ZURICH, Switzerland – The first of two European Cup Playoffs were played this weekend in Zurich between the Bern Cardinals and the Montpellier Baracudas. The Hoboken Pioneers withdrew from the tournament giving away the Belgian A-Pool spot.
After dropping the first game, Bern bounced back winning two games on Sunday to win the best-of-3 series and clinching their federation a spot in the 2013 A-Pool of the European Cups.
Bern Cardinals 2, Montpellier Baracudas 4
Montpellier (FRA) got a good outing by starter Thomas Langloys who tossed 7.1 innings allowing just 2 runs on 8 hits to pick up the win in Game 1. Thomas Meley picked up the save finishing off the game. Ryan Byrne took the loss for Bern.
Guillaume Felices scored twice going 2-for-4 for Montpellier. Juan Barrera drove in a run going 2-for-4 as the Barracudas took the first game.
Montpellier Barracudas 8, Bern Cardinals 9
Bern bounced back on Sunday taking Game 2 to tie the series at 1 game apiece behind a complete game win by Benjamin Waite who gave up 8 runs on 13 hits.
Kyle Orr took the loss for Montpellier lasting only 3 innings giving up 8 runs (3 ER).
Ryan Byrne came back after taking the loss on the hill in Game 1 to have a big day at the plate going 3-for-5 with 3 RBI including a double and a triple. Angelo Rodriguez drove in 2 runs, scored 2 more, and picked up 2 hits on the day helping Bern to the win.
Anthony Cros had a good day for Montpellier going 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and 2 RBI. Kyle Orr and Guillaume Felices both drove in a run, scored twice, and picked up two hits in the game.
Montpellier Barracudas 7, Bern Cardinals 11
In the decisive Game 3, the Bern Cardinals held off a 9th inning comeback from Montpellier to hold onto the win and take the title. John Baum pitched all 9 innings for Bern allowing 7 runs on 10 hits. He tired late as Montpellier scored 5 in the top of the 9th to make it a closer game. Baum threw 156 pitches in the win.
Andy Pitcher took the loss for Montpellier going 4.1 innings allowing 6 runs on 9 hits. Anthony Cros had another big game going 2-for-5 with 2 runs scored, 2 RBI, and 2 doubles in the loss.
Bern catcher Seth Suplin scored 3 times, drove in 2 runs, and hit a solo home run in the win. Johnny Perigo picked up 3 hits including a triple. Benjamin Waite went 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI helping in the win. Bern pounded out 16 hits but had only 2 extra base hits.
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Eric Bynum is Managing Editor here at Baseball de World and an ESL teacher in South Korea. He has played and/or written about baseball for the past 30 years and is an avid Atlanta Braves fan. Eric also writes for Braves Baseball World and for Call to the Pen.
