L&D Amsterdam 000 030 000 2 5 9 1 Rimini 000 100 020 1 4 7 1

Box score

L&D Amsterdam has won the title at the European Champions Cup. It’s the second year in a row that a Dutch team has won the European Champions Cup after Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam claimed the trophy in 2015. Amsterdam defeated host ASD Rimini 5-4 after extra innings in a thrilling final on a late Saturday evening.

Daniel Mayora had given Rimini a 1-0 lead in the fourth, when he came through with a big RBI double. One inning later L&D took control of the game with a three-run rally. Gilmer Lampe first drove in Jesse Aussems with a groundout. Afterwards Linoy Croes got them in front with a two-run single.

The score stood until the eighth when ASD Rimini tied the game through a RBI single by Ennio Retrosi and a sac fly by Jose Flores. Extra innings were needed to find the winner. The tenth started with a wild play on a bunt attempt, helping Remco Draijer to put Amsterdam back in front. A RBI double by Kenny Berkenbosch provided insurance. This was needed as Rimini scored once more through an error. But they weren’t able to get the tying run over the plate and had to settle for a tough-luck loss.

Earlier in the day Fortitudo Bologna celebrated a 7-6 (Box score) walk-off win over Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam. A one-out RBI single by Tyler La Torre in the bottom of the ninth decided the outcome. Curacao Neptunus just had erased a 3-6 deficit in the top of the frame.

In the classification round the Buchbinder Legionäre Regensburg scored six runs in the fifth of a 7-2 win (Box score) over Kotlarka Prague in the Game for seventh place. With the win the reigning German vice champion kept his federation’s spot in the European Champions Cup, while the Czech team lost theirs. Kotlarka also lost 6-10 (Box score) to T&A San Marino in the first game of the day in the morning – a make-up game from Friday.

Final Standings:

1) L&D Amsterdam (NED)

2) ASD Rimini (ITA)

3) Fortitudo Bologna (ITA)

4) Curacao Neptunus Rotterdam (NED)

5) T&A San Marino (SMA)

5) VOITH Heidenheim Heideköpfe (GER)

7) Buchbinder Legionäre Regensburg (GER)

8) Kotlarka Prague (CZE)

All box scores, complete results and statistics can be found at www.baseballstats.eu

Photo by FIBS