By Bob Fromer
Prague, Czech Republic: July 7 – Carling Hare stepped up to her new role as Great Britain's #1 pitcher, the GB defense played a solid and and sometimes spectacular game, and Germany's defense gave GB four unearned runs on four infield errors and two run-scoring wild pitches in the fifth and six innings, and that was enough for Britain to take their opening game at the 2013 European Women's Championships by a score of 4-2.
And make no mistake – this was a crucial game with regard to Great Britain's chances of qualifying for the next World Championships, to be played in Holland in August 2014. With by far the hardest of the opening round-robin groups to contend with, and with only two teams from each group going through to the playoffs, a loss to Germany would have left GB with the task of beating Russia on Tuesday just to get out of the group.
Now, as long as GB is careful in games against supposed minnows Denmark tomorrow and Israel on Tuesday morning, they will reach the second round whatever happens against a young and strong Russian team on Tuesday afternoon.
Missed opportunities
For the first four innings, the game was a story of frustration for Great Britain.
After Carling Hare set down the Germans in order in the top of the first inning, Amy Moore led off the bottom of the first with a solid single to right-centre field off hard-throwing German left-handed starter Lisa Jansen. Laura Thompson drew a walk, as did second base player Sarah Jones later in the inning to load the bases. But two strikeouts and a ground out sandwiched around Sarah's walk meant that the Germans escaped without any GB runs on the board.
German first base player Luisa Bar doubled to the fence in left-centre field with one out in the top of the second inning, with GB centre fielder Karlene Headley-Cooper just missing a diving catch on a ball that was hooking away from her off the bat of the left-handed Bar. But Carling Hare struck out Miriam Kemmer and Christina Muller-Hocker to leave Bar stranded at second base.
GB third base player Sarah Craig led off the bottom of the second inning with a single, and Amy Moore did the same in the bottom of the third, but both, frustratingly, were called out for leaving bases early, and those potential rallies came to nothing.
Big trouble
And meanwhile, in the top of the third inning, Carling Hare had worked her way out of a serious jam.
Julia de Jong opened with a single for Germany and Milena Bottger reached on a ground ball that eluded Sarah Craig at third. Chiya Louie at short was covering behind Sarah, but the throw to first was late. German leadoff hitter Arlene Quinn struck out, but when Carling Hare walked Alina von Bruck, the bases were loaded with one out and Germany's #3 and #4 hitters were coming to the plate.
But Katharina Szalay hit a bouncer to Chiya Louie at short, who threw home for the force out and Friderike Meinck grounded out to Sarah Jones at second.
Three innings gone, no score, and both pitchers were probably wondering how that had happened.
Time for a change
GB changed pitchers for the top of the fourth inning, replacing Carling Hare with newcomer Kori Waugh.
“We wanted to change things a bit,” said GB pitching coach Megan Brown, “and give them a different look.”
But Germany promptly scored a run and took a1-0 lead.
Luisa Bar singled for her second hit of the game to lead off the inning, but the threat seemed to be snuffed out when Miriam Kemmer hit a soft liner back to Kori Waugh, who doubled Bar off first.
But Christina Muller-Hocker singled, took second on a passed ball and scored on a single to right field by Julia de Jong.
Play of the game
The top of the fifth inning began with the play of the game. Germany's Arlene Quinn smoked a ball down the third base line, and Sarah Craig made an amazing backhand stab on the short hop. She then fired high and wide to first base, but Alicja Wolny used every inch of her six feet plus height to make the grab and keep her foot on first base.
After that, the inning got sticky, as a walk, a bunt single and an intentional walk to the dangerous Luisa Bar eventually loaded the bases for Germany with two out. But pinch-hitter Malia Thiessen grounded out to Sarah Jones to end the threat.
Coming apart
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the German defense unravelled and GB took a 2-1 lead.
Sarah Craig opened the inning with her second single of the game to centre field and catcher Steph Pearce sacrificed her to second. Chiya Louie then hit a routine ground ball that was booted by German shortstop Arlene Quinn, and GB had two runners on and one out. A moment later, Lisa Jansen unleashed a wild pitch, and Sarah Craig came home to tie the game. The play at the plate was close, but the German pitcher couldn't hold the toss from her catcher.
Much to her disgust, the Germans intentionally walked Amy Moore. But when Arlene Quinn made her second error of the inning with a wild throw on Laura Thompson's ground ball, Chiya Louie scored easily to give GB a 2-1 lead.
At that point, Germany took out Lisa Jansen in favour of another left-hander, Mona Horner, who ended the inning without further scoring.
More help from Germany
In a game like this, a 2-1 lead was never going to be safe, even if Kori Waugh did have her only easy inning in the top of the sixth, setting the Germans down on two ground balls to third and a fly ball to centre.
So it was a huge relief for GB when the German defense helped them to two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning without the benefit of a hit.
Sarah Jones walked to start the inning, Karlene Headley-Cooper laid the obligatory sacrifice bunt down the first base line, and German first base player Julia Bar promptly threw it away, putting GB runners on first and second.
Sarah Craig flew out to right field for the first out, but when Steph Pearce hit a grounder to second base, Katharina Szalay threw the ball past third trying for the lead runner, and Sarah Jones bowled over catcher Milena Bottger as she came in to score.
Karlene Headley-Cooper went to third on the play, and scored on a wild pitch from Mona Horner, and now GB had a 4-1 lead. The Germans intentionally walked Amy Moore again (another disgusted flip of the bat), but the strategy helped them get out of the inning only three runs behind.
And with the top of the German line-up coming up in the top of the seventh, not one of the hugely outnumbered GB supporters in the stands thought that the lead was necessarily safe.
Starter and closer
And what began as a vague fear quickly turned to something more substantial for those GB supporters. Arlene Quinn led off with a sharp single to centre, Alina von Bruck walked and Katharina Szalay singled to right field to open up the inning. The score was now 4-2, the tying runs were on base and there were no outs.
At which point Kori Waugh departed and in came a very determined Carling Hare, the GB starter and now the GB closer.
Carling ran the count to 3-1 on Mona Horner and then GB got a break. Horner swung at the next pitch and hit a little spinning ground ball towards short. As the ball actually broke back towards home and Chiya Louie came in to field it, Alina von Bruck literally ran her over and was out for interference.
That took some air out of the German bubble, but there was still Luisa Bar to face. And Bar hit the ball hard and on a line, but Amy Moore took a comfortable catch in left field.
And when a final German pinch-hitter, Janneke Ogink, hit a one-strike fly ball to Laura Thompson in right field, GB had a very precious and hard-fought win.
The defeat will be a bitter one for Germany, who will now have the task of beating Russia to make it to the second round, and they will rue their mistakes in this game.
But while gratefully accepting the Germans' help, GB will point to their very steady defense and some clutch pitching from both Kori Waugh and especially Carling Hare as the keys to the win.
GB will also look at seven runners left on base (the Germans left nine), plus the two runners called out for the basic mistake of leaving bases early, and will think they should have scored more.
But a win is a win against a very dangerous opponent, and the GB Women will certainly take this one.
With a number of new players in the team and only a week or so of training behind them, this was a good team performance that will give GB some forward momentum.
Technical failure
Not only did the GB Team demonstrate prowess on the field, they also stepped in to rescue the organisers and entertain the packed stands at Svodoba Park, home of the leading Czech team SK Joudrs, during the playing of the national anthems before the game.
The German anthem was played as normal, the British anthem was announced – and silence followed. And then more silence. Until the GB Team rallied to the cause and sang the anthem, hitting all the high notes, to generous applause from the crowd.
Day 1 Scores
All 19 teams were in action today, and the scores were as follows:
Group A
Belgium 12, Hungary 2
Czech Republic 12, Switzerland 0
Czech Republic 3, Austria 0
Group B
Croatia 9, Slovakia 6
Netherlands 10, Spain 0
Group C
Russia 9, Israel 1
Russia 8, Denmark 0
GB 4, Germany 2
Group D
Ukraine 7, France 4
Italy 9, Poland 0
Sweden 7, Ukraine 0
Next up for GB
Great Britain will play Denmark at 10.00 am tomorrow (Monday) morning at the tournament's second venue at the home of another Prague club, SaBat, and will then return to Svoboda Park on Tuesday to play Israel at10.30 am and Russia at 4.30 pm.
A win over Russia would give GB an easier second round group, and with the German game behind them, that will now be GB's aim.