2019 European Champions Cup

The 2019 European Champions Cup was held from June 4 to June 8, 2019 at Gianni Falchi Stadium in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna with some games in Castenaso. The host UnipolSai Bologna won the title, dropping their opener but winning the remainder of their games.

Competing Teams / Manager

• UnipolSai Bologna (Italy) (Daniele Frignani)
• Curacao Neptunus (Netherlands) (Ronald Jaarsma)
• Parmaclima (Italy) (Gianguido Poma)
• L&D Amsterdam Pirates (Netherlands) (Brian Finnegan)
• Rouen Huskies (France) (Keino Perez)
• Bonn Capitals (Germany) (Alex Derhak)
• K. Deurne Spartans (Belgium) (Ronny de Vriendt)
• Arrows Ostrava (Czech Republic) (Boris Bokaj)

Results

June 4

• Arrows Ostrava 17, K. Deurne Spartans 2. The Spartans were the first Belgian entry in a European Champions Cup since 2012 and struggled in their opener. Ostrava lit up former Cards farmhand Andersen Gerdel and former Cuban leaguer Jose Larrinaga for 20 hits and 17 runs in 6 innings for the mercy rule rout. RF Radim Novotný, the 8th hitter, was 4 for 4 with 4 RBI; SS Alex Rubanowitz had 4 hits as well and was a triple shy of the cycle, while 2B Wes Roemer was 3 for 3 with 3 runs and 3 RBI. Ondřej Satoria got the complete game win. 1B Johannes Ochoa's solo homer off Satora in the 2nd got the scoring started but the Czechs stormed back fast.
• Curacao Neptunus 2, Parmaclima 1. Two of the most successful teams in Cup history squared off as ten-time champion Neptunus defeated 13-time champion Parma (though Parma's last title had been 20 years prior). Orlando Yntema (7 IP, 3 H, 1 BB) turned in a superb start for Neptunus, while Erly Casanova kept Neptunus off the board for five. In the 6th, C Gianison Boekhoudt drew a leadoff walk from Casanova. 1B Dudley Leonora bunted him over and Boekhoudt took third on a grounder by CF Shaldimar Daantji. DH Quintin de Cuba singled in the run. Neptunus challenged in the 7th, loading the bases against Yomel Rivera, but Marc-André Habeck relieved and got Leonora to fly out. In the bottom of the 8th, Diegomar Markwell relieved Yntema. With one away, 3B Luca Scalera hit into a two-base error by his counterpart, Dwayne Kemp. After a sacrifice, Kevin Kelly replaced Markwell and RF Aldo Koutsoyanopulos greeted him with a game-tying double. Kelly hit SS Charlie Mirabal but fanned CF Sebastiano Poma in the clutch. In the top of the 9th, Neptunus got a leadoff single from LF Coco Johnson, who stole second but was retired on a fielder's choice hit into by SS Stijn van der Meer. Van der Meer took second on a wild pitch by Habeck and Kemp singled him in. Kelly went 1-2-3 in the 9th against DH Leonardo Zileri, 1B Alex Sambucci and C Rafael Viñales.
• Rouen Huskies 11, Bonn Capitals 9. Bonn pounded Yoimer Camacho for 7 runs in the 2nd but he allowed nothing more before leaving after 8 IP (154 pitches, 14 K) and manager Keino Perez closed it out. Zach Dodson was hit hard as well, giving up 11 hits and 9 runs in 3 2/3 IP as the long-time US pro took the defeat. SS Maxime Lefevre scored three for Rouen, DH David Gauthier drove in 3 and CF Júnior Sosa had 3 hits. DH/P Maurice Wilhelm drove in 3 in a losing cause.
• L&D Amsterdam Pirates 2, UnipolSai Bologna 1. Both Italy-Netherlands matches today ended with 2-1 wins for the Dutch clubs. This one was a fine pitching duel as each team allowed only four hits. In the 2nd, CF Denzel Richardson homered off Raúl Rivero to put Amsterdam ahead. A solo homer by SS Sharlon Schoop in the 4th, also off Rivero, made it 2-0. Italy got its lone run when 3B Francesco Fuzzi took Kevin Heijstek deep in the 6th, just the 2nd hit he had allowed. Rifaela Hernandez relieved Heijstek in the 7th and walked SS John Polonius and C Osman Marval on a total of nine pitches; Tom Stuifbergen took over and escaped the jam, getting CF Ericson Leonora to hit into a twin killing. Stuifbergen finished up with a 3-inning save.

