Champions Cup, San Marino wins but still not enough »Baseball.it
Let’s take a step back: on Tuesday evening in Bonn, after yet another downpour that forces San Marino and Neptunus to stop the game at 5-5, the technical direction of the Cup invents a brilliant “the match will be concluded in the next few days only if it will have value for the ranking “. And how if it will have value, because the continuation between the titans and Curacao is worth qualifying for the semifinals of the Champions Cup.
In today’s hectic day, everything happens in group B. Because Neptunus falls by surprise against Bonn Capitals (8-5) and only three points in the two final rounds still keeps the Dutch in the running. Then it’s up to San Marino to challenge the hosts: in the end Bindi’s team wins 6-4 at 10th, but tomorrow at 10.30 to qualify they will have to beat Neptunus (and then they will arrive first and play the semifinal with Parma) or lose up to 2 points of margin and then he will finish second and play the semifinal with L&D Amsterdam. Otherwise he will play consolation matches.
The Germans in recent years have become a tough nut to crack for everyone. And only an almost perfect Quattrini keeps them at bay, conceding only one point in the 3rd inning. San Marino continues to have problems in the box: 6 valid only in 10 rounds, two triples by Pieternella (8th in bat) and a double by Epifano (9th in the line-up) who collect the point of the 5th inning, For the I remain three singles scattered, two of them in the 4th inning when two of the three points arrive with a couple of sacrificial sprints.
On the 7th an exhausted Quattrini leaves the mountain after 103 throws, Mazzocchi enters who collects the 2-4 then is saved with a double game. But the relief is out of the game, At 8 ° he first concedes the base to Lamb, then sends the defense of Ahrens’ bunt outside, then collects the single of Lankhorst’s 4-4. Bindi has already seen enough: inside Baez who closes in a big way with three outs. At 9th, Lino’s mistake on the steal attempt puts two men in point position, but Baez still closes with two “kappa”.
At the tie-break, San Marino seems a bit over when Ferrini’s bunt is badly played by the German defense. Instead we need two fundamental crazy throws of the excellent Schmitz to give the titans the points of 6-4, something that Celli, Angulo and Lino do not do with three unproductive rounds in the box. By two points Bonn does not choose to play the bunt, Baez commands and with three strike-outs blocks the victory of San Marino.