European Super Cup 2012
September 3, 2012
Prague, CZ
European Super Cup 2012
The Hørsholm Hurricanes from Denmark recaptured their European club title last weekend with a ESF Super Cup win in a 16 team tournament in Prague, Czech Republic. The teams represented 8 European countries. Tournament rules allowed for 3 pickup players, and several teams brought players in from overseas. The Super Cup was played at a fine venue in Prague – with a great atmosphere and some pretty good ballgames.
After a round of pool play (4 groups of 4) top 2 teams from each group enter a double elimination playoff for the title, and bottom 8 teams doing the same.
The Italian team Lupi Roma, behind strong play from Argentinian quartet: pitchers Sebastian Gervasutti and Maxi Montero plus the bats of catcher Bruno Motroni and Gustavo Godoy, went undefeated through to the final on saturday, beating DVH (NL) with Canadians Bryan Newton and Richard Haldane, the Bulls (DK) and finally the Spikes from Holland. The Hurricanes had to go the long way to the final, being sent to the loser’s bracket by the Spikes.
On the final Sunday, Hurricanes first faced another Dutch team – the Storks – who had Canadian Caleb Keeshig doing the pitching. The Hurricanes had picked up New Zealand’s Jeremy Manley for the week and also had the Terkelsen brothers Frederik and Valdemar on the line up. The Hurricanes walked over the Storks scoring 4 runs in the first with home runs from Anders Hansen and Jeremy Manley and then 4 more runs in the second with a Freddy Terkelsen home run. Manley pitched 1 inning and Valdemar Terkelsen went 4 innings, splitting the shutout.
Next game for the Hurricanes was a rematch against the Spikes. The dutch team started Sisco Sabate (Argentina), but again the Danes struck early with 2 runs in the first cashing in on two Spikes errors and 2 more in the 3rd with a double from Valdemar Terkelsen. In the 4th the Hurricanes kept piling on the runs, scoring 5 more of Sabate and reliever Penese Iosefo (NZ). Valdemar Terkelsen and Rody Stam hit home runs and Manley pitched a 1 hitter with 12 strikeouts leading the Hurricanes to the final.
In the final, the Italian team quickly took the lead, when Bruno Motroni batted home two runs on a double, but in the 3rd the Hurricanes tied it up, when Freddy Terkelsen hit a long 2-run shot off Sebastian Gervasutti. In the 5th Gervasutti was relieved by Maxi Montero, but a 3-run home run by Rody Stam brought Gervasutti back on the rubber later in the inning but he could not get out of the inning before Jeremy Manley singled in 2 insurance runs. Manley settled down after the first inning, and ended the game with a 4 strike out 7th inning, leaving him with 18 K’s in total for the game.
Final standings:
European Super Cup Champions: Hørsholm Hurricanes (DK)
Runner up: Lupi Roma (IT)
3rd place: Spijkenisse Spikes (NL)
Best batter award: Anders Jørgensen, Stenløse Bulls (DK)
Best pitcher award: Sebastian Gervasutti, Lupi Roma (IT)
MVP award: Jeremy Manley, Hørsholm Hurricanes (DK)