June 5

• Curacao Neptunus 14, Bonn Capitals 4. Aussie Wilson Lee starts strong for Bonn, blanking the defending champs for four innings while hitting a homer off Elton Koeiman, who was chased after 3 1/3. Brendan Schoemaker relieves Koeiman and gets the win with 3 2/3 shutout innings (6 K, 2 H, 1 BB) while Neptunus tees off on Lee and Nick Miceli for 8 runs in the 5th inning on the way to a rout. Six Neptunus players each score two, while 1B Dudley Leonora raps three hits.
• L&D Amsterdam Pirates 17, K. Deurne Spartans 0. In a five-inning mercy rule romp, Steven van Groningen and Rifaela Hernandez face the minimum as only RF Adalberto Vincente reaches for Belgium (via a 3rd-inning single) before being erased on a double play. Sharlon Lebacks was toasted for 11 runs in 1 1/3 IP with 3B Delano Selassa going 4 for 4 with 3 runs, 4 RBI and a triple shy of the cycle. 1B Kenny Berkenbosch, LF/CF Gilmer Lampe and SS Sharlon Schoop each scored three times while CF Denzel Richardson drove in three.
• Parmaclima 21, Rouen Huskies 3. Owen Ozanich beats his long-time team, topping Esteban Prioul and two relievers in a five-inning mercy rule win. RF Aldo Koutsoyanopulos and C Rafael Viñales (a recent Cuban Serie Nacional MVP) each homer twice and drive in six and CF Sebastiano Poma goes 4 for 4. Backup 2B Gabriel Harrison homers for Rouen.
• UnipolSai Bologna 16, Arrows Ostrava 5. All four favorites won by mercy rules today, the hosts needing six innings. RF Nick Nosti had 4 hits and 4 runs while both 1B/2B Jose Ferrini and C/1B Osman Marval (2 2B, HR) drove in five. Alex Bassani got the win, while former Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year Wes Roemer was rocked for 10 runs in 2 1/3 IP. SS Alex Rubanowitz was a bright spot for Ostrava, with three hits.

June 6

• Parmaclima 17, Bonn Capitals 8. Bonn scores seven in the 2nd off Mattia Aldegheri and Mauro Schiavoni (including a 3-run homer by CF Kevin van Mensel) but Parma comes back for 8 in the 3rd against Sascha Koch and Philipp Racek. SS Charlie Mirabal raps four hits for the Italian squad, DH Leonardo Zileri scores three runs and backup 3B Luca Scalera (4 RBI) and RF/LF Riccardo Flisi (5 RBI) both go deep. Schiavoni gets the win, Racek the loss.
• Curacao Neptunus 8, Rouen Huskies 3. DH/P Gianison Boekhoudt and 3B Dwayne Kemp get 3 hits apiece for Neptunus while 1B/LF Dudley Leonora and C Quintin de Cuba each drive in three to make a winner of Misja Harcksen. Yoann Vaugelade goes the distance in a loss but kept it close for a long time - it was 3-3 until the 7th.
• L&D Amsterdam Pirates 22, Arrows Ostrava 2. DH Roelie Henrique Jr. has 4 runs and 4 RBI for the Pirates while they get three runs apiece from 1B Kenny Berkenbosch (6 RBI, a double shy of a cycle), LF Gilmer Lampe (5 RBI) and SS Sharlon Schoop. Jim Ploeger throws a complete game win in the five-inning mercy rule rout. CF Terrell Joyce's homer was a bright spot for Ostrava while Marko Vykoukal takes the defeat.
• UnipolSai Bologna 11, K. Deurne Spartans 0. Andrea Pizziconi and Filippo Crepaldi scatter seven hits in a shutout, while LF Alessandro Grimaudo connects for three hits and SS Alessandro Vaglio scores three times. Nabil Tauil is handed the loss.

June 7

• Rouen Huskies 5, K. Deurne Spartans 4. The Spartans play their first close game, but still fall as both Venezuelan hurlers go the distance, Keino Perez throwing 139 pitches for Rouen and Andersen Gerdel 141 for Belgium (with 11 K). 3B/SS Ariel Soriano has four hits, including two doubles, for the Huskies. For Deurne, CF Leonel Reina Viant has 3 hits and 1B Johannes Ochoa two runs and a RBI.
• L&D Amsterdam Pirates 8, Parmaclima 4. The Netherlands goes to 3-0 against Spain as 44-year-old Rob Cordemans logs yet another European Cup win. LF Victor Draijer backs him with 3 RBI. For Parma, 3B Luca Scalera drives in a pair while veteran Junior Oberto is roughed up for 9 hits and 7 runs in 2 1/3 IP.
• Bonn Capitals 7, Arrows Ostrava 6. 1B Wilson Lee falls a triple shy of a cycle while driving in three and Zack Dodson turns in superb relief for the win (1 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 8 K in 4 IP). Dodson also doubles in Lennart Weller with the winner in the 10th inning. LF Terrell Joyce has 3 hits and 3 RBI for the Arrows while Chris Burkholder takes the loss.
• UnipolSai Bologna 10, Curacao Neptunus 3. Stephen Perakslis turns in a gem for the hosts with one unearned run on two hits in eight innings, while LF Alessandro Grimaudo scores a pair and also drives in a pair. Neptunus veteran Diegomar Markwell is roughed up for 6 runs in 2 1/3 IP as the defending champions are eliminated from a chance at the title game.

June 8

• 1st place game: UnipolSai Bologna 8, L&D Amsterdam Pirates 0. The hosts avenge their opening loss to Amsterdam (which definitely improves on last year's 7th-place finish). They rough up the guy who beat them earlier, Kevin Heijstek, for 7 hits and 6 runs (5 earned) in 3 2/3 IP while Raúl Rivero and Alex Bassani whiff 16 in a shutout, allowing only five hits and one walk. Only three Pirates get hits as both CF Denzel Richardson and 1B Kenny Berkenbosch have a pair. 1B Jose Ferrini scores twice for Bologna while SS John Polonius and 3B Francesco Fuzzi each drive in two.
• 3rd place game: Curacao Neptunus 9, Parmaclima 0. Orlando Yntema and Misja Harcksen combine on a four-hit whitewash as the defending champs at least pull out a strong 3rd. SS Stijn van der Meer goes 3 for 4 with 3 RBI, while Erly Casanova takes the loss.
• 7th/8th place game: Arrows Ostrava 13, K. Deurne Spartans 3. Ostrava's Wes Roemer gave up a 3-run homer in the first to 1B Johannes Ochoa Blanco but then settled down and Belgium did not score again. Alexis Marquez gave up 10 runs in 4 innings, with 2 runs and 3 RBI apiece from C Alex Rubanowitz (a triple shy of the cycle), 3B Martin Šmoldas and RF Radim Novotný.

Championship Game

UnipolSai Bologna 8-0 L&D Amsterdam Pirates

Final Standings

• 1. UnipolSai Bologna
• 2. L&D Amsterdam Pirates
• 3. Curacao Neptunus
• 4. Parmaclima
• 5. Rouen Huskies
• 6. Bonn Capitals
• 7. Arrows Ostrava
• 8. K. Deurne Spartans

Leaders and Awards

• MVP: Osman Marval, Bologna C

(Official statistical leaders do not count the placement games of June 8)

• Average: Alex Rubanowitz, Ostrava .625
• ERA: Stephen Perakslis, Bologna 0.00 (10 IP)
• Hits: Rubanowitz, 10
• Runs: Sharlon Schoop, Amsterdam 8
• RBI: Jose Ferrini, Bologna 9
• Doubles: Ariel Soriano, Rouen; Delano Selassa, Amsterdam; Ericson Leonora, Bologna 3
• Triples: Wes Roemer, Ostrava 2
• Home Runs: Denzel Richardson, Amsterdam; Wilson Lee, Bonn 3
• Total Bases: Lee, 18
• Steals: Coco Johnson, Neptunus 4
• Strikeouts: Andersen Gerdel, Bonn 15
• Wins: Sixteen tied with 1
• Saves: Tom Stuifbergen, Amsterdam 1