By Gabriel Fidler.
Czech Republic qualified for the final of the 2025 Women’s European Baseball Championship with a rollercoaster win against the upstart Great Britain nine, while two-defending champions France got into the win category at the Women’s Baseball Euros.
France – Netherlands
After struggling with offense against the British pitching staff on Day 1, France had no such problems a day later. Selma Prouff tripled to star the game, coming home one pitch later on a base knock by Faustine Moisson. After a nice throw from Nathalie Schindeler caught Moisson stealing, Livia Roeck reached second on a single and an error. Two hit batters then led to a run, as Océane Prunier drew a two-out walk, and Isaure Gourgue took advantage, crushing a ball to left center for a two-run double.
Cassandra Vigneau then worked around a two-out single in the bottom of the first, striking out two. Both sides were scoreless in the second, before Diane Simon singled to shortstop to start the French third. A walk and a Prunier single led to a run, with a wild pitch scoring another. Prouff then lined a ball down the left field line to score Prunier, and France had a 7-0 lead.
Cherise Stravers gave the Dutch some hope in the bottom half of the frame, dropping a single into left field. After taking second on a failed pickoff attempt, Stravers score on a single by Kika Wessels, but Vigneau prevented any further damage.
Roeck started the fourth with a walk, moving to third on a stolen base and a wild pitch. After Shirley Patin was hit, Roeck then stole home. Patin advanced to third on an out and a swipe of her own, after which Clémentine Képa drew a walk. A dropped foul fly led to both scoring, but three runs is all France would acquire, with two runners stranded in scoring position to end the frame.
A scoreless fifth for both nations led to an offense-filled sixth. France plated a pair in the top half, despite only once putting the ball in play and failing to register a hit. Down 12-1, the Netherlands fought back in the bottom half, with Lotte de Groot starting the frame with a single up the middle. Anouk Vergunst then beat out a hit to third, and Jenny Kelders brought home a run with a base hit of her own. After Ge Tingzhu was hit, Houda Bakkech drove home Vergunst with a single, and Kelders then scored on a sacrifice fly.
After a final run in the seventh, France took the 13-4 decision. Vigneau earned the win with four innings of four-hit ball, striking out four, and permitting only one unearned run and one walk. Four pitchers saw action for the Netherlands.
Four hitters had two hits for Les Bleus: Prouff, Moisson, Roeck, and Prunier. Roeck stole three bags, while Kepa swiped a pair. Simone and Kepa scored three runs, the latter doing so without a hit or an out. De Groot had two hits for the Dutch.
Great Britain – Czech Republic
A wild evening game started out quietly, with neither side scoring in the first two innings. Great Britain was the first to crack the deadlock thanks to sparkplug Laura Hirai. The resourceful leadoff hitter took first after a beaning, then swiped second. A balk moved her to third, allowing her to sprint home after Darier Malone to put a ball in play to the left side.
The Czechs answered in the bottom half, but only after two outs. With Kateřina Marková on first, Tereze Stejspalová singled through the shortstop hole. A walk loaded the bases, and a wild pitch scored Marková. Tereza Šustrová then made the Brits pay, bouncing a hit through the right side that scored two. After a pitching change, new moundswoman Caitlin Frank caught Šustrová attempting to steal third, Ella Henson and Laura Hirai assisting in the rundown.
Up 5-1, the hosts plated two more in the fourth, with five walks leading to two runs. Needing a rally, Hirai bunted her way aboard with one out in the fifth, moving all the way to third on an infield single to third by Malone. An error scored both, but despite a Claury Ratcliffe single, the British could not add more than two.
The relentless Czech offense once more went into high gear in the bottom of the frame, with Šustrová leading off with a single. After an error, Marie Bullen ripped a three-base hit to right field, coming home on a Nika Peerová single. After Peerová stole second, Marková plated her on a base knock up the middle, coming home a moment later on a booming double from Stejspalová. The Czechs then loaded the bases, but Britain escaped without further damage, but found itself down 10-3.
However, Great Britain showed that it had some fight. Ella Henson singled to lead off the sixth, moving to second on a walk to Stella Veski. Hirai then once more bunted her way on, with a throwing error permitting Henson to score and Veski and Hirai to end up in scoring position. Malone came through again, lining a single to left center to score Veski. Hirai then caused further disruption, stealing third and scoring on an errant throw. Despite two more outs, though, GB could not add to its total of three in the inning.
The Czechs continued to pile it on in the fifth, posting another five-run frame. Anna Pavlíková, Marková, Stejspalová, and Silvie Hanzalová all had base knocks in the inning, which also featured three stolen bases, a walk, and two errors. Jessica Vernon, the sixth pitcher of the day for GB, became the only British pitcher to record an out without giving up a run.
With the score now 15-6, it looked like the Czechs might have the victory on ice, but the Brits hammered away relentlessly against the deficit. Scatcliffe crushed a two-base hit on the first pitch of the innning, and a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases. Back-to-back free passes to Veski and Hirai each scored a runner, while Vernon backed her own cause with a two-run safety to left field. Davies followed with a two-ribbie single, turning over the lineup, but the rally came up just short at six, and the Czechs won, 15-12.
The victors collected 11 hits and 12 walks, stealing six bases. Stejspalová led the way with three hits, also drawing a walk, scoring a run, and driving in two. Marková was 2-for-3 with two walks, three runs, and three RBI, while Šustrová joined her with multiple hits. Pavlíková was 1-for-1 with three walks and two stolen bases, scoring twice. Šustrová earned the win, pitching five innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits and two walks, striking out four.
Hirai went 2-for-3 with a walk, four runs, an RBI, and three stolen bases to lead the British offence, which collected nine hits, six walks, and 10 swipes. Malone and Scatliffe had two hits and a walk apiece.
Standings
Czech Republic: 2-0
France: 1-1
Great Britain: 1-1
Netherlands: 0-2
Box scores and schedule are available here [link]. Catch up on the action from: Day 1 https://www.mister-baseball.com/2025-womens-european-baseball-championship-day-2/.