In the rubber match of the best-of-three European Champions Cup Finals it was the Neptunus Rotterdam that prevailed over UnipolSai Bologna with the 7 to 3 victory, successfully bring home the 2015 European Champions Cup, marking it the first time a club not in the Italian Baseball League has won since 2007 when Kinheim beat Rouen (French) in San Marino.
Curaca Neptunus got on the board first in this one after they were able to take a quick 2-0 lead in the first off of Riccardo De Santis (loss) for Bologna, with the tournaments MVP, Stijn van der Meer, singling across two runs for the games advantage. In the top of inning number three Bologna’s captain, Claudio Liverziani, was able to put his club on the board when after both Grimaudo and Infante reached on singles, the seasoned vet was able to bang a ball to first that allowed Grimaudo to score, putting the game at 2 to 1.
With the game sitting at 2-1 after 3.5 complete innings in the book, the home Neptunus were able to break out in a big way… absolutely burring Riccardo De Santis and UnipolSai Bologna with a huge five run frame, with all five runs crossing with two outs in the innings. First it was a 1-2, 2 RBI single up the middle off the bat of Dwayne Kemp, then a 1 RBI single to left center off the bat of Dille, followed up by a 2 RBI double to center off the bat of Legito which put the game at 7 to 1.
From there on out both mounds were able to hold there ground, with the Curacao Neptunus starter, Kenny Branden (win) pitching into the sixth where he allowed just a single run off of 4 hits and a walk. In relief of Branden in the 7th and 8th it was Kevin Kelly who came on for an almost perfect two innings of work, surrendering just a single walk while striking out 4 Bologna batters.
Bologna did make some noise in the top of inning number nine when they were able to cross two runs off of Berry van Driel, however the righty was able to successfully close out the game, getting Sabbatani to go down on strikes while it was Grimaudo who was recorded as the last out on a 6-3 play. This was Rotterdam’s first EU Champions Cup Championship since 2004.
