Two Under-13 girls' fastpitch teams from 
Great Britain – the GB Minimes and the London Cubs – are struggling against more experienced opposition in the ESF's Massimo Romeo Youth Cup, but picking up valuable competition experience along the way.
The tournament is being played from August 15-18 in Collechio, near Parma, Italy, in temperatures generally in the mid-30s. The competition has replaced the former European Minime Championships, and has been expanded so that countries can send more than one team, with the aim of getting more players at this age level playing in European competition.
This aim is clearly being achieved, since in addition to the two teams from Britain, the field includes Italy 1 and 2, Russia and Moskovia from Russia, the Slovakian national team and the Czech All-Stars. The last European Minime Championships, played in Turkey in 2010, attracted only four teams.
GB struggles
So far, neither GB team has won
a game against foreign opposition, but the London Cubs, with three guest players, inflicted a 14-4 defeat on the GB Minimes on Thursday afternoon. Anna Costello had two hits and Michelle Shaw had three RBIs for the Cubs, while Jasmine Rushin, Annecy Stevens and Sarah Cannons had an RBI each for the Minimes.
Scores of British games through lunchtime on Friday were:
GB Minimes
Italy/2 11, GB 1
Moskovia 19, GB 0
Czech Stars 13, GB 1
Italy/1 12, GB 1
London Cubs 14, GB 4
Russia 11, GB 0
London Cubs
Slovakia 20, London Cubs 0
Russia 18, London Cubs 1
Moskovia 15, London Cubs 1
London Cubs 14, GB 4
Italy/1 14, London Cubs 0
Small victories
Despite being on the wrong end of mercy rule scorelines, both British teams, with many players who have only started playing in the past year, are adapting fast in the heat of competition, and against pitching that GB Minime Head Coach Caroline Champion described as “high-calibre”.
In their very first game, against Italy/2, GB scored the first run of the game and put the hosts under some early pressure, even though the Italians eventually won 11-1.
On the second day of competition, four of the first six GB batters – Harper Maury, Ella Henson, Erin Simmonds and Laura Hirai – reached base to produce a run against Italy/1.
Caroline Champion said: “The GB Minime team has started to gel as they are talking to each other, recognising plays and putting bat to ball. The highlights for the coaching staff are seeing the girls giving 110% on every play and every at-bat.”
Finals
Round-robin play at the Massimo Romeo Cup will finish on Friday.
On Saturday, the top four teams will play a Page Playoff for the tournament title, while the lower four teams will play placing games to decide places 5-8.