Sunday July 9 – The Great Britain Under-18 and Under-16 Men’s Fastpitch Teams both played in bronze medal games on Saturday 8 July in their European Championships in Czechia, and though both teams lost, they both put in their best performances of the week.
In the European Under-18 Championship, GB faced Denmark, who had beaten them 22-12 and 17-2 in round-robin play, but their bronze medal encounter was an entirely different game.
GB Under-18 pitcher Connor Buxton held the Danes to just four runs – three of them earned – on five hits over six innings, which meant that GB was in the game all the way. In the end, however, Danish pitcher Jacob Steensig, who struck out 13, was just too strong, and Denmark won the bronze medal by a score of 4-1.
In the European Under-16 Championship, GB faced Israel, who had beaten them 16-1 and 30-3 in round-robin play. But their bronze medal game was a somewhat closer affair, with the very new and inexperienced GB Team going down by only 12-2, a reflection of lessons quickly learned over the course of the week.
For both GB Teams, who between them featured just one player who had ever competed in a European Championship before, this will have been an extremely valuable experience, helping the GB Men’s Fastpitch programme to build towards making an impact in Europe with teams featuring a large majority of home-based players.
GB Under-18s: Denmark 4, GB 1
GB went into the game with confidence, and quality pitching from Connor Buxton, together with some competent defensive work from the whole team, ensured the Danes were initially kept at bay.
At the end of three innings in the Under-18 bronze medal game, neither team had scored and both teams had only one hit, as Connor Buxton and Jacob Steensig put on a pitcher’s duel.
GB’s batting, which had been good all week, continued to be a threat and two singles from Connor Peberday and one from Sam Buxton helped load the bases twice. However, on both accessions Jacob Steensig held his nerve and closed the inning without allowing GB to score.
The first real threat came from GB, in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, Connor Peberdy singled down the left field line, and with two out, Charlie Barnes and Kyle Johnson walked to load the bases. But Jacob Steensig calmed himself down and struck out Danny Casey-Wright on three pitches.
As so often happens, with GB failing to cash in on a promising situation, it was the Danes who then made the breakthrough in the bottom of the fourth inning, and it was a slice of fortune that helped to decide the game. With Danish runners on second and third and two down, Danish batter Alex Hojberg swung at the ball and made connection with end of his bat. The ball was sent spinning between first and second. GB first baseman Fin James lined up for what appeared to be a simple play and second baseman Danny Casey-Wright came round to cover, but as the ball hit the dirt, the spin sent it off in different direction, into right field, allowing the two runners to score.
Denmark scored again in the bottom of the fifth inning to stretch their lead to 3-0, but GB was determined to get back in the game. In the top of the sixth inning, Connor Peberdy singled with one out, and then Jacob Steensig hit an uncharacteristic streak of wildness. Three wild pitches while Luis Allan Arrevillagas was at bat brought Connor all the way around to score and cut the Danish lead to 3-1.
However, Denmark promptly stretched the lead back to three in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run over the fence in left centre field by Frederick Jorgensen.
A leadoff walk to Kyle Johnson in the top of the seventh inning gave GB some hope, but two strikeouts and a fly ball to left field brought the game to an end.
This was a tremendous effort by the GB Under-18s, in a genuinely competitive game against a team from one of the top men’s fastpitch countries in Europe.
Head Coach Ian Tomlin said, "The game itself was a good indication of where GB Men's Fastpitch is heading. We have an abundance of talent within the team who are now helping us compete on the European stage, and my faith in their ability was so nearly realised. This game was the highlight in a competition we’re most games were decided in five innings or fewer."
In the gold medal game, Czechia, as expected, defeated Denmark 10-0.
Final standings in the 2023 European Under-18 Men’s Fastpitch Championship were:
Czechia
Israel
Denmark
Great Britain
Croatia
GB Under-16s: Israel 12, GB 2
By Simon Thacker
The GB supporters behind home plate were deafening as the young GB Lions took to the field in their last game of the tournament to take on Israel for the bronze medal.
The game started well, as Jacob Henry led off with a walk against Israeli starter Eduardo Tacher. But Luca Taylor, Ethan Hull, and Noah Hickling-Fox struck out swinging, bringing Israel to bat against GB starter Jacob Henry. Both pitchers were to pitch the whole game.
Left fielder Yazan Sgier opened for the Israelis with a double to right field, and Israel went on to score four runs in the bottom of the first inning and another five in the bottom of the second inning to grab a 9-0 lead.
But the GB Under-16s were determined that this game was not going to get out of hand, and they bounced back with two runs in the top of the third inning to cut the Israeli lead.
Jack Ashby-Lloyd beat out a ground ball to shortstop for a single, Rory Casey-Wright was hit by a pitch and Jacob Henry drew a walk, loading the bases for GB with no one out. Luca Taylor and Ethan Hull both struck out swinging, but it was Noah Hickling-Fox who came through in the clutch with a line drive single to centre field to bring Jack and Rory home.
Israel added a single run in the bottom of the third inning on a bloop single to right field by Omer Broker and a double to centre field by Shaker Bar Or, bringing the score to 10-2.
In the top of the fourth inning, Freddy Henry drew a walk and Jack Ashby-Lloyd was hit by a pitch as GB mounted another threat. But Eduardo Tacher struck out Rory Casey-Wright and Jacob Henry to keep GB off the board.
Israel needed two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to invoke the mercy rule, and with one run in, one out, and the bases loaded, Noam Mamo singled to left field to end the game.
The GB Under-16s gave their all during the week against teams with far more experience, and were applauded at the end by the dozens of friends and family members who were in Sezimovo Usti, as well as by the GB Under-18 Team who came over to support them.
The spirit of softball could clearly be seen in the friendship between the Israeli and GB teams at the end of the bronze medal game.
It’s important to remember that this is the first time a GB Team has ever entered an Under-16 European Men’s Championship, and the players and their coaches have done themselves proud. As these players progress through the age groups and eventually into the Senior Team, GB Men’s Fastpitch will become more of a force to be reckoned with in Europe.
In the gold medal game, Czechia, as expected, defeated Israel 11-0.
Final standings in the 2023 European Under-16 Men’s Fastpitch Championship were:
Czechia
Denmark
Israel
Great Britain