Most, Czech Republic: 18 July -- The GB Junior Men’s Fastpitch Team won their first game at the European Championships today on the last day of the tournament – a dramatic 13-12 win over Poland that guaranteed GB a fifth place finish.
The tournament itself was won by the Czechs, who beat Denmark 8-0 in the final.
Slugging match
GB and Poland traded runs from the start of the game.
The British scored four runs in the top of the first inning, with Rob Studholme’s double the key hit amid a welter of walks, errors and wild pitches.
But Poland came right back with five runs of their own in the bottom of the first, as Damon Brown struggled to find the strike zone. Five of the first six Polish batters walked, and the other was hit by a pitch, and there were also wild pitches, passed balls and one lone Polish single.
GB tied the game with a run in the top of the second inning (Amit Aswani doubled and scored on Dylan Stewart’s sacrifice fly) and scored two more in the top of the third to take the lead (Josh Saunders tripled and Damon Brown doubled in the inning).
However, Poland replied with three runs in the bottom of the third, and after they added another three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, GB found themselves behind by 11-7 and staring a sixth straight defeat in the face.
But then a five-run British rally in the top of the sixth inning turned the game around.
Key rally
George Young and Trent Nash walked to open the top of the sixth, and Rob Studholme drove them both in with a triple to left-centre field. Josh Saunders then walked and stole second, and Rob Mosley’s single to left drove home two more runs. Finally, Sam Grafton singled and Amit Aswani walked to load the bases and Rob Mosley came home on a wild pitch.
When Damon Brown walked to load the bases yet again, still with no one out, GB seemed poised to score even more. But the Poles changed pitchers, and when Dylan Stewart flied out to centre field off reliever Szymon Skarzinski, the Poles cut down Sam Grafton at the plate and George Young then flied out to right field.
Hanging on
So GB now had a 12-11 lead, but the final drama was still to come.
Poland went down in order in the bottom of the sixth inning, but only thanks to the play of the game by the GB defense. were George Young. For those that were there or saw it on www.playo.tv it will always be memorable. At full stretch from first base, GeorgeYoung somehow managed to get a glove on a line drive and deflect the ball upwards for Josh Saunders at second to catch the ball for the third out of the inning. It was a game-changing moment, available on www.playo.tv.
GB then scored an insurance run in the top of the seventh – as things turned out, the winning run. Sam Grafton’s single to centre field drove in Josh Saunders, who had reached on a fielder’s choice.
GB now had a 13-11 lead as the Poles came up for their last at-bat -- and the lead immediately looked in jeopardy.
Syzmon Garus opened the inning by reaching first on an error, and that was followed by a walk and a strikeout – but the batter reached first anyway on a passed ball. So the Poles had the bases loaded with no one out, and a moment later they were only one run behind at 13-12 after a hit-by-pitch brought home Szymon Garus.
Krzysztof Golebiowski then hit the ball back to Damon Brown, who threw to Dylan Stewart at home for the force out. Radoslaw Zajda, coming in from third base, ran shoulder first into Dylan, who dropped the ball as he was knocked off the plate. The umpire immediately called Zajda out and despite heated protests from the Polish team, the decision was upheld.
And a few moments later the game was over. Przemyslaw Bason hit a ball straight back to Damon Brown, who caught it, then tried to pick off the runner scrambling back to first. That runner dove back safely, but George Young had the presence of mind to throw the ball to Amit Aswani on third, who tagged Tymoteusz Orszulik to end the game and the week for the GB Junior Men.
Statistics
GB out-hit Poland 8-4, and for once, GB was the beneficiary of more bases on balls than their opponents. GB starter Damon Brown, who battled through all seven innings, walked 14 Poles and hit three more with pitches. But Polish starter Syzmon Garus walked 15 GB hitters and reliever Szymon Skarzinski added one more.
And those extra baserunners were the key to GB’s win, despite committing six errors to two for Poland.
The win was a fitting reward for all the effort the team has put in at the tournament against much more experienced opponents. And no one has worked harder than Damon Brown, who has carried the bulk of the pitching load. Today, he survived a terrible start, persevered and came away with the win.
Although GB was able to manage only one win this week, it was a particularly sweet victory in the final game, and it will give the team and the programme something to build on for the future.
Final placings
Final placings in the tournament were:
1. Czech Republic
2. Denmark
3. Croatia
4. Israel
5. Great Britain
6. Poland