by Bob Fromer
Antwerp, Belgium: August 12 -- After yesterday's excellent 4-2 win over Germany, the GB Cadettes failed to carry the momentum into the first of today's two games in the placing playoffs at the European Cadette Championships, a 10.00 am encounter with Spain.
The GB defense was porous against a quick and capable Spanish team who had finished fourth in Group A in the first round of the tournament (GB finished fourth in Group B) and the result was a three-inning 15-0 mercy-rule drubbing, much of it played in light drizzle and occasionally heavier rain.
The Spanish scored six runs on four hits in both the first and second innings, and then three more with one out in the bottom of the third to reach the mercy-rule total (15 after three).
GB had mounted a threat in the top of the first inning when Chloe Wigington was awarded first on catcher's interference and Amy Trask singled to centre with one out. But Ellie Pamenter flied out to left and Amie Hutchinson bounced back to the pitcher to end the inning, and GB went up and down in order in both the second and third innings.
In the third inning, Spain's second pitcher, Mar Mateu, struck out all three batters she faced.
Game to forget
This is a game that the GB Cadettes will want to forget as quickly as possible.
The GB Team came here with a small squad of 13 players, and several are now carrying injuries, some incurred during play and others probably the result of playing a lot of softball in a concentrated period of time, something most of the players aren't used to doing.
As a result, a number of players are playing out of their normal positions and with a few exceptions, it's a team that lacks experience. The result is that many GB players are, understandably, tentative rather than aggressive -- but tentative softball tends to be punished by good teams.
So while the GB Cadettes are capable of playing very well, as in their wins over France and Germany, they are also very vulnerable to a team that can hit and run as well as the Spanish.
Two games left
The GB Cadettes now have two games left in the tournament (weather permitting) -- a game against Serbia later this afternoon and a final game against Slovakia tomorrow afternoon.
Those are two more games that the GB Cadettes can use to pick up invaluable experience, and also achieve the highest placing they can manage.
Life at the top
Meanwhile, at the top of the tournament, Italy and Russia will meet in the 1 v 2 game in the Page Playoffs later today while Belgium and the Netherlands will play the 3 v 4 game.
So far, Russia and Italy look like the best teams here and will be favoured to meet again in the Grand Final -- except that you can never discount the Dutch.
Previous stories on the GB Cadettes at the European Cadette Championships can be found both on the Home Page and in the News column on this website.