the home team shone bright in a win. They started fast against Riccardo De Santis. In the bottom of the first, 2B Benjamin Dille and 3B Raily Legito had back-to-back one-out singles and C Gianison Boekhoudt walked. SS Stijn van der Meer had a two-out, two-run single. In the top of the third, Bologna got as close as they would, scoring their only run in six innings off Kenny Vandenbranden; LF Alessandro Grimaudo and SS Juan Carlos Infante singled and RF Claudio Liverziani hit into a run-scoring force. In the bottom of the fourth, Neptunus erupted. RF Christian Diaz singled and van der Meer bunted his way aboard. 1B Rien Vernooij bunted both men over and CF Shaldimar Daantji was intentionally walked. After a second out, SS Dwayne Kemp smacked a two-run single. Salomon Marinez relieved but allowed a RBI single to Dille and a two-run double to Legito then was replaced by Pietro Cadoni. Cadoni and Luca Panerati shut out Neptunus the rest of the way but they had a 7-1 lead. Bologna finally got some more runs in the 9th, scoring two late tallies off Berry van Driel, but it was too little, too late.

Final Standings

Paris Group

• 1. Unipol Bologna, 5-1
• 2. L&D Amsterdam Pirates , 4-2
• 3. T&A San Marino, 4-1
• 4. Solingen Alligators, 2-3
• 5. Paris Université Club , 1-4
• 6. Brest Zubrs , 0-5

Rotterdam Group

• 1. Curacao Neptunus, 6-0
• 2. Draci Brno, 3-3
• 3. ASD Rimini, 3-2
• 4. Heidenheim Heideköpfe , 2-3
• 5. Templiers de Sénart , 2-3
• 6. KNTU Elizavetgrad, 0-5

Championship Series

Game	Winner	Score	Loser	Notes
Game 1	Unipol Bologna	5-3	Curacao Neptunus
Game 2	Curacao Neptunus	3-2	Unipol Bologna
Game 3	Curacao Neptunus	7-3	Unipol Bologna	Neptunus wins Cup

Leaders and Awards

Paris and Chartres (stats exclude finale)

• MVP: Guillermo Rodriguez, Bologna C
• Average: Rodriguez & Alessandro Vaglio, Bologna .632
• ERA: Raul Rivero, Bologna 0.00 (11 1/3 IP)
• Hits: Rodriguez & Vaglio 12
• Runs: Vaglio 11
• RBI: Tanner Leighton, Solingen 11
• Doubles: Joe Mazzuca, San Marino 4
• Triples: Nine tied with 1
• Home Runs: Leighton 2
• Total Bases: Vaglio & Leighton 20
• Steals: Leighton & Roelie Henrique, Amsterdam 4
• Strikeouts: James Murrey, Paris 16

Rotterdam (stats exclude finale)

• MVP: Stijn van der Meer, Neptunus SS
• Average: Kostiantyn Boiko, Elizavetgrad .556
• ERA: Martin Schneider, Draci 1.00
• Hits: Van der Meer, Boiko & Riccardo Bertagnon, Rimini 10
• Runs: Dwayne Kemp, Neptunus 9
• RBI: Rien Vernooij, Neptunus 7
• Doubles: Giuseppe Mazzanti, Rimini & Van der Meer 3
• Triples: Christian Diaz, Neptunus 2
• Home Runs: Four tied with 1
• Total Bases: Kemp & Van der Meer 13
• Steals: Stefano De Simoni, Rimini 4
• Strikeouts: Leonel Cespedes, Sénart 16

Finals

• MVP: Stijn van der Meer, Neptunus SS