by Bob Fromer
Ronchi dei Legionari, Italy: August 4 -- The requirement in the second round at the 2011 European Women's Fastpitch Championships is to win at least one of the three games played. Even that much guarantees a one-game playoff tomorrow that can take a team into the final round -- the four-team Page Playoff.
Having lost a tough game to the Netherlands last night, the GB Women's Team needed to ensure there were no slip-ups against France this morning, with the final second-round game to come against Russia at 6.30 this evening.
So even though the GB team had romped to an 18-0 win over France in a scrimmage game before the tournament began, no chances were taken and GB's top pitcher, Stacie Townsend, started against the French this morning. Scrimmage games and real games are rarely the same.
No quick runs
Of course, the hope, with the Russia game in mind, was that GB could pile up some quick runs and get Stacie out of the game with a minimum number of innings pitched. But iIt didn't quite work out that way. GB bats were strangely muted for three scoreless innings against a pitcher they had battered in the scrimmage game, and Stacie had to pitch four innings before GB finally broke through and put some runs on the board, allowing Head Coach Hayley Scott to bring in Carling Hare in relief to finish the game.
In the end, GB had 14 hits off two French pitchers and won a slightly ugly affair by a score of 9-3. The game was enlivened by the bizarre antics of French Head Coach Andre Prins, who came very close to getting ejected, but of more concern to the GB players and coaching staff was that the score was still 0-0 after three innings, and the French had actually come closest to scoring, twice getting runners to third with one out. But each time that happened, Stacie Townsend struck out the next two batters to get out of trouble.
Double dose of Parkerson
The breakthrough for GB finally came in the top of the fourth inning, and it came with two outs and no one on. Then GB left fielder Steph Pearce grounded a single into left field, and second base player Ali Parkerson, after a patient at-bat, drove a triple into the gap in right-centre field to score Steph with the first run. Catcher Leah English then hit a line shot into left field that went through French left fielder Eloise Tribolet after an unsuccessful dive. Leah had an inside-the-park home run and GB had a 3-0 lead.
The lead was doubled in the top of the fifth with more Parkerson RBIs. Kristi Yoshizawa sliced a single to left with one out and this time Morgan Parkerson hit a drive up the gap in right-centre field, scoring Kristi. Steph Pearce hit a ball sharply off the glove of French third base player Cindy Cauchi and then stole second, to set up two more RBIs for Ali Parkerson, who blooped a single into right field.
GB generosity
That 6-0 lead was enough to bring Carling Hare in to pitch for GB in the bottom of the fifth, but she didn't have an auspicious start. Carling walked Sandi Dubrana to start the inning, gave up a single to Eloise Tribolet on a ground ball that trickled through the right side of the infield, and then threw wildly to first on Carrie Pitcher's sacrifice bunt. Suddenly, the French had a run in, two on and no one out. They scored a second run on a groundout to short and a third run on another GB error, and there was a certain amount of nervousness in the GB dugout and among the GB fans in the stands.
But Leah English easily threw out French leadoff hitter Raina Hunter trying to steal second, and Carling struck out French catcher Camilla English to end the inning.
Easy ending
After that, Carling recovered her poise and set down the French in order in the sixth and seventh innings.
Meanwhile, GB scored two more runs in the sixth on a single by Laura Thompson, a double by Jess Legendre in that same right-centre field alley and a single by Stacie Townsend.
The final GB run came in the seventh when Leah English led off with a long fly ball to centre field that came down near the fence for a triple, and Laura Thompson's grundout to short brought Leah home.
Looking forward
It may not have been pretty, but the French had been overcome and GB are now assured of a place in a playoff game on Friday at 12.30 pm that will send the winner to the last four and the Page Playoffs. That place will be there whether GB wins or loses against Russia this evening, but a win will mean easier opposition (at least on paper) in tomorrow's playoff.
As far as the other teams still playing for prizes are concerned, the situation in GB's group is that the Netherlands are 2-0 with their 3-1 win over GB last night and a 2-0 win over Russia this morning, with a game against France to come.
Russia beat France 7-1 last night and lost to the Netherlands this morning, and play GB this evening.
So the Netherlands will win the group and go straight to the Page Playoff and the French will be out. Both GB and Russia will have a playoff tomorrow to get into the final round.
In the other second round group, Italy beat Spain 13-0 last night and the Czech Republic beat Austria 16-1. The other games in that group will be played this afternoon and tonight.
Reports from previous games involving the GB Women at the European Championships can be found both on the Home Page and in the News section on this website.